Ditch the Communications Mish Mash > Tomorrow's VA
Technology is a wonderful thing. But it can create as many problems as it solves.
That is especially the case if you’re using a mish-mash of tools to get your job done.
There are so many bits of software and so many apps available for teams to communicate with others. The question is, are they making things efficient, productive and easy?
Just think of all the tech you use in your work, too. Could that be simplified?
Email remains a popular way for businesses to communicate internally and with customers.
An organisation might use Microsoft Outlook or its own system in place. A small business owner or VA might have an email account and use one of the many email marketing service providers out there. Think Active Campaign, Mailerlite, Mailchimp, HubSpot or Aweber, for example.
With your own account, it’s really easy for the inbox to fill up and for messages to get lost, unless you manage it as a matter of routine.
It can also be frustrating if you’re trying to find a particular email from the past, for a piece of information or a link someone shared with you.
It’s easier if everything is all in one place and organised. That place could be Microsoft Teams.
As if email wasn’t enough on the plate, communications also come in via text message or chat.
How many WhatsApp groups are you in? Or perhaps you’re using the Signal private messenger app, as well or as a replacement.
Another option is to use the chat function, for private or group messaging, in Microsoft Teams. It’s another way to reduce the mish-mash.
When people or teams need to manage tasks, communicate and collaborate as part of a project, they will want to keep on top of that.
It’s why we see so many different project management tools on the market. I’m sure you can add to this cursory list of contenders: Trello, Slack, Asana, Basecamp, ClickUp and Monday.
That’s another bit of tech to learn and get used to. Something else to add to the mish-mash.
Or you could use the PM side of the Teams platform instead. You can integrate other software with it if you wish. At least then it’s all inside one space, instead of having to keep switching in and out.
I use Microsoft Teams to communicate with my VA, to explain what needs doing and to keep track of progress. We find it works like a dream.
The rise of remote and virtual meetings has seen many people jump onto the Zoom bandwagon.
For organisations with Microsoft Teams, the same functionality is already included with the platform. You can hold video calls, with one person or a group, direct from inside Teams.
No need for Zoom (or to pay the subscription fee). Or Zoom can be integrated with Teams if you can’t live without it.
Once again, Microsoft Teams offers an all-in-one solution and helps people to rid themselves of the technology mish-mash.
Avoiding a virtual Spaghetti Junction of apps, tools and tech is not the only reason to discover all that Microsoft Teams can do.
Judging by the increased demand for my training, organisations are beginning to understand they already have a lot of communications and collaboration power at their fingertips.
Their challenges are to get their people up to speed Microsoft Teams, trained in the essentials of the tool and understanding how to get the best out of it for their business.
Every month I’m delivering something on the topic: presentations, webinars, online workshops, and remote training sessions, live or recorded.
People can also get 1:1 live online training with me or contact me directly to take advantage of group training options.
Another benefit of using Teams is that Microsoft are constantly looking to upgrade features and functions for its users. As long as people are up to date with the changes, they’ll continue to get the most out of an increasingly popular platform.
If you can live with a technical mish-mash, that’s fine. If you find it frustrating, my recommendation is to go Teams.
Posted in TomorrowsVa, Microsoft Teams, Teams, Online TrainingTagged teams, mish mash	