Being a B2B Leader: How to Connect with Remote Employees
The telecommuting facts are in the statistics. For instance, a survey from Staples recently reported that the benefits of telecommuting are becoming more and more accepted as the norm. Seventy-one percent of employees actually believe the opportunity to telecommute is a huge part of considering a new job. For employers, it’s important to stay in touch with remote employees throughout the day. Many B2B employers choose to use email as their primary source of contact with their workers, but there are other ways to stay connected.
Skype. Often thought of a way to keep in touch with your kids, close friends, or siblings who live far away, Skype is also useful for business. Many businesses use Skype every day. It’s an excellent way to keep in touch with employees. The service offers text chat capabilities, which allows all team members to communicate through brief conversation. For more in-depth discussions, one-on-one meetings, or simple long distance calls, Skype’s video and audio chat functions are an excellent way to keep in touch.
It’s easy, works on most every device, and it’s free!
Google Hangouts. If your team needs to meet with multiple parties at the same time, Google Hangouts is an ideal chat client because of its multi-user video and audio chat function. For higher compatibility, use Gmail to host your team’s email accounts. That way, if you need to quickly call a meeting, Gmail users can hop on the “face to face” chat client.
Google Chat also offers a number of other benefits. For example, users can text chat both one-on-one and in groups. In addition, Gmail users can enjoy the appearance of the chat window within their email screens, so they don’t need to open a separate client to stay in touch.
Google Drive. Google Drive is a free online storage client for files. You can upload files like documents, spreadsheets, and presentations that can be viewed by team members online. Users can also create files with the online client and share them with colleagues. One of the most important features of Google Drive is that the person uploading the documents can allow other teammates to edit the documents. It’s an excellent way to write blogs or communicate with clients.
Basecamp. An excellent tool for communicating and collaborating with employees and clients, Basecamp has become a critical component of many businesses. The service is a project management client that hosts assignments and other information, such as client info, to-do lists, calendars, publications, and more.
Evernote. Like Google Drive, Evernote is an online storage system. While Evernote is a paid system, its storage capabilities are enormous. The client can store webpages, photos, voice memos, copied text, documents, and even handwritten notes.
Evernote also allows team leaders to stay organized with its tagging system. Files and other uploaded items can be sorted into relevant categories and tagged according to content or file type to make them easier to find. Evernote will also do a certain amount of tagging and filing on its own without user input. It’s an excellent way to organize thoughts, share research, collaborate, and more.
Ring Central. A VoIP, or internet-based phone service, is often a must for communicating with remote employees. Ring Central automatically assigns phone numbers to each employee’s computers. That way, when employees make a call, the caller ID is from the same Ring Central-created number, no matter where they are located in the nation. Ring Central also provides a virtual switchboard, allowing recipients to seek out employees in different locations. Ring Central also provides a conference call line.
Dropbox. This is another online storage system. Dropbox allows businesses to keep in touch with clients and employees who aren’t in the company’s network. Team leaders can send files through the service, allowing recipients to access and sync the files to their own computers. As a result, anyone can access files offline as well.
Dropbox has a very limited amount of storage space for free, but the Pro and Business upgrades are actually quite affordable. As a result, Dropbox is a great way to communicate.
Harvest. Keeping track of a remote employee’s time is critical for team leaders who telecommute. Harvest allows employers to manage time, report expenses, and keep track of billing. It’s a simple client with a clear interface, so users can look back on previously tracked times. Harvest also has an app option that integrates seamlessly into users’ desktops, making it easy to access.
Connecting with remote employees has never been easier. There are numerous other options available to keep in touch, including webinars. According to ClickMeeting blogger Agnes Jozwiak, webinars and other online communication with clients help companies increase sales. Organizations and employees alike can take advantage of the benefits offered by working from remote locations. Whether you choose email or the aforementioned methods of staying connected, telecommuting employees are more satisfied and productive which, in turn, remunerates your organization.
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