The international business community has been growing rapidly in the past few years, and changing how and where we work. New technologies are making it easier than ever to communicate with coworkers in faraway countries and across timezones.
Here is a list of our favorite tools that can help you build a business, manage a team, or brainstorm with colleagues around the world.
Communicating in the Cloud
It’s nothing new the companies are doing business internationally. But until recently, crossing borders brought with it some inherent difficulties. New translation technologies can help colleagues get their point across in various languages. LifeHacker shares a list of the best translation tools and their benefits to help you find which works best for your company.
With improved technology like Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), videoconferencing has become less expensive and readily available. Companies can now connect with other branches, with vendors or with customers in a way that builds relationships without incurring significant monetary or time expenses. Check out this list from PC Mag about which video conferencing tools might be best for your biz.
The other big obstacle is sharing of documents and data. Data sharing options like Google Docs and Dropbox can help companies maintain a cloud-based archive, and project management programs like Basecamp and Asana can help companies communicate and collaborate freely, regardless of whether they are down the hall or across the date line. PC Mag has a side-by-side comparison of some of the bigger project management programs to help you find the best fit.
Why Big Data is your New Business Partner
“Big data” is the broad term for data sets so large that state-of-the-art technology and processes are required to analyze and sort it in a way that’s useable. Companies without a data nerd on staff can still manage their social media content, web traffic, and online sales with an array of easy to use (and often free) programs like Google Analytics, Kissmetrics, MixPanel and others that can help you track each and every click on your website and give you real data on what’s working (and what’s not) on your site.
Analytics allows companies to identify and follow trends, create unique views at all aspects of company operations, and provide strong evidence in critical company decisions. Number crunching like this has never been easier– or more important.
Embracing the Changing Tide of Business
New technologies like these can have a huge impact on your business, and while it may seem daunting to learn new programs and software with your already busy schedule, all of these tools can only save you time and energy in the long term. If used well, these new business tools can help you manage your team and projects in a fast and efficient way.
Of course, the foundation for all good business are the skills gained from an advanced business degree that helps professionals to understand the critical relationship between technology and international business communications. A *MBA from Campbellsville University, with a concentration in either information technology or international business, equips students with the tools necessary to integrate new technology into their careers.
This post was sponsored by Campbellsville University.
Video conference image from Shutterstock
