Collaboration between employees increases productivity.  It’s an interactive experience on multiple devices – laptops, desktops, mobile phones, tablets. It allows geographically dispersed people the ability to contribute and work together on a project anytime, anywhere. Knowledge is shared in real time, so that everyone is always working from the most current version.  Work is done more efficiently, and for businesses that have multiple branches (such as credit unions), a remote workforce or many small office locations (think realtors), collaboration can keep your business operating like a large well oiled machine, and not disparate entities.

Office 365 has changed the way businesses collaborate.  While Google Drive, Dropbox and other similar platforms provide similar functionality, there are a few key benefits that Office 365 provides.  Primarily, Office 365 uses Microsoft Office, which are the overwhelmingly preferred programs for document creation. Additionally, most O365 subscriptions come with Skype for Business, which brings so much more tools than just document sharing, and truly unifies all your communication silos.

Here are some more advanced collaboration tools in Office 365 and Skype for Business:

• Instant messaging = Instant answer
• Desktop sharing = Make explaining document changes easier
• Easy transfer of files and images = Not waiting on email or size limits
• Communicate within Office apps = Collaborate right within the PowerPoint documents using IM, screen share, talk or video chat.
• Web Meetings = Start meetings right from the office app itself to present the latest and ensure all are on the same page.
• Content sharing = Integrated real-time co-authoring, desktop sharing, application sharing, and PowerPoint presentations.

Real estate offices, credit union and community bank branches, insurance agencies, and many other types of businesses that have their employees dispersed into multiple small branches can easily benefit from the collaboration. No longer do you have to pay for travel expenses to conduct meetings, or have confusion set in when people are working from different versions of documents. Learn how you can take your communication and collaboration tools to the next level with Office 365 using AltiGen’s Unified Communications solution.