Today’s business landscape has vastly changed from what used to be. Gone are the days when enterprises were tied to one physical location. Now, many modern businesses are exploring various tools and technologies that help make work easier, productive, and more cost-effective, regardless of the company size or location. Companies that employ physically dispersed teams are now more commonplace, and so is the practice of letting employees bring in their own devices for work.
Which is to say that today's workplace has indeed evolved and continues to do so as new trends emerge. The question is: are you using these office tech trends to adapt to the times and give your business the competitive edge it needs?
No business can survive without a good telephone system. But with the high upfront costs, expensive call rates, and limited features inherent in traditional landlines, most businesses would choose to forego the landline and rely solely on email or chat. Fortunately, VoIP offers a better, more cost-effective solution that fits businesses of any size.
VoIP is a technology that converts voice into data packets and transmits them via the internet. It is gaining widespread acceptance in many organizations (and even homes) today because of the wealth of benefits it brings to consumers. Aside from cheaper calling rates and subscription plans, VoIP phone systems are also highly scalable, flexible, and mobile-ready. They also include plenty of advanced phone features like voicemail, call waiting, call hold, call transfer, do not disturb, and more. These advantages make VoIP the perfect communication solution for growing and established businesses, companies that employ a distributed workforce, and those businesses that want to be more environmentally responsible.
The introduction of the cloud has given organizations more flexibility in how they store, manage, and share files. Offices and employees can go paperless with the help of the cloud, as documents can simply be stored online and are accessible from anywhere with a reliable internet connection. Some of the most popular cloud storage solutions include Google Drive, Onedrive, Box, and Dropbox. These platforms all offer affordable options for businesses but differ slightly in their functions and features. Choose the one that makes the most sense for your business or industry.
In the past, it would be unthinkable if companies allowed their employees to bring and use their own devices for work purposes. But today BYOD has become the norm in many workplaces. This cost-saving practice is embraced by many companies because it saves time and money (companies no longer have to invest in new equipment or train staff on how to use it), promotes collaboration (companies that have a BYOD program usually favor an open office layout instead of individual cubicles), and increases worker satisfaction (employees can access all the data they need using devices they’re already familiar with). If you do choose to utilize BYOD, it’s crucial to carefully craft a BYOD program to ensure success.
Another tech trend that is changing the way businesses communicate, collaborate, and operate is the rise of mobile apps. From note-taking apps and to-do lists to games and even VoIP phone service applications, there’s an app for almost everything. The ubiquity of mobile apps can be attributed to the increasing use and reliance worker's place on their smartphones. The increase in BYOD also contributes to the rise of the mobile apps trend. By using and encouraging the use of mobile apps, businesses allow employees to stay connected and productive regardless of their location because everything they need is at their fingertips.
The beauty of today’s office technologies is that they don’t simply operate as a standalone solution, but can be integrated with other tools to maximize benefits. Take a VoIP phone system, for instance. VoIP phone solutions aren’t solely for calling; most services actually offer integration with various business applications such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, accounting software, and cloud storage solutions. Syncing VoIP with these critical applications lets companies boost their phone’s capability, empower staff by making data more accessible, and increase overall efficiency within the organization.