Collaboration technologies are at the very core of any modern business. These services allow for a faster and easier passing of information, let you upload data in a matter of seconds, work on documents, share your knowledge and leave comments. Most of the people who use collaboration tools admit its value. However many businesses still question the feasibility of collaboration tools. Why does this happen? How do you make a client appreciate a collaborative digital environment? We will try to give some advice as to how to answer these questions and make collaboration tools help your company.

United versus uncoordinated tools

Before companies started providing complex cloud platform, many businesses have already used tools which enriched their collaboration techniques. Mostly those were instant messengers and e-mail (today we can also add social platforms to this list). You could still use email and other services for collaboration now, but all those scattered tools work separately and lack the unity that is vital for a successful business.

While considering their options, businesses should take into account the following benefits of the cloud management services:

• One supplier. While separate collaboration tools can be effective they all come from different suppliers, which makes management and support very difficult for the IT-department. United collaboration tool is managed by one company that provides all the necessary software, usually in the form of a browser-based environment (like TeamWox). Most suppliers of collaboration solutions can help you customize your platform, so that you could choose the tools you need the most.
• Common information storage. While using collaboration SaaS you can have all the information you need stored right in the cloud. There is no need to switch between different solutions to download or upload data, or to go to a separate app to comment on the task. With a collaboration platform you can do all those things from any place, using any device you like.
• Sharing knowledge. One of the main reasons why workers do not want to collaborate is their reluctance to share knowledge. Separate communication technologies divide the workers in the office. Unified collaboration platform stimulates the employees to work together and have a common experience.
• Staying mobile. Forrester Research stated in 2011, that only a small percent of office workers tend to use SaaS in their everyday routine. The situation drastically changes when we consider the usage of cloud platforms by workers who spend their time commuting, working from home, from client’s site or from the road while in transit. Such consumers tend to use collaboration technologies the most. Therefore, companies need to use SaaS as they provide a unified working environment for all types of devices including desktop computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets, that become increasingly popular among mobile workers all around the world. Separate collaboration tools like email or IM, simply couldn’t provide the necessary level of support for users on different platforms.
• Agility. Collaboration SaaS according to the latest Forrester Research published on 16th of August 2012 improve business agility. This particular quality of cloud systems is more important to the early adopters of the technology than new functions or speed. Agility becomes essential in today’s business landscape, as the weak and changing economy forces many big companies to quickly change their strategic direction. To do so one has to use tools that allow employees to easily share information will colleagues, as well as with those outside the corporate firewall: partners, suppliers, clients. Such systems enrich collective work and save time and money.

How to implement the SaaS in your working environment?

The advantages mentioned above however do not seem to be convincing for IT-departments of big companies. Specialists share many fears about the cloud. Security concerns, poor integration with the existing software to name a few. But one of the most important factors that stop the spreading of the cloud is the question: Are those services enterprise-ready? We think that the main question here is different. The barrier between cloud collaboration technologies and the business is created by the worker. Often people in big companies just don’t see any value in using collaboration technologies. They feel that SaaS-platforms simply are unnecessary for completing everyday tasks.

This happens because of two factors:

• Lack of leadership
• Lack of training

To drive the implementation of collaborating services you have to have strong leadership. Both members of team management and high corporate management have to use these services. By doing so, they will ensure the involvement of the employees in the collaboration environment. However, this will be impossible without the required training. Therefore, before implementing an enterprise-wide integration of the cloud system you have to make sure that your employees really understand how to work with it. And the more they learn, the more valuable the service will become to them. Research show, that you could even increase the value of collaboration platforms if you continue to add more functions and provide more services. This is essential for the success of cloud platforms on enterprise level.

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While modern collaboration solutions provide many advantages in speed, mobility, agility, companies still feel reluctant to use these products. To change this attitude managers have to alter their way of thinking, by teaching employees the benefits of cloud platforms and by using these solutions themselves to better understand and facilitate their further implementation. Without collaboration platforms businesses will fall behind other smaller companies that maintain the speed, scalability and integration required to succeed in the harsh realities of the modern world.

Kirill Tokarev is a freelance writer for the TeamWox collaboration platfor, who is also keen on videogames and philology. He spends his time reading, teaching and taking part in different game-related projects.

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