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If you’re going to run your business smoothly and make the most of your resources, you’ll need to make sure you’re using the best communication and productivity tools. Our team of experts brings you everything from online fax and remote desktop solutions to video conferencing, VoIP, virtual teams, VPN reviews and more. We give you affordable and easy-to-implement options for any size business.
Article Overview
- Business Internet Providers
- Online Phone and Faxing
- Virtual Collaboration Tools
- Remote Desktop Software
- Securing Your Communications
Finding The Best Business Internet Provider
One of the primary needs for any business is a reliable and affordable internet service. Depending on your area, you may have several internet providers to choose from. So, what factors do you need to consider? And which ones are ideal for your budget and needs? See our article on the best internet providers for businesses to help you choose.
Save Money With Online Phone & Faxing Solutions
Don’t have the budget for expensive equipment? Or are you looking for versatile products that your team members can use on the go? We’ve got some online solutions to help you fill your company’s basic communication needs.
Consider A VoIP Phone System
What’s a VoIP? A VoIP (voice over internet protocol) is an internet phone service, that allows your phone calls to transmit through your internet connection rather than your local phone company. The key benefit of going with a VoIP is cost — it’s much cheaper per call than a traditional phone system.
Also with a VoIP system, your workers can take their business lines on the go, since most VoIP systems have mobile apps. They also integrate with a variety of software, like customer service tools to help you manage multiple tasks at once. See our reviews of the best VoIP services, which include features, pros and cons, pricing and more.
Online Faxing Options
Even with email and document sharing over the cloud, your business may still have a need for faxing — especially if you deal with hundreds of documents that need to be signed and returned. Move your faxing to the digital age with an online service. The best online faxing services give you quick and easy global faxing capabilities even via your mobile phone.
The Best Tools For Virtual Collaboration
Whether your business has a lot of remote workers or your employees travel a lot for work, you’ll most definitely need online tools to keep all of your team’s communication and collaboration in sync. If you do have a remote team, be sure to see our guide on the tools every virtual team should be using.
Easy Ways To Share Documents
Two of the most popular document sharing suites are Google’s G Suite and Microsoft Office 365. Both let you create documents, spreadsheets and presentations, but you can also collaborate on them with other members of your team. They also have other essential tools like video conferencing, cloud storage and more. See which comes out ahead in our G Suite vs Office 365 review.
Online Productivity Tools For Any Need
It can be difficult to manage a virtual team and keep all of your projects and people synced together. Fortunately, the latest online tools for everything from project and task management to group instant messaging and creative brainstorming can make all of your collaborative efforts run a million times more smoothly. See our reviews of the 15 best online productivity tools for 2019, which include such popular names as Basecamp, Slack, Trello and Teamwork.
Best Video Conferencing Software
While G Suite and Office 365 have good basic video conferencing capability, you may need more juice. We review more than a dozen of the best video conferencing software to help you find the right fit for any size business and budget. Many of these tools allow for easy screen and document sharing during your conference. And some include features like webinars, instant messaging, participant engagement measurements and much more.
Meeting Agenda Templates
We’ve even got a handy meeting agenda template to help you streamline any team meeting, whether it’s virtual or in person.
Accessing A Computer From Anywhere
Whether you need to access your work computer from home or give your team members ways to access one another’s computer, you’ll want to consider getting remote access software. There are several uses of remote desktop software.
For example, it can be essential for an IT professional who may need to assist with remote tech problems. It’s also often useful for team members to share large documents or work in a program simultaneously. And of course, you never have to worry about working from home without access to all your files and programs on your work computer. See which remote desktop software we recommend for your particular personal or business needs.
Keeping Your Communication Secure
Finally, you’ll want to make sure all of your team’s communication is secure, especially if you handle sensitive or proprietary data. One of the best ways to ensure this security is by employing a business-wide VPN (virtual private network).
A VPN masks your online presence from virtual Peeping Toms by creating a secure, encrypted connection that lets you use the public internet in private. Having your employees use a VPN is especially critical if they use their laptops and smartphones in non-secure WiFi areas, like coffee houses, the airport, hotels, etc. We review all of the top VPNs for businesses to help you decide.
What types of business communication problems do you hope to solve this year? Let us know in the comments!
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