Hello from the world of WFH – Working From Home!
The Appt team have been working from home since last Friday - we feel like we’re starting to get the hang of it...
Due to the nature of our work (hello to our fellow techies) we already use a lot of apps and virtual tools in our day to day operations, so we’ve been able to switch to remote working without too much trouble.
We know this might not be the case for many other companies and we wanted to share our experience, in an attempt to help those trying to navigate the complexities of home working.
Here is a run-down of 3 of the top tools we’re using:
Communications - SLACK
Slack is a communications tool which allows teams to chat, video call, exchange files and receive live notifications. Slack is linked to our ticketing system and servers and we are notified in real time whenever an issue is identified.
We have upgraded to the premium version, but a free version is available for smaller teams.
Today the CEO Stewart Butterfield announced ‘free upgrades to paid plans’ for teams working on coronavirus pandemic research, response, or mitigation. If that’s you – thank you for all that you do! - you can email covid@slack.com to get set up.
Time-Tracking – HARVEST
Harvest is time-tracking software which enables us to plan projects and monitor the productivity of our team effectively, no matter where in the world they are. It enables us to see at a glance how much time is being spent on each project/client and what progress has been made.
Getting stuff done – OFFICE 365
Microsoft have developed a whole suite of tools which enable collaborative remote working. We use SharePoint for storing files which need to be easily accessible to a variety of team members. We use Planner and To-Do to manage and delegate day to day tasks. And then of course there are the staples of Outlook for emails, Word for word processing and Excel for number crunching.
Microsoft has a variety of packages available for companies of all sizes and is free for charities.
Needs must
Necessity is the mother of innovation, and we’re hopeful that you and your business will discover new creative ways of working in the midst of these testing times. We believe technology does and will continue to play an increasingly important role in helping us to stay connected and work efficiently.
Over the coming weeks we will be continuing to share our thoughts and recommendations, so stay tuned!