No matter the industry or niche your business operates in, chances are email communication takes precedent in your everyday workflow.
However, although most businesses still use this archaic system for communication, there are now better alternatives to email communication.
Cloud-based platforms putting project management, communication and collaboration at the forefront are taking the workplace by storm.
According to statistics published by Forbes, 83% of business workflow will rely solely on cloud platforms by 2020.
It’s understandable not wanting to part with a system you have used for several years (or decades) – no matter how good the alternative might be.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at why you should consider online collaboration software as a credible email replacement.
Centralised communication
Despite messages being easily accessible via inboxes, email is not an optimal system for business communications. It’s easy to lose track of where an important attachment is, (and which version is correct) and how to find messages from weeks or months ago.
Given its ability to centralise communications, collaboration software has clear benefits over email. You can access older messages and correspondence in one place, so it’s easy to refer back too if required. Also, document management tools such as version control and locking ensure everyone is working on the most up-to-date version of documents.
More than file sharing
Sending documents for multiple people to review, comment on and edit is traditionally done via email. Simply attach and off you go.
There is a better way to do this. With collaboration software, you to go further than basic file sharing over email, by collaborating on documents with team members in real time. This level of intuitive file-sharing and collaboration is impossible with email, as it doesn’t have the same versatility of cloud-based platforms.
Clear task delegation
Assigning tasks can be problematic when using email. It’s easy for you to mismanage your team and assign tasks incorrectly to team members when so many emails are flying around.
The project management specialists at Pick Writers had this to say on the matter: “The clearer your task delegation is, the better your end-results will be. Use every tool at your disposal to achieve clarity and peak performance with your team, even if you have to use third-party collaboration software to do so.”
Online collaboration software provides a clear advantage over email when it comes to delegating tasks to individual colleagues or team members. You can create, assign and manage tasks, whilst monitoring their progress, all in one place.
Keep track of milestones
A project’s workflow is only as effective as the initial outline. This is why email isn’t a good platform for outlining the milestones, KPIs and goals for your upcoming project.
Sending milestones and deadlines via email leaves the tracking of progress up to each individual. However, with collaboration software, all tracking and milestones can be managed by everyone using the same platform.
You can outline your entire project’s lifespan and check off individual milestones as you reach them. Being able to see this visually can only affect your team’s performance in a positive way.
Security and privacy
Unsecured email attachments should never be used to share sensitive data which would cause harm to your business if leaked.
Collaboration platforms typically come equipped with comprehensive security measures which assure the safety and privacy of your data, information or files stored within them. This means you can share your organisation’s files and work on them without the worry of information getting into the wrong hands.
It’s also easy to control access to individuals and teams, depending on what they need to know. Having this control and safety isn’t possible with email platforms, even with industry leaders, due to the open nature of this type of communication.
In summary
Collaboration software can increase the speed, efficiency and morale of your staff members no matter the industry you operate in. While email will never go away as a method of communication, it should never be used for discussion on sensitive corporate issues, projects or file-sharing. Make sure to give an online collaboration platform a shot before you dismiss the option as a passing trend.
Kristin Savage nourishes, sparks and empowers using the magic of a word. Along with pursuing her degree in Creative Writing, Kristin was gaining experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in marketing strategy for publishers and authors. Now she had found herself as a freelance writer. She observes with a special interest how the latest achievements in media and technology help to grow readership and revenue and shares her opinion. You can find her on Facebook and Medium.
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