Our Picks For Online Collaboration Tools for Small Businesses

Small Businesses use Collaboration Tools to Grow Faster and Turn Higher Profits 


Want to know collaboration tools we use? This post is prompted by the inforgraphic below from SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors. Score has published an infographic showing how small businesses that use online collaboration tools see 26% faster growth and 21% higher profits.

Among businesses with fewer than 100 employees, 12% currently use online collaboration tools, while 17% plan to use these tools in the next 12 months. Businesses with 100-1000 employees are using collaboration tools at an even higher rate, with 28% currently using them, and 35% planning to use them in the next 12 months. 

The most popular online collaboration tools among small business owners include:
  • 64% - file sharing
  • 64% - instant messaging
  • 50% - audio conferencing
  • 44% - web conferencing
  • 39% - video conferencing
  • 35% - video chat
  • 24% - stream-based messaging
70% of small business owners think online collaboration tools improve productivity. Use of these online collaboration tools result in an average savings of $1,700 per month, per small business, and a time savings of 43 minutes per employee, per day, due to more efficient message management. We tend to lump the last five categories together. 

These tools can reduce costs for small businesses, saving them:
  • 40% on local calls
  • Up to 90% on international calls
  • Up to 90% on initial costs for a new business
  • 30% in conferencing expenses
Despite these savings in time and money, small business owners shared the following concerns about online collaboration tools:
  • 41% worry about cost/funding
  • 36% - security/privacy concerns
  • 33% - interaction with existing infrastructure
  • 30% - user quality/experience
  • 27% - end users require training

What are some of the tools us Nerdstalkers like?

Check out our picks and view the podcast for our in-depth thoughts.

SocialGreg's Picks


  • File Sharing - Google Drive and Hightail
  • Instant Messaging - Twist and Slack
  • Audio, Web, Video/stream Conferencing/chat - google video or "hangouts" through calendar Appear.inzoom.us, FB Messenger, iOS Facetime
  • Scheduling - Google Calendar

Adolfo's Picks

  • File sharing - Google Drive, Dropbox, Air Drop, Younity, Backblaze B2, Evernote
  • instant messaging - Messages, AIM, Twitter, Facebook, Slack, Twist
  • Audio, Web, Video Conferencing/chat - Google Hangouts, Facetime, Loom (side note some people using Facebook for this and Echo/Dot now has a voicemail type feature)
  • Scheduling - Meetingbird, Google Calendar





Comments

Teresa said…
For starting a business, there are many physical costings like warehouse bills,, delivery costings, etc to maintain precise and responsive services. You can go for PLR digital products to avoid any of this and earn money from reselling your products.
lekor said…
In the dynamic world of small businesses, finding the right online collaboration tools is key to maintaining productivity and fostering team unity. Our top picks cater to various aspects of business operations, from project management to seamless communication. Tools like Slack and Trello stand out for their ease of use and versatility, enabling teams to organize tasks, share updates, and streamline workflows efficiently. For video conferencing, Zoom and Google Meet provide reliable platforms for virtual meetings, with features that support large groups and screen sharing. Additionally, for businesses looking to support inclusivity, platforms like Chatrandom offer an LGBTQ video chat feature, facilitating easy communication with people worldwide. This can be particularly beneficial for creating a supportive community or for casual brainstorming sessions outside of formal meetings. Chatrandom's free webcams and basic video chat features ensure that anyone can connect instantly, offering a flexible option for teams that value diversity and the power of random connections. Incorporating these tools into your small business's operations can significantly enhance collaboration, efficiency, and team morale, adapting to the needs of a modern workforce

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