project management tools on various devices

Emails vs. Collaboration tools – Choosing your business tools

Mirjana Maksimovic Management

Business as such has always been based on a great idea with development potential, but also on various circumstances, planning and then people and technology used in the process. If you want to succeed, you need to figure out which operation challenges exist in your business and how you approach the execution of projects from start to finish.

It is all about the communication

Companies and individual experts today work more and more on an international level. This means that teams are made from those who can do the job, regardless of their physical location. Now, more than ever, working for a project usually requires extensive communication with many stakeholders spread across the globe. These processes by default used to generally use emails and attachments to share files and conversations. The time of this particular practice is long gone, and here is why.

This system has many disadvantages:

1. It is not centralized

This means that each user uses his own client or desktop software which stores conversations locally.

2. Attachments

Attachments need to be downloaded to the user’s PC and stored locally as well.

3. Organization of emails

Emails and email correspondence are not document management tools. The files attached are not organized in a clear and comprehensive manner, and each user will store them locally with his own folder structure and link between email conversation and files risk to be lost.

4. Versions

Version control is difficult. It is also closely connected to the issue of file storing and individual systems each team member designs for his or her convenience.

If a new version of the same file is received at the beginning of the process, and then again, edited in another email, this commonly leads users to talk about different versions. This is exactly the case which invariably leads to misunderstandings and unnecessary delays.

5. Conversations

Conversations can be lost in email communication. Due to limitation in the storage of emails, many users clean up their mailboxes leading to the elimination of important information. Users may be tired, or just in a hurry. These are the moments in which confusion can be made and wrong emails sent to wrong people. And this is, in all businesses, a dangerous and risky issue.

6. Search

Searching for files in emails is not easy. There is a general search option, but if you are looking for a specific document, it may be extremely time-consuming and tedious, and as we all know-time is money.

The same is true for calendar events or deadlines.

Collaboration tools for the win

Collaboration tools such as CollaboraZon resolve many of the issues mentioned above. CollaboraZon is an application where all documents can be stored centrally in the cloud (or in your file servers in the Enterprise version) and can be shared with the people who have the right to see them. If collaborators need to have a discussion, they can do this via posts and comments – as is the case with most social networks. If an event is created, it can be also shared with all people involved, ensuring that everybody is aware of the project calendar.

You don’t have to worry about organization of your business files, communication, sharing, information or miscommunication ever again. The real way to get ahead in business is to be in the loop with your own business processes.

Help your business operate by implementing the best collaboration tools

If you are looking for a great online tool for collaboration in your everyday business or personal operation, try CollaboraZon and get a free trial period. This is the best solution you can use as a leader to help teams collaborate and be more productive in their day-to-day tasks, with a simple and easy-to-use interface. You can make use of powerful features such as sharing files, giving feedback, exchanging messages, creating events and more, and focus on developing your clear and structured strategic plan.
And, of course-you can use it to set up and get ready for your next big project.