Written by LetsBuild
Last updated October 18, 2023
How many emails do you get per day? Probably more than 50… The worst-case scenario happens when you are responsible for 2 or more projects. Then…I believe there is madness happening in your inbox. The real problem here is that, when you need something it is freaking hard to find it. If you are facing enormous email clutter and you are spending your evenings chasing “inbox zero” status in your email client, these tools are for you.
Direct Messaging Software
When we have an overloaded inbox, people tend to postpone the reply….or hide. If you ask me why is direct and instant messaging better than email, I would mention 3 things:
- You can see who is here and get that communication going on in real-time;
- “Direct Attention Access” – When you send a message to someone it usually grabs the attention of the receiver with a notification;
- Forces you to be short and to the point.
Living in this fast-paced business environment, a lot of startups are working now on merging email with real-time chat – which proves the need for instant messaging.
Project Collaboration Software
Yup! You are right. This is in APROPLAN’s front yard. If you are still using email as the main communication tool when executing a project, then you would love how project collaboration software can help you be better at what you do. Imagine that every time you turn on your computer, instead of rolling your eyes and silently saying: “Lets’ see how many emails I got while I was offline”, now you can open a dashboard where it will be engaging for you to see what moved and changed.
With email, it is up to you to connect the dots and see the dependencies. With a dedicated software, everything is pre-connected for you and you have clear and visible communication with everyone in the team. Explore our website and learn more about the features and benefits of deploying software to enhance your communication and collaboration processes.
Online Binders
Storing valuable documents in your email inbox can be easy to do. The hard part is to retrieve those documents and use them. “Online binders” refers to online storage systems that can be used by you or a group of people.
What you can do is start using storage systems that you and your colleagues can access and retrieve/store important documents. When you do this, your inbox can be reserved only for pointing people in the right direction.
One of the main problems with documents is: What is the newest version of it? Using “online binders” can help you avoid this type of slowdown and always have the up-to-date version of the documents.
Phone
You are probably laughing at this, but believe me, a phone is still the best way to get your message through. When you are connecting with someone over the phone, you communicate much more with your tone, voice, and behavior. This is great for backing up your relationship with the recipient of the call and also avoiding back and forth emails regarding a simple thing/task.
Knowing how powerful this type of communication is, it would be great if you can systematize it. Schedule a “phone time” every week where you will call partners, team members or other individuals, just to catch up and say hello. Trust, connection, and empathy are built in this way.
Putting it all together… Looking for ways to improve your routines is a great priority when it comes to working smart and hard at the same time. Today’s software solutions can help you integrate the four tools (mentioned above) together.
Get ahead of your competitors. Read this article on how mobile apps can integrate four tools and can be useful in your construction project management. For general tips on improving productivity in your construction site, download our free ebook.
