The advances of modern technologies have dramatically changed the way we communicate and do business. Gone are the days of having to write to a company, cut out an order form to post, or have to visit a company personally to acquire their products or services. In modern times, we can simply connect to a website via a personal computer or mobile device and almost instantly get in touch with the ideal person to assist or answer any questions we have.
However, this presents a unique problem, since instant connections have become a natural way for many of us to communicate, and companies that can’t offer this type of connectivity are being perceived as old, outdated or possibly even redundant. Fortunately, the solution is as easy as investing in modern communication technologies, although each offers a unique set of benefits.
This is why we are here to help you understand the value of investing in the right tools, as well as how to best utilize that investment for maximum returns on investment.
Communications are Key to Effective Collaboration.
Modern communications technologies offer excellent ways to connect more personally with consumers, although they can also offer fantastic benefits within the working environment. This is because such technologies offer fantastic opportunities for more involvement and collaboration between employees as well as entire departments within a business. In the past, employees within a large organization could only communicate via telephone, email, fax or personal meetings. These communications have always been limited, however, as telephone calls were impersonal, email and fax took a while to send through and personal meetings necessitated dedicated time to discuss matters.
With modern tech’, collaboration can be done live, without having to wait for emails and confirmations to come through. Instead, employees can simultaneously work on a project despite great distances between them, in which changes, modifications or updates are live and happen immediately. Additionally, because employees can connect via their own workstations to collaborate, they have easy access to all of the tools and resources they need. In fact, because employees can even connect via mobile devices, they can perform live research or take pictures, videos or other recordings as they happen. For a news site or creative agency, this can be invaluable, as leads and inspiration often happen spontaneously, and they don’t have to report back to the office to share fantastic new information or insights.
Consider How Your Business Could Benefit.
Although investing in communications technologies, such as video conferencing systems from a platform like BlueJeans, is almost always a good idea, you also need to consider how it could affect your business. It’s not necessary to acquire an “all-in-one” package if you aren’t going to be utilizing half of the features. So take some time to carefully consider, or speak with professionals, and think about ways in which your business, as well as the employees you are responsible for, can benefit. As MTB Mag explains, regardless of what you are investing in, you need to be sure that if offers you tangible benefits, which will help your business achieve more, operate more efficiently or offer higher quality goods and services. So carefully consider precisely which ways your business could benefit, whether you are investing in online video conferencing or storage solutions for your warehouse.
Invest in Training to Maximize your Return on Investment.
While it is certainly a great idea to invest in new communications technologies, this won’t offer great returns if the people within your business can’t operate it efficiently. As Entrepreneur agrees, by investing just a little more into training so that you and everyone one else in your organization can take advantage of all the benefits, you can ensure that you are receiving maximum returns. Additionally, you may want to find out if you can customize the software or applications to accommodate your unique business and employees. This way, your employees will be able to rapidly understand how the system works, as well as how it adds value to the business process – ensuring fewer complaints and reduced downtime while people grow accustomed to the new software and features. As a final note, if you are utilizing modern communications technologies to enhance your customer service, training will ensure that your company is always perceived as professional, and that your employees will be able to connect and assist customers without having to call a supervisor.
If you are looking for an investment that will truly offer excellent returns, consider upgrading your communications technologies to remove any hindrances your employees have of collaborating and producing top quality work. Just be sure to follow these tips so that you aren’t investing more than you need to, but also so that you invest in the right areas that will maximize the benefits.
