Leading a Remote Team? The Best Tech Solutions for Your Brand

 

Leading a Remote Team? The Best Tech Solutions for Your Brand
By Nora Sheils, Rock Paper Coin

The COVID-19 pandemic completely transformed the way we do business. And although most companies are back in action, many have stuck with one major shift the pandemic brought along – remote working. Not commuting to the office each day has put more time back in people’s calendars, allowing for a better work/life balance and more flexible schedules.

As busy event professionals with ever-changing agendas, this work/life balance is essential! But the best remote teams don’t just save time – they use the right technology to promote efficiency and facilitate collaboration. If your team is working remotely, here are four tech solutions you’ll want to implement. 

A communication platform

Slack, Google Hangouts, Zoom, Voxer, WhatsApp – the options are endless. Regardless of what you choose, think about how your team can better communicate with one another. Having one system in place to stay connected is vital.

When you opt for email, it’s easy for things to get lost in a crowded inbox. And when you add in too many communication platforms, people won’t know which way to turn! As you onboard new team members, let them know when and where they can best reach you. For emergencies, it may be email. But for regular communication, Slack may be your preference. Figure out what works for you!


project management

A collaborative project management system

Most event pros are managing a countless number of projects each day. So, to keep things organized, you’ll want to implement the right project management system. A massive whiteboard or wall of sticky notes may work in a shared office (although we don’t recommend it!), but a remote team will thrive with a virtual workspace that allows for better collaboration.

Asana, ClickUp, Monday, Trello, and Basecamp are great choices. Most have free trials, so set aside some time to experiment and see which platform meets your growing needs. It’s all about finding what works best for your team! 

A file-sharing system

From contracts to photos to marketing content, there are plenty of items your team regularly shares with one another. Again, a crowded inbox is only going to create unnecessary headaches! Instead, find a safe place to share files and notify others of your updates.

Dropbox, Google Drive, Rock Paper Coin, and Box are popular options to consider. Simply sending attachments through email takes too much time and risks things slipping through the cracks. Make it easier with a cloud storage system, so you can access files from any device and easily share them with a link!

scheduling tool

A scheduling tool

When you have a remote team, you likely have employees working in different time zones. Though tougher to coordinate schedules when you don’t all share an office, a scheduling platform will help you stay organized. Calendly, Cloud HQ, and Doodle allow your team members to access one another’s availability for meetings and easily block out time for conversations.

The industry is changing, but with the right technology, we can continue to emerge as leaders. So long as you’re proactive about your tech solutions, you’ll be able to build a team that’s productive, motivated, and ready to help your business grow!

Nora Sheils is the co-founder of Rock Paper Coin, the first software platform to bring together wedding planners, couples, and vendors into one system for managing and paying contracts and invoices. She is also the founder and lead wedding planner of award-winning firm Bridal Bliss. In addition to recognition by Portland Business Journal in its 40 Under 40 series, she also earned a spot in The BizBash 500 for 2021.