These days, people work from home to avoid catching the coronavirus. The situation offers a lot of advantages for both the employee and the employer. They typically communicate with their colleagues and managers through email and video-conferencing software. These are just some communication channels people use to stay in touch with each other.
But long before the pandemic, people living a digital nomadic lifestyle have already been using these channels of communication to work with remote teams living all over the world. Aside from email and video conferencing software, they also used business communication and collaboration platforms.
Here are some ways digital nomads communicate when they are on the road.
Email has been the primary means of communication for people who are on the road. As long as they can connect to the internet, they can easily communicate with anyone anywhere in the world. They can be staying at Bali’s co-working zone, enjoying the tropical weather while getting or providing information to their teams located in Europe.
Email or electronic mail allows them to send and receive messages to another person using an email address. Email allows them to send text, images, and files as easy as pressing a button.
Smartphone
Even as the smartphone was invented in 1992, it became popular and widely used in 2007 when the late Steve Jobs revealed the first iPhone. At this point, smartphones started using touchscreens instead of the usual keypads. They also started to function like a desktop computer that allowed users to surf the internet easily.
Smartphones also allowed digital nomads to talk with their colleagues as well as share information easily. Moreover, the proliferation of smartphones made them easier to acquire. These days, smartphones have become a part of the daily lives of people around the world.
Communication and Collaboration Platforms
Communication and collaboration platforms are also among the tools used by people on the road for communication. These platforms promote productivity and allow teams to share files easily. It also allows online entrepreneurs to integrate different parts of their business into a single platform.
There are several communication and collaboration platforms available in the market today. These platforms include Dropbox, Google Drive, Slack, OneDrive, and Skype for Business, to name a few. Even the messenger functions of some social media platforms are being used by small businesses to communicate with suppliers located on the other side of the world.
These tools’ importance was highlighted by the current pandemic, where people are forced to work at home. It allows them to collaborate with their colleagues even though they’re located in different parts of a city or country.
Video Conferencing Software
Video conferencing software offers users the chance to talk with someone face-to-face in real time. In the past, there were only a few options. But these days, there are several options to choose from, depending on the needs of the users.
Currently, users have several options, including RingCentral, GoToMeeting, GrassHopper, Zoom, and Google Hangout. Each of these options has its advantages and disadvantages. They have free and paid plans. The features of the free plans are similar, and they are housed in the cloud. This means they are accessible anywhere in the world.
The last communication option for people on the road is ordinary mail or snail mail. While this isn’t as popular as its electronic counterparts, it is quite useful when sending physical documents or equipment to a specific address.
People on the road normally use the hotel’s address or the place where they’re staying to receive physical mail. They can use a PO box if they cannot receive it through their physical address.
Communication for a person who is on the road has become easier with the advances in technology. These advances have also helped remote workers who need to discuss projects with their colleagues even if they’re located in different parts of the country.
