How well does your team work together? Could approvals for projects move faster? Do you ever wish there was a stronger way to communicate with your team?
These are commonly asked questions for any team, small or big. That’s because there’s more to communication than simply ‘doing your part’.
Communicating takes effort from all parties involved, and since wires get crossed, this is why team collaboration tools exist. To keep projects moving and to keep teams happy.
It’s the game-changing impact of team collaboration in agencies. Team collaboration means no one is left in the dark, no one is blind sighted, and everyone is working towards the common goal.
Your work is only as successful as the team you put behind it, so make sure that team has mastered collaborating together.
Throughout this post, we will lay out the non-negotiable features within team collaboration tools, suggest top-performing tools to get you started and prove why team collaboration tools are a no-brainer for any agency.
Must-Have Features In Collaboration Tools
Before we dive head first into some A-list tools, let’s first square away what any team collaboration tool needs.
Any and every team collaboration tool should include…
- Lightning-Fast Communication
- Advanced Task Management
- Hassle-Free File Sharing
- Easy Integration With Other Tools
When choosing between team collaboration tools keep in mind those 4 features. Each one bears a specific role in streamlining your projects and improving all-around communication.
Your team should be able to reach out and hear a response back within minutes, even seconds, if high priority. Real-time task management features allow you to work on other things while keeping an eye on the back-burner task. Finally, the right team collaboration tool will offer seamless file sharing and integrate with your other tools.
To put it simply, any stable, effective team collaboration tool will fit into yur workflow with ease. Avoiding any hiccups or making waves. It makes everyone’s job just a little bit easier.
Soon enough you’ll notice your process is smoother and your team is more efficient.
Top Collaboration Tools Agencies Love
Team collaboration tools can look different from platform to platform. Some may specialize in scheduling, while others are more social media management oriented.
Nonetheless, these top-notch tools have it all and uphold the reputation of mastering team collaboration.
Tool 1: CoSchedule Marketing Suite
Say hello to CoSchedule Marketing Suite; the all-in-one powerhouse for ultimate team collaboration.
As a platform built to get teams together and streamline their work, CoSchedule has a variety of features that ensure your team functions like a well-oiled machine.
Gain access to features like:
- Approval workflows: No team member is stuck waiting for the green light to hit the ground running.
- Multiple Calendars: Every team member can see what’s coming down the pipeline, far before it hits them. (Allows your team cushion time to plan social media content and strategize for the future).
- Live Views: See every team members to-do lists in real-time. Team leads can delegate, assign, and re-assign work with the click of a button.
And many more features that enhance the way humans work with eachother instead of complicating it.
Pro Tip: Check out CoSchedule’s social media calendar template to get your foot in the door and see for yourself just how simple it is to idealize, plan, and execute your social media efforts.
Tool 2: Zoho
Introducing Zoho, project management made simple.
The process of completing big projects from start to finish requires countless aspects. Zoho is your one-stop shop for everything project management. With features such as but not limited to:
- Help Desk: Cater to users and enhance customer support.
- Books: An accounting feature for growing businesses.
- Recruit: A powerful recruiting feature that offers hiring solutions.
Zoho allows your agency to move through projects swiftly with privacy and support in mind.
Tool 3: Slack
Your third and final tool is none other than Slack; your brand new communication hub.
Slack allows all communication to grow and thrive.
Bring your entire team together under one platform. Slack gives you the ability to bounce between different ‘channels’ so you can organize different stages of work, while staying under one roof.
Whether it’s giving a teammate a shout-out for a job well done or confirming deadlines, each and every team member has a plethora of communication features ready at their fingertips.
Slack can turn poor communication into non-stop transparency.
Pick The Perfect Tool For Your Agency
How do you know if your chosen tool and team will work together well?
There’s three aspects to consider when choosing a team collaboration tool. If you can be sure said tool will cover these three bases, then you can proceed with 100% certainty that you chose the perfect tool for your agency.
Let’s break down those 3 categories:
Consider The Necessities
What does your team really need above all else? What adjustments does your team need to succeed?
Return to your roots for a moment and reflect on what the bottom line is for your team. Is it communication among roles? Is it the approach to projects? Is delegating tasks effectively difficult?
Pin-point the culprit as to what may be holding your team back from optimal collaboration. Then, ensure your chosen tool has a feature to help.
Balance Features & Budget
Budget is not always a limiting force. Listen and respect your budget while pairing it with features your team would love. No need to break the bank on tools that don’t serve you.
It’s a two-way street between your team and the right-fitting tool. No need to shap shift to “fit” the tool. Just like the tools we suggested above, there are plenty more out there that offer deals, discounts, and memberships to keep your accounting department happy.
The right tool will seamlessly integrate and better yet, enhance the way your team works.
Distinguish Your Team’s Willingness
Will your team actually use it? It’s a hard-hitting question, one you may not want to ask yourself, but it’s crucial for future progress.
Remember this isn’t a settling scenerio. Your team should be excited to operate through their collaboration tool and wonder how they even completed work before.They will never want to return to the old, slower ways.
Team collaboration tools have the variety and endurance to be well-used and loved by your team. So don’t settle and “force” your team to collaborate, the right tool will motivate them to do so.
Why Your Agency Can’t Afford to Skip Collaboration Tools
Real growth happens when a team strikes a sort of “groove”. Every single person is not only focusing on their role, but they have the head-capacity and ability to direct their attention to other roles as well. If needed, a team member can help out in another department that isn’t theirs without throwing a wrench into things.
That’s the beauty of clear communication: it’s meant to handle hiccups without falling apart.
With team collaboration tools, your agency can:
- Skyrocket Productivity
- Say Goodbye To Communication Chaos
- Experience Projects That Run Like Clockwork
- Build A Happy, Go-Getter Team
Even the strongest, most communicative team out there can benefit from team collaboration tools. Whether it’s their task management that needs tweaking or more visibility, there is always a way to make the process smoother.
Feel For Yourself The Collaboration Tool Difference
Picture this: two teams nearly identical in talent, resources, problem-solving techniques, and overall capability. One team works around numerous platforms, re-sent emails, and lives in a constant state of “hoping” a project is underway.
The other team contributes and collaborates all through one single platform. This team has full visibility and 100% transparency among every member. They live in a state of knowing exactly when, where, and how everything has been completed at any time.
Which team seems more trustworthy to conquer projects and put out fires?
That’s the collaboration tool difference.
Your team may be getting in their own way. Without a strong team collaboration tool, they may be opting out at half capacity.
It’s time to level up your agency’s game and implement team collaboration tools, and allow your team to perform at their full potential. You’ll be amazed at what your team can do when there’s nothing blocking collaboration.