Having a distributed workforce was a reality for some companies prior to the Covid-19, but the pandemic and the accompanying work from home orders have made this a reality for almost every company out there.
This sudden, massive shift towards remote work was an effective measure at the beginning of the pandemic, but for most organizations, it was always supposed to be a temporary one. Now, as companies are coming to terms with the idea that they will be dealing with a distributed workforce for the foreseeable future, they are realizing that they need to implement the tools necessary to accommodate remote workers, while also ensuring that all processes remain efficient.
These days there are many different options available for companies who are looking for solutions for their distributed workforce. There is reliable video conference software, task management software, automatically updated calendars, workforce management software, and plenty more options to help improve remote workers’ performance.
One of the challenges that companies with a distributed workforce face is how difficult it is to coordinate all their workers effectively. No matter what system they use, it seems to always fail at some point.
Maybe some people didn’t get the email reminder for an upcoming meeting, a couple of workers got the wrong time due to working in a different time zone, and rescheduling something just seems like an impossible task at times, requiring interminable emails back-and-forth.
Some decentralized companies have found that this problem can be solved by just having meetings set in stone. Meetings at these companies happen on set days and times in a recurring loop and new workers are just assimilated into this process. This is, of course, a way to go about it, but it isn’t really effective. Sure, this method guarantees that everybody knows about the meetings, since they happen on the same days and at the same time, but in practice this means looking through emails to find the required link, code, or dial in number.
Another issue with recurring meetings is the fact that they feel irrelevant for most attendees.
Sure, they are all there, connected and seemingly in sync, but in reality, they aren’t usually there because they need to be but because it is easier to just have everyone there, even if the information isn’t really relevant to them or the projects they are currently working on.
Even with all the excellent communication software and different channels that exist to stay connected with everyone else in a fully or partially remote team, there are still a lot of obstacles to navigate when it comes to working efficiently. All too often there are connection issues, difficulty accessing virtual meetings, documents, emails, calendars, task managers, etc. Without a central “helpdesk” of sorts, remote workers are forced to escalate any insignificant matter and waste coworkers and managers’ time who try to rectify these types of problems for them.
This situation can be easily remedied by creating a virtual “coordination center” of sorts, a contact number where any worker can call into and get directed to wherever they need to be. Here is where hiring a live receptionist service truly shines.
A live receptionist can direct incoming calls, so remote workers can be redirected to important meetings through contacting one unchanging place instead of having to waste time searching for links, codes, and dial in numbers, no matter where in the world they are. This also eliminates the need to distract others from meetings and conferences by asking them for help with their setup or connection.
Live receptionists can also schedule meetings and appointments directly on every relevant calendar. This ensures that there is no confusion and makes rescheduling meetings way easier for everybody. It also shows that the company respects everybody’s time and enables people to attend meetings that are relevant for them only.
Having a live receptionist is also great for your clients and prospects, since they now have a centralized contact to get in touch with your company. When they call, they will be sure to get great customer service and will be redirected to the relevant person, instead of getting transferred around and feeling like their time isn’t valuable.
Having a distributed workforce can definitely be a challenge, but there are many tools available to them that make it run as smoothly as any traditional business. Having a live receptionist can help your decentralized operation be more stable.