May 6, 2014 - Let's take deeper look into online collaboration tools, what they are, how they work, and how you can implement them to benefit your business. Here is a list of online collaboration tools that will help your remote team become more efficient, from communication to project management and more. Yammer is a private social network that helps employees collaborate across departments, locations and business apps.
Successful projects are not the result of only one person and it requires equal efforts from all the members of a team. Collaboration is important in all kinds of businesses, big and small. However, just physical collaboration is not enough these days. With companies growing and making their presence felt on a global level, online collaboration has become immensely important. It helps you stay in touch and discuss important matters with other members of your team no matter where they may be. To enjoy flawless teamwork you need to select the best tools, and to make things easier for you, given below is a list of 10 best collaboration tools for business that you can choose from.
1. ezTalks
Last, and at the same time the best collaborations tools for business is without doubt ezTalks. It has a huge list of interesting features to offer like the ability to add up to 100 participants, HD video and audio, unlimited cyclical meetings, live broadcasting through the browser, application, and desktop sharing, and a lot more that too free of cost. If however, you need to add more participants, up to 10, 000, something that other tools do not allow, you just need to opt for one of its paid versions.
2. Zoom
Zoom is an all-comprehensive collaboration tool for businesses. It offers the web and video conferencing solutions, and also files sharing and cross-platform instant messaging features. Using this tool you can host any type of meeting you want – town hall meeting, webinars, training, one-to-one type video conference, and so on. You can enjoy the service on the conference or video room system of your company, or from your mobile phones and desktops. You can either opt for the free basic plan with quite a few good features or the paid plan that offers additional interesting features.
3. Do
Meetings are not organized only to discuss ideas and goals. Thus Do, one of the best collaboration tools has been created to help businesses get things done and conduct productive meetings. With the help of this tool, you can keep notes, create agendas, follow up on various tasks, and track progress to improve productivity. The tool also has an Insight feature which helps you keep track of how much money and time are being used for meetings so that more efforts can be invested to help make the meetings efficient.
4. BlueJeans
Using BlueJeans video conferencing you can join video conferences through your mobile phone, desktop app, or web browser, and no matter which platform you choose, you are sure to enjoy a list of helpful collaboration features. This includes screen sharing, recording meetings, and hosting meetings in town halls and conference rooms. With BlueJeans, you can also combine workflows, for instance, you can chat using Skype, plan meetings with the help of Outlook, and so on.
5. Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts has been created to help make collaboration very easy. So, you can do all, video and voice calls, send multimedia messages or even chat without facing the slightest difficulty no matter what platform your team members use, or where they are located. You can use iOS, Android or even desktop devices and connect with up to 10 people at a time. You can hold live-stream meetings, video conferences, and also make voice calls. You can even maintain a history of what you do so that you can go back and use it as a reference when needed.
6. GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting is one of the popular collaboration tools that is ideal for you if you are in the need of something basic. With the help of its one-click meeting feature, you can straightaway schedule meetings from Google Calendar or Outlook. Apart from HD video conferencing GoToMeeting offers other interesting tools that help make your meeting successful like web audio, screen sharing, drawing tools, and recording meetings, and so on. You can first use its free trial version, which if you like and wish to continue, you have 3 other plans to choose from.
7. OfficeSuite
OfficeSuite is a well-known collaboration system that you can enjoy access to from anywhere in the world and anytime you want. Apart from video, web, and audio conferencing, this tool also allows you to make unlimited call nationwide, and enjoy digital faxing, toll-free phone calls, Mobile Twinning (where an incoming call will ring on your mobile phone and desk at the same time), Hot Desking (lets you make and receive calls from any phone), and Virtual Voicemail (allows you to receive messages and notifications by email, online, or from any phone).
8. Unified Meeting 5
Unified Meeting 5 has been created to help make collaboration easy. It is an all comprehensive web, video, and audio platform that makes joining and creating meetings very easy. It has simple to understand scheduling tools, and it easily integrates with well-known business tools. You just need to send a meeting invitation to the attendees, clicking on which they can join the meeting. They can do so using their smartphone, tablet, or even desktop computer.
9. Zoho Meeting
Zoho Meeting is an all-comprehensive solution that allows you to host live meetings, share product demonstrations, and enjoy a lot more. All you need to do is sign in using your Yahoo, Facebook, or Google accounts, through Google Apps, or enter a meeting session ID through Linux, Mac or Windows device. This tool is available free of cost for one participant and one host, but meetings can continue for just one hour. To add more participants and to increase the meeting duration you have to opt for a paid plan.
10. Fuze Meeting
If you want to enjoy more flexibility in your meetings then FuzeMeeting can prove to be a good solution. Together with offering HD video and audio conferencing Fuze meeting also allows you to present animations, multimedia, documents, and other contents. Users can easily plan their meetings using Google Calendar or Outlooks. For up to 25 participants this tool is available free of cost, but if you need to add more members and enjoy other features then you need to opt for a paid plan.
Collaboration tools are immensely helpful for businesses and can lead to growth and success. However, if you really want to enjoy the complete benefits of a collaboration tool you need to go through this list very carefully, and then select one wisely.
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On average, how many emails do you exchange with co-workers everyday? And how much time does it normally take to brief your team on goals or progress? If your answers make you cringe, you should consider updating your collaboration tools.
Team collaboration software is on the rise. From communication to project management, technology offers an abundance of options. More online collaboration tools spring up every year, while existing ones are constantly improving their features and functionality. Some companies grow and thrive through holacracy, a collaborative management structure.
Here’s a list of 14 of the best collaboration tools that can support your team’s needs:
Communicate with your team
People can’t collaborate if they don’t communicate. From instant messaging to video conferencing tools (the best alternative to face-to-face meetings), there are many options for team collaboration tools:
1. Flowdock
Flowdock is a group and private chat platform. Its most interesting feature is its team inbox which aggregates notifications from other channels, like Twitter, Asana and customer support tools.
2. GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting is an online video conferencing software that allows users to schedule meetings and share screens. It’s one of the most popular video tools with millions of users.
3. Slack
Slack is a popular and well-crafted platform offering instant messaging, file transfers and powerful message search. It has many features and dozens of integrations with other tools like Trello and Intercom.
4. WebEx
Cisco’s WebEx provides personalized video meeting rooms where users can to host and join meetings. People can use WebEx for team collaboration, webinars, training and customer support.
Manage projects and tasks
Project management tools are critical. Who can coordinate effectively when they can’t monitor task progress or keep track of objectives?
5. Asana
One of the most well-known project management tools, Asana allows users to assign tasks to other members, add followers to projects and monitor deadlines. It’s very useful as a to-do list or calendar for strategic planning.
6. Dapulse
Dapulse is a collaboration tool that helps you communicate, set objectives and assign tasks. Its big advantage: it has a great visual design so it’s easy to understand and work with.
7. ProofHub
ProofHub is a work management tool that offers a comprehensive suite of collaboration and project management functions. On this platform, you can organize files, plan and monitor projects and discuss with colleagues and stakeholders. ProofHub also lets you review and approve files through an online proofing tool.
8. Redbooth
Redbooth is an easy-to-use project management tool. Its platform allows users to plan and collaborate through many functions from video conferencing to creating Gantt charts.
9. Trello
Trello has an intriguing interface that resembles solitaire (you can even drag task cards across columns, just like you would playing cards). It’s easy to learn and works well for monitoring projects and assigning tasks. Trello also makes using Agile, Scrum and other project management frameworks easy.
10. Wimi
Wimi offers users their own ‘unified workspaces’ where teams can manage projects and share files and calendars. You can control access in each workspace with a rights-based system. Wimi Drive, their file syncing software, helps you make the most out of cloud technology.
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Create together
A task isn’t always one person’s responsibility. Sometimes team members need to create together. These are the best collaboration tools:
11. Codingteam
Coders can easily collaborate when writing their code through platforms like Codingteam. It offers a free ‘software forge’ that encourages visibility and collective code building.
12. Igloo
Igloo is a company intranet that allows people to communicate and get work done. Its wiki allows colleagues to share information and ideas.
13. Google Docs
Google needs no introduction. Google;s collaboration tools include its Docs and Sheets services, which are designed to allow teams to edit files at the same time and save all their changes automatically.
14. Quip
Quip started off as a mobile app and released a desktop version later. Teams can import and work live on different file types. Edits are saved automatically and its chat, comment and checklist features make collaboration easy.
How do I choose?
Companies should choose a software that meets their individual needs. Here are some criteria that you can use to identify the best service for your team:
Prefer multiple features
Some tools offer excellent service but are only focused on one aspect of team collaboration. Give some thought to how efficient this really is. Teams may end up spending time changing between complementary software. It’s better to look for a tool that’s feature rich and allows people to use it in many different ways.
Look for ease of use
This is obviously one of the most important criteria. If a service works but takes a lot of time to get used to, it won’t help teams (especially fast growing teams.) Request a demo and keep an eye out for an intuitive interface and simple navigation.
Pay attention to privacy options
Collaborating with teams doesn’t mean all conversations and files should be public. Sometimes, you’ll want team members to have private conversations or work on sensitive projects. Make sure you look at privacy options before you choose a service.
Opt for cloud
Cloud-based technology has many advantages. It can solve your version control headaches by allowing you to see recent edits and activity. All information is stored online so everyone can be on the same page, no matter where they are.
Ask for integrations and compatibility
Remember that it’s better to use a tool with multiple features? Well, not always. Occasionally, you discover a tool that does one thing perfectly. Integrations are key. Look for tools that seamlessly integrate with other apps or software. Compatibility is also important. For example, your tools should support all the file types your team normally uses.
Tutorial: 17 effective candidate sourcing tools
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