3 Tools For Startups To Thrive As A Remote Company During COVID-19

As the world knows, 2020 was the year of COVID-19 and with that the rise of the remote workforce. Many companies and startups have already made the transition to work from home during the lockdowns, others may have tried but found it too cumbersome. Working remotely all comes down to communication, it is vital to have the tools in place to master remote communication. Whether that be internal communication between employees or customer communication, having the right tools available and configured can make the difference between success or failure.

Regardless of your situation, these are three tools that every business must have in some form or fashion to successfully replace the in-office work environment with the work from home model.

When working from home, an important tool for your team to utilize is an internal company-wide chat application. A good solution is Slack. It is free and simple to use. An internal chat tool is a way to replace the quick and easy face-to-face communication you normally would have in an office environment.

As an example, when working in an office you can easily place someone on hold while you ask your colleague or manager a question; an internal chat tool is a good replacement for that. When working remotely and speaking to a customer, the internal chat tool gives you a way to ask a colleague or manager a question and get a response in real-time.

Just because you are working remotely, doesn't mean you have to use your cell phone or Skype. A VoIP virtual phone system will work the same way your in-office phone system does, and you can keep your existing phone numbers. A good example is RingCentral, which will cost probably the same amount or less than your current in-office phone system.

Most businesses nowadays already use a CRM, but if you don't this is a must for any remote business. Customer relationship management (CRM) is software that stores all of your company data, such as customers and leads, and helps you manage all of the communication with them.

When working remotely your team needs to be on the same page, especially with regard to your customers. Using a CRM will give your team an easy way to lookup customers, log their notes and calls, see any recent orders, and any problems they have. The CRM you choose should also log and record all of the calls that your remote employees make from the virtual phone system you choose to use.

Working from home can be both rewarding and monotonous, but if done right can be a winning strategy for all stakeholders involved; your business, your employees, and your customers.