Any successful business means that time is money and if business is good then the proper use of time is vital since you won’t have much to spare as all of it will be dedicated to running the business, seeing to customers and dealing with employees. But technological innovations of the past few years are making it easier to make the most of your time where even distance isn’t a problem anymore.
The invention of the world wide web allowed the world to convey information on a scale never before possible but the use of telephone systems meant that communication fast became a core component of the internet. While one-to-one or even group communication software suites have been around for a while, they were not of the best quality thanks to poor internet speeds, but improvements to the internet system using fiber optics for example, now means that instant communication between multiple parties is now possible.
So if you are stuck for time, some of the best solutions include:
- eLearning
- Virtual meetings
- Collaborative documents
eLearning is nothing new but due to the Covid-19 pandemic it has become a necessity meaning improvements to the technology have also been improvised while virtual meetings can negate the need for travel, saving both time and money and collaboration software allows multiple parties to contribute to documents and schedules when time and/or distance might be a factor.
eLearning
There are many people that advocate the fact that there is no substitute for one-on-one education and while there is no need to list The Pros and Cons of eLearning versus traditional education here, there is definitely a good argument for the proliferation of virtual learning as a viable replacement for teaching, if only temporary.
Any good business needs to constantly train staff on all manner of subjects but with Covid-19 still in full swing in most places, the traditional classroom setting is impossible. Configuring a good eLearning platform can be a great solution to this extended temporary problem as all it takes is a computer and an internet connection while no travelling to expensive rented classrooms is required either.
Virtual Meetings
Similar to eLearning, virtual meetings have also become very popular as a necessity during the pandemic. No one really likes going to meetings anyway but they are a vital tool in the running of any business since all relevant parties such as managers and subordinates alike need to be informed of the day-to-day operations as well as any changes that are to be made to either the company, staff structure or procedures such as Covid-safe cleaning for example.
Applications such as Skype, teams and Zoom have been instrumental in keeping people together during the pandemic both personally and professionally. In a situation where individuals can no longer meet in person, video conferencing apps such as these have provided an excellent method of mass and symmetrical communication. These apps are really easy to set up and only require an internet connection and a compatible device such as a PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone and a webcam.
Collaborative Documents
It isn’t always necessary to talk together or meet whether it’s virtually or in-person and sometimes all that is needed is collaboration on a project. That’s where collaborative documents come in, and their use is popular among most companies and businesses in operation today where multiple parties need to make last-minute changes to documents, amend the contents or give their input.
Some of the more popular software includes Nuclino, DropBox Paper and SharePoint but many of the most comprehensive office software suites also come with fully integrated collaboration options such as Microsoft Office, Google Docs and Open Office of which the latter two are free to use. However, MS Office 365 is the most complex and comprehensive of any currently available and is designed to work across multiple systems and applications such as spreadsheets, slideshows and databases.
- DISCLOSURE – This post has been written by an outside source
