Feeling a little overwhelmed at the prospect of choosing a new collaboration suite? You’re not alone. The recent growth in collaboration software options has placed many decision-makers in a tough position when it comes to defining what’s best for their business. As social media, apps, and the cloud continue to change how we collaborate, we’re looking at a range of workplace software the likes of which we’ve never seen before.
Of course, choosing the right collaboration suite isn’t just a challenge – it’s a necessity. As nearly 7 out of 10 IT professionals claim that collaboration has become a high priority for their organisation, now’s the time to make sure you get it right. Here are a few tips that could help to inform your decision.
1. Focus on the Problem
It’s easy to get seduced in a world of constantly evolving technology, but it’s crucial to make sure that you decide based on the problem you’re trying to solve. Think about your reasoning for looking at collaboration software in the first place, and try to choose something that addresses the glaring need in your business. Make sure you know why you’re going to use something before you invest.
2. Don’t Jump on the Bandwagon
We’re all guilty of getting distracted as soon as we see something exciting and new enter the market. But, make sure that you don’t get overwhelmed by the buzz. Just because a collaboration suite is new doesn’t mean that it’s the best option for you. Evaluate what’s going on in the industry, and choose something that suits your specific needs.
3. Select Tools your Users Love
If you’re not sure where you should be looking in terms of collaboration suites, then it might be a good idea to start off with a free trial of some popular software. If your users fall in love with these tools, then you’re on the right track. At the end of the day, your users need to feel enthusiastic about the technology they’ve been given if they’re going to use it.
4. Don’t Compromise on Security
Just like with any new software, you should make sure that you understand the security features on your new collaboration tool before you invest. Make sure that your collaboration tools offer multi-factor authentication and end-to-end encryption to keep your business safe. It’s also critical for your collaboration software to provide an easy option for de-provisioning and provisioning users. You should be able to remove and onboard employees with ease.
5. Know the Total Cost of Ownership
When choosing new software, take the time to take a holistic look at the total cost of ownership that you’ll need to address for your organisation. Think about what additional infrastructure might be needed to support a new set of tools or suite. Do you have the right level of bandwidth, and what will end-user and IT troubleshooting cost you? How much will you need to pay for deployment, and will any training be necessary?
6. Ensure Compatibility and Interoperability
It’s crucial to ensure that your tool set or suite can play well with the other systems and software that’s been deployed across your ecosystem. Trying to fit a bunch of solutions together that simply don’t work together fully can be a huge mistake. Additionally, make sure that your software is compatible with the devices that your employees use.
7. Create a Feature Checklist
Speak to your employees and ask them which collaboration features could help them to be more productive. Consider using software tools that offer a range of useful features like time-tracking, which help you to pinpoint the actual cost of labour. Make sure that your suite also comes with a good shared-calendar feature. Being able to share vacation schedules, deadlines, and due dates is something that’s often essential in business.
The Collaboration Landscape is Evolving
The collaboration landscape is no longer as simple as it once was. According to experts, the market will be expanding at about a 13% compound annual growth rate between last year, and 2024. The new growth in collaboration offers a range of opportunities to enterprises and businesses, but it also means that you need to be careful when choosing the right suite for productivity purposes.
