Dennis is the sales & marketing manager of a popcorn company. He has hired the services of a digital marketing team to create buzz for his product in the social media. He approached us for advice on what online team collaboration software to get as he and the digital group undertake the project for three months.
“Hello, Dennis here. Am really excited about this upcoming project we are launching.Our popcorn is an established brand but we are coming out with new, out-of-this-world flavors and for the first time we will also be targetting the youth in our campaign. As such, we will be visible in Facebook, Twitter & other networks where the young congregate. We’ve availed of the services of a hip and vibrant agency and for this project, we won’t really me meeting in the company boardroom. Am okay with their proposal for us to brainstorm virtually. The benefits of an online team collaboration software has been mentioned. Am still a traditional guy and I would like to be oriented on what is it all about. Any info you can give me on what features to look for in such a web based software ? Thanks for your time!” – Dennis, OR
Collaboration software or groupware is a set of systems installed in a cloud hosted workspace to enhance the productivity of people managing a project. Look for these features when looking for online team collaboration software – some are basic (and free!) while others are advanced and can be availed of through a paid service:
- Task management. This function will enable you to create a project; assign tasks or subtasks; map out a start date and end date, draw an accomplishment chart, with reminders on the deadlines that should be met by each group member. Specifically, here’s how work collaboration software can help you organize group tasks.
- File sharing & file management. Through this function you should be able to store, organize and share everything from a central database. Additonal features may include tagging, commenting, notifications, and customized reporting.
- An expanded collaboration component will enable you to easily add ‘outsiders’ or new users to the project; in this case, your suppliers, partners, clients, and contractors, to name a few. This feature will enable you to work with them even if they are on remote locations. For as long as both of you are connected to the internet, you can review the status of project updates easily.
- Mobile accessibility. This feature is getting to be indispensable since everyone these days carry smartphones and/or tablets. As such, group members should be able to join meetings, send instant messages or give project inputs through the comfort of their iPhone or Android device while they are on the go.
- Security & privacy. The software must have top of the line encryption technology. It must be able to back up data and protect sensitive information, especially if you are trying to shield your campaign from the eyes & ears of the competition.
CONCLUSION
There are a host of other features you can ask for when scouting for a good online team collaboration software. What we have here are just some of the more essential ones. What is important is when you are ready to implement the system, consider the following factors: program must be easy to use so that project members can feel at home participating; it must be secure enough to protect your precious data; and third, software must be flexible and customizable – that’s why it’s important to settle only for the best in this software.
P.S. To know more about collaboration software, I recommend the following helpful guides: which top collaboration software vendor is right for your company; and what client collaboration software questions you should ask yourself before you buy it?
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