Best Remote Office Software

Remote working has been steadily increasing over the years, but it exploded in 2020. As a result, many businesses have discovered that having employees work from home can be more beneficial than detrimental. Workers have a better work-life balance, as they don’t need to spend hours commuting, while companies save on office rent and equipment. However, companies do face some new challenges due to the nature of remote working. Employers need to make sure their workers don’t feel lonely and isolated, while at the same time providing the necessary tools to guarantee productivity, even when everyone works on their own schedule. Although finding the best remote office software isn’t a simple task, we’re here to help.

Transitioning To a Remote Office Environment

Transitioning from an onsite operation to a remote office environment isn’t easy, and there are many factors you need to consider. One of the most important issues you’ll face is maintaining a smooth communication flow, especially if your employees work different hours due to schedule flexibility or different time zones.

Another issue is that employees may find it more difficult to access the company’s network. This also means they’ll have a harder time working on documents together, as sitting side by side in a meeting room is no longer an option. On top of that, since employees can’t get up and ask a coworker a few questions, it’s important to make sure everyone is on the same page for effective project management. All of this impacts workflow and productivity, and you’ll need to find a solution for this challenge quickly.

Last but not least, you need to think about online security. Because employees will be using the internet to access all information, it’s vital that everyone understands how important cybersecurity is. Despite these issues, it’s still beneficial for companies to go remote, as most problems can be solved by using appropriate software.

Recommended Software for Remote Office

When getting software for a remote office, you want to get the best of the best – your business can’t stop because of the platform you’re using, after all. From communication to project management, every business aspect will need a specific platform. Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions on the market that offer advanced features at an affordable price.

Cloud Faxing: MetroFax

For some, faxing might seem like a thing of the past, but there’s still a place for it in the 21st century. That’s because regulated industries recognize faxes but not emails since faxes can be legally signed and stamped. Of course, it’s unthinkable to give every employee a fax machine. That’s where cloud faxing comes in. This type of software lets you fax from anywhere, as long as you have access to an internet connection. There are even providers, like MetroFax, that offer mobile apps to fax on the go, which is essential for remote employees. Additionally, online faxing provides document cloud storage, which is far easier to organize than having a physical archive. As one of the best cloud faxing services on the market, MetroFax even allows you to share folders among employees and quickly reach documents through a helpful search bar. Read our MetroFax review.

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Web Conferencing Software: GoToMeeting

Your remote company must have great communication, so you’re going to need web conferencing software. But there's more to this useful platform than just allowing remote employees to meet online. For example, software like GoToMeeting allows for dynamic presentations by letting the presenter add notes and pointers to their shareable screen. On top of that, the most advanced web conferencing software comes with meeting recording, allowing you to rewatch and share at a later date. In other words, attendees can be entirely focused on the subject without worrying about taking notes. As one of the best web conferencing platforms on the market, GoToMeeting provides all of this and more. Your remote business will be able to conduct internal meetings as naturally as if they were done face-to-face. Plus, your customer support and client liaison will improve due to the thorough online meetings you'll be able to host. Read our GoToMeeting review.

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Mailing Letters Online: SwitchMail

Mail still has a place in today’s digital era. While some documents need to be sent by mail for legal reasons, sending a letter to your customers is a great way to stand out from the competition. However, managing your mailing efforts remotely is a difficult task. Each remote employee needs to have a printer and make frequent trips to the post office. Fortunately, there are online mailing solutions like SwitchMail to help. The service offers an online platform where you can upload your documents, type in the recipient’s address, select the type of printing and mailing you want, and you’re done. The company does all the administrative work for you. The best part is that SwitchMail is completely free to use and allows for multi-user management. This way, employees can be on top of what their coworkers are sending to avoid mailing the same thing twice. Read our SwitchMail review.

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Graphic Design: Penji

It’s not easy for companies to set up an entirely remote graphic design office – all that equipment and software is a huge investment. But having eye-catching designs is important for any business. Fortunately, you can rely on a graphic design service to do all the hard work for you. These services create designs to your exact specifications (based on your own style guides or taking inspiration from others) and revise them as you see fit. Penji is a great example of graphic design services at their best, giving you unlimited designs and revisions over multiple brands. It doesn’t matter what you need – whether it’s marketing materials, websites, logos, or packaging – you can expect high-quality work. And throughout the entire process, you’re able to discuss your project with your designer as if they were in the office with you. Read our Penji review.

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Password Manager: 1Password Business

Working from home usually means using more online services. From instant messaging to online meetings and project management, you need an account for everything. However, using an easy-to-guess or duplicated password is a big no-no. It only takes one team member’s account to be compromised to expose the entire company. That’s why using a thorough password manager that provides high security, sharing capabilities, and a user-friendly app is necessary. 1Password Business offers all this and comes with the extra perk of allowing managers to set up rules and policies that team members need to follow when creating an account. The best part is that the software is affordable – as low as $2 per user per month – and lets you test everything out for 14 days for free. Read our 1Password Business review.

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Office Suite: Microsoft 365

Collaboration is essential for every team to thrive and achieve goals. So, by providing tools for team members to seamlessly communicate and work together, companies can increase productivity. This is all possible with Microsoft 365, a comprehensive all-in-one platform that’s integral to improving remote teamwork. The cloud-based solution lets multiple users work on the same document simultaneously, using well-known apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Team members can even leave comments and tag coworkers to draw attention to something specific in the document. Also, changes are updated instantly on the OneDrive cloud, where teammates can store documents and easily share them with others. Additionally, the Teams app lets everyone chat, send files, and make video calls in a user-friendly space. But the best part is how every app integrates with each other to provide a smooth collaboration among everyone on the team. The subscription plans for businesses start from $6 per user each month, and the software can be thoroughly tested for free for 30 days. Read our Microsoft 365 review.

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Electronic Signature Software: signNow

Signing contracts is part of every business. To save time and money doing so, it’s important to find a way around signing documents in person. signNow is one of best options for companies to get files signed quickly and effortlessly. Teams can share a subscription with separate accounts, and the software’s contract management tools are second to none. Specifically, signNow allows you to insert various placeholders into documents, including signature and initials fields, and more advanced ones like payment collection. In addition, the software offers countless authentication methods and audit trails, not to mention that documents can be password protected. What’s more, signNow integrates with an array of platforms, including Microsoft Office solutions and Zapier. All this comes at fair prices with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and a 7-day free trial is also available. Read our signNow review.

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Benefits of Remote Working

Companies highly benefit from having their employees working from the comfort of their homes. Of course, one of the main advantages of going remote is that job seekers will have a higher interest in your job offers and you’ll have far more applications. Additionally, since people can work from anywhere in the world, there’s a much wider talent pool to choose from.

On the other hand, remote companies save money on all types of costs associated with onsite operations, such as office rent, travel reimbursement, furniture, and equipment. The best part is that since employees are happier with an improved work-life balance, remote companies see productivity and employee retention increase. In short, the advantages more than make up for the drawbacks, especially when the latter can be easily solved with the appropriate tools and setting up the right remote work policies.

Setting up a Home Office for Remote Work

Since every remote company operates differently, its challenges are also unique. That's why it's essential to understand what type of software you're going to need when setting up a home office. From reducing your paper use to creating virtual offices and running efficient marketing campaigns at affordable prices, there's a piece of software for everything. So, regardless of the problem your remote business might be facing, know there's always a solution out there.