In today's fast-paced and dynamic work environment, leaders need to adopt a people-centric approach to effectively manage and motivate their teams. The collaborative Leadership Style is a proven methodology that focuses on building a work culture centered around collaboration, communication, and respect. By empowering team members to work together towards a shared vision, leaders can foster a sense of ownership and accountability among their team, resulting in improved performance, increased engagement, and higher job satisfaction. In this blog, we will explore the key principles of the Collaborative Leadership Style and provide actionable tips on how to create a people-centric team that is poised for success. Whether you're a new manager or a seasoned executive, this guide will help you unlock the full potential of your team by fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment. Table of Contents What is the Collaborative Leadership Style? Key Components of a Collaborative Leadership Style What are the Traits of a Collaborative Leader? Collaborative Leadership Style in a Virtual Environment Approach Non-Work-Related Topics with Your Employees How to Build Your Collaborative Leadership Style The Collaborative Leadership Style is a Win-Win for Everyone Conclusion What is the Collaborative Leadership Style? The collaborative leadership style is a way of working with others to achieve a common goal. It can be used in a virtual environment, like an online group or social network. Collaboration comes from having trust and respect for each other. This means that the leader will not feel threatened by others' ideas and input; instead, they will embrace it as it helps them make better decisions as a team. The collaborative style focuses on the team, not just the individual leader's needs or wants. It encourages people to share what they know so everyone has access to the best information possible when deciding something important for the organization or project at hand. You don't have to face the stress of getting financing from banks anymore. You can get CreditNinja installment loans! A personal loan won't need collateral like your car or house. The best thing is that installment loans can have substantially reduced fees and interest rates. Additionally, there are a lot of online installment loan possibilities. Key Components of a Collaborative Leadership Style These are the key components of a Collaborative Leadership Style and how they can be implemented to create a high-performing team: Shared Vision Collaborative leaders establish a clear and compelling vision for their team and ensure that everyone is aligned with it. They actively seek input from team members and incorporate their ideas into the vision. Empowerment Collaborative leaders empower their team members to take ownership of their work and make decisions. They provide the necessary resources and support to enable their team to succeed. Communication Effective communication is a critical component of the Collaborative Leadership Style. Leaders encourage open and honest communication among team members and foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions. Trust Collaborative leaders build trust with their team members by demonstrating integrity, transparency, and accountability. They create a safe and supportive work environment where team members feel valued and respected. Continuous Improvement Collaborative leaders promote a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging feedback and actively seeking opportunities for growth and development. They support their team members in their personal and professional development. What are the Traits of a Collaborative Leader? Collaborative leaders are good listeners and understand their employees' needs, and they provide the proper resources to help employees achieve their goals. In turn, this helps foster a culture of trust within the workplace and it makes employees feel valued by their company. Collaborative leaders are optimistic. They have a positive outlook on life and believe that there's always something good around the corner even if things aren't going as planned right now! They're also careful not to let negative thoughts or feelings get in the way of making decisions that will benefit their team in the long run (like hiring new talent). Collaborative leaders support their employees' efforts towards achieving success both at work AND outside work hours too! For example: If someone mentions wanting to learn more about coding but isn't sure where they should start? The collaborative leader might suggest taking some classes at local colleges nearby...or maybe even offer up some helpful tips from experience when learning something new themselves! Collaborative Leadership Style in a Virtual Environment In a virtual environment, communication and collaboration can be more complex than they are in an office environment. A team needs to find ways to effectively communicate that work at all times of day when you're working with people across the globe, and even when your team has different cultures, personalities, and work styles. In addition, you need a collaboration tool that connects all the employees, including remote working colleagues, to a unified platform, such as Troop Messenger, to have uninterrupted work communication and coordination. This team chat app is a perfect culmination of collaboration, security, and productivity features that help attain collaborative leadership. The first step is not just learning how to communicate with colleagues online; you also have to figure out how each individual communicates best. Some people prefer text messages or emails, while others respond better in person or over the phone. Knowing this will help ensure that everyone is on board before starting a project together and keep things moving smoothly once it's started. Once you've figured out how each member prefers communicating their ideas (and made sure everyone knows what those preferences are), there will still be times when misunderstandings occur due to cultural differences or differing opinions about what the company should do next. When this happens—and it will happen—make sure everyone understands where those differences came from so there aren't any lingering issues after the meeting is over! Approach Non-Work-Related Topics with Your Employees Everyone has a life outside of work. And as a manager, you should be open to talking about that life with your employees. You're not just responsible for their work productivity and success: You're also responsible for their health, wellness, and overall well-being. If a team member opens up to you about something personal, don't brush it off or try to change the subject; instead, show them that they can trust you by listening attentively and asking questions if necessary. It may seem counterintuitive at first glance because this isn't related to your employee's job performance—but it will help foster an environment where people feel comfortable sharing their ideas without fear of judgment or retribution from others in the office (or even from themselves). How to Build Your Collaborative Leadership Style Building a Collaborative Leadership Style takes time and effort, but the rewards of creating a team that is motivated, engaged, and invested in the success of the organization are well worth it. Here are some tips on how to build your Collaborative Leadership Style:   Lead by Example: As a Collaborative Leader, you must set the tone for the work culture you want to create. Lead by example by demonstrating collaboration, communication, and respect in your interactions with team members. Foster a Collaborative Environment: Encourage collaboration by creating opportunities for team members to work together on projects and initiatives. Foster a culture of openness and trust where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions. Empower Your Team: Empower your team members to take ownership of their work and make decisions. Provide the necessary resources and support to enable them to succeed. Communicate Effectively: Effective communication is essential in Collaborative Leadership. Encourage open and honest communication among team members and be transparent in your communication with them. Build Trust: Build trust with your team members by demonstrating integrity, transparency, and accountability. Create a safe and supportive work environment where team members feel valued and respected. Encourage Feedback: Encourage feedback from your team members and actively seek opportunities for growth and development. Provide constructive feedback to help them improve their skills and abilities. Celebrate Success: Celebrate the successes of your team and recognize their contributions to the organization. Show appreciation for their hard work and dedication.   The Collaborative Leadership Style is a Win-Win for Everyone The collaborative leadership style is a win-win for everyone. Employees are more engaged, feel more valued, and have a better work-life balance. The organization benefits from this as well because it’s easier to attract talent when you have an employee-friendly culture. Your team also has a shared sense of responsibility and accountability so they feel like they're working together toward bigger goals instead of just doing their tasks. The collaborative leadership style is a win-win for everyone. The leader creates an environment where the team members feel empowered and encouraged to express their ideas and opinions. This approach builds successful teams by helping people work together toward common goals, which can lead to better decisions and a more positive work environment. Conclusion The collaborative leadership style is all about empowering your team members and treating them like equals. It’s a win-win for everyone because it helps you create an effective team with high morale. If you want to learn more about this leadership style, check out some of our other posts! We hope that this article has given you some ideas on how to implement the collaborative leadership style in your workplace.

multi-factor-authentication-mfa-tools As of 2022, all sizes of businesses face increased cybersecurity risks due to the rising number of remote employees, SaaS applications, and cloud services. To handle these complexities and protect all corporate assets from cyber attacks, businesses need various cyber security tools that will secure identities, devices, networks, and cloud environments.   Let’s explain these modern security solutions and compare them. Table of Contents 1. Two-Factor Authentication Vs Multi-Factor Authentication 2. Remote Access VPN Vs Site-to-Site VPN 3. Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Vs Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) 4. Identity & Access Management (IAM) Vs Privileged Access Management (PAM) 5. Datacenter vs. Residential Proxies Last Remarks 1. Two-Factor Authentication Vs Multi-Factor Authentication Two-factor authentication (2FA) and Multi-factor authentication (MFA) tools are widely used by businesses of all sizes, to stay protected from cybersecurity threats. With these tools, businesses aim to secure employees’ and customers’ access to corporate resources and services. 2FA tools refer to verifying users' identities via two steps. First, users are required to enter their log-in credentials (user ID and password), then they have to provide a one-time password (OTP) to the authentication mechanism before they can access corporate resources. OTP is a number that users need to enter in a text box before they can log on. For example, employees of an organization might receive the OTP via SMS or email. OTPs are usually sent to users' phones via SMS text messages, and these OTPs can be possessed by cybercriminals via hacking users' devices. That’s why 2FA tools aren’t as secure as most people think.   On the other hand, multi-factor authentication (MFA) tools can really strengthen security and secure identities and access. MFA tools refer to verifying users’ identities via two or more steps. These tools require users to give in different pieces of evidence to the authentication mechanism. For instance, after users enter the right login credentials authentication mechanism might require them to provide OTPs, smart cards, tokens, or security keys, then as the third step, users might need to provide physical evidence like a fingerprint, eye scan, voice command, etc. When MFA is compared with 2FA, MFA tools are harder to bypass by cyber criminals. In so many ways, MFA is better than 2FA tools, and MFA tools prevent compromised accounts from gaining illegitimate access to corporate resources. 2. Remote Access VPN Vs Site-to-Site VPN By all means, VPNs are essential components for every cybersecurity posture, and they bring many benefits to the table. But, businesses might be stuck between choosing Remote Access VPN and Site-to-Site VPN solutions, although they provide almost the same features. Site-to-site VPNs combine two or more networks into one and create private connections between them. This way, branch locations can securely communicate with each other, and each branch location can access resources that are hosted in other locations.   Additionally, all data transfers between these locations will be encrypted end-to-end, and these transfers will be unreadable to unauthorized parties. Also, it helps to have the usage of a static and dynamic IP address compared and understand which one is safer for a specific organization and its data transfer needs.   Site-to-site VPNs have two types of connections; intranet and extranet-based connections. Combining branch locations’ LANs into a Wide Area Network is an intranet-based site-to-site connection, and this type allows all branch locations access the resources other branch locations have. Extranet-based site-to-site connections make only a part of resources accessible to branch locations, contractors, or clients, and keep the rest of the resources private. Extranet-based connections can be quite handy, especially when a business wants to restrict access to certain resources. But, Site-to-site VPNs require on-premise setup in every branch location.   On the other hand, Remote Access VPNs have user end-configuration. Basically, employees, branch locations, contractors, or clients connect to corporate networks and resources by using client VPN software. These VPNs can be implemented quickly as they don’t require any on-premise infrastructure. Remote Access VPNs create secure and private connections between employees and corporate resources via using either a VPN gateway or a Network Access Server (NAS). Additionally, Remote Access VPNs use end-to-end encryption as well and make all data transfers unreadable and untrackable to third-party entities.   When a Remote Access VPN is compared to Site-to-Site VPN, Remote Access VPNs are way more cost-effective, and they make all corporate resources accessible to authorized users regardless of their locations. Deploying and maintaining Site-to-site VPNs usually require a lot of resources, time, and money. That’s why deploying a Remote Access VPN would be a better choice for businesses that lack resources, and expertise. 3. Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Vs Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) Both Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) are cutting-edge technologies for securing corporate networks, cloud, and on-premise resources. In essence, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is an individual component of the SASE framework, and it can be deployed separately. ZTNA is grounded on the motto “ trust none, verify all”, and adopts the principle of least privilege. This framework requires continuous authentication from users via MFA tools and it limits their access inside the network perimeter. It applies network segmentation to a corporate network and rigorously restricts the lateral movement of users. Additionally, it includes user and activity monitoring features that enable greater visibility on corporate networks.   Zero Trust’s deployment isn’t complex like SASE, and it can be integrated easily. On the other hand, SASE is a cloud-based architecture that offers networking and security features as a service. Since it is an architecture, not a product, its integration takes time, and resources. In this regard, NordLayer Decision Maker’s kit can help you better grasp the integration process and SASE solution journey. SASE unifies five main components, these are SD-WAN as a service, Secure Web Gateway (SGW), Firewall as Service (FWaaS), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA).   When SASE is compared to Zero Trust, it provides more comprehensive security tools to businesses. SASE can enable more robust security in cloud environments and on-premise resources. Additionally, with SASE, businesses can center security and networking tools on the cloud, and establish the best network and application performance. If a business only uses Zero Trust, this business still needs to implement a few additional cybersecurity practices, security, and networking tools security and networking tools to establish the robust security that SASE provides. Naturally, this will increase the costs and create a disjointed cybersecurity posture. 4. Identity & Access Management (IAM) Vs Privileged Access Management (PAM) Improperly handled end-point users, and devices can be exploited by cybercriminals to execute cyber-attacks and conduct malicious activities in your corporate networks. Nowadays, all sizes of businesses should use modern security tools to secure end-point users, and their devices regardless of their locations. In this regard, employing either Identity Access Management (IAM) and Privileged Access Management (PAM) tools can accomplish secure access for end-point users and the devices that they use to connect your corporate networks and resources. These tools can maintain overall security and establish secure connections regardless of locations and devices.   Identity Access Management (IAM) refers to a process of assigning access privileges for every user, device, and application to access all kinds of corporate assets. IAM tools employ MFA, biometrics, and single sign-on (SSO) tools to apply continuous authentication to every user, device, or application. On the other hand, Privileged Access Management (PAM) refers to the tools that are used to manage specific profiles of employees’ access to sensitive areas of the corporate networks. Commonly, corporate resources that are accessed by PAM tools are separated from everyone’s reach. Additionally, while using PAM tools IT admins can set different levels of access privileges for different groups and employee profiles.   Although both IAM and PAM are tools for access management, they aren’t the same. IAM tools manage access privileges for every employee, device, and application while PAM tools manage access privileges for specific profiles of employees and groups. In other words, PAM tools handle access to sensitive information systems while IAM handles access to all kinds of corporate resources. Both IAM and PAM tools can be cloud-based and deployed quickly. Generally, IAM and PAM tools are used alongside each other, and they are essential components for enabling secure access to corporate resources. 5. Datacenter vs. Residential Proxies In the world of cyber security, proxies play an essential role in hiding your actual IP address and protecting the online identity of a business. Datacenter and residential proxies are the two most popular proxy server types.   Datacenter proxies are usually faster and more stable than residential proxies. They're also more reliable, are easier to set up, and tend to be less expensive. However, web servers are more likely to detect and block data center proxies.   On the other hand, rotating residential proxies are less straightforward to set up and are usually more expensive. Residential proxies are less reliable and slower than data center proxies, but they offer a higher level of anonymity and are less likely to be detected and blocked. They are also more difficult for hackers to track. Last Remarks In today’s world, all sizes of businesses are up against high risks of cyber attacks. When modern-day complexities in corporate networks aren’t taken care of properly, cybercriminals can exploit vulnerabilities and conduct malicious activities in corporate networks. That’s why businesses need to implement modern security solutions like Remote Access VPN, MFA, SASE, and ZTNA.   As the world progresses, it is important for businesses to consider cybersecurity more carefully. By being proactive, businesses can avoid becoming victims of cybercrime. There are many different types of cybersecurity solutions available, so it is crucial to use the most recent and effective ones for your specific needs. Solutions like SASE and ZTNA can help you keep your business safe.

This blog is for you if you want to employ one of the Salesforce alternatives as your CRM system. If you are unfamiliar with Salesforce's reputation, you may be surprised to learn the below best CRM systems used compared to or as alternatives to Salesforce. Salesforce is a great CRM system that offers thousands of enterprises a standard-setting service, making it an indispensable tool in the CRM solutions league. It is the most reliable CRM solution that has made more than 150,000 businesses, from small to large, use it as their platform for expanding their operations. 96% of clients claim that ROI expectations were met or surpassed. If you prefer to use one of the Salesforce CRM Alternatives rather than Salesforce for unknown reasons, follow the recommendations of some outstanding solutions below. Best Salesforce Alternatives for CRM 1. SAP Sales Cloud 2. Bitrix24 3. HubSpot CRM 4. Zoho CRM Plus 5. Freshsales CRM 6. EngageBay 7. ActiveCampaign 8. Agile CRM 9. Copper CRM 10. Pega CRM 11. NetSuite CRM 12. Nimble CRM 1. SAP Sales Cloud   SAP Sales Cloud is one of the few alternatives to Salesforce embedded with Artificial Intelligence (AI) which makes suggestions about what actions or interactions should be taken to better forecast accuracy; SAP Sales Cloud can help you increase win rates, improve forecast accuracy, and detect at-risk opportunities. The integrated AI does continuous correlation analysis to find connections between seller behavior, opportunity win rate, and other complicated variables. Sales managers can now quickly evaluate forecast accuracy and simulate various possible outcomes using data-driven analysis of the likelihood of closing. Users may shorten sales cycles, accelerate sales growth, and raise sales efficiency with this salesforce alternative. Businesses can create a unified sales experience, obtain real-time analytics, and use scalable features powered by SAP HANA. By centralizing crucial data for a comprehensive view of each account, SAP Sales Cloud can assist you in identifying valuable client insights. Critical data is immediately surfaced by embedded sales intelligence, which also enables real-time customer journey research across each level of the sales pipeline. 2. Bitrix24   Bitrix24 is a workplace collaboration software with 35+ business capabilities that can handle anything from lead generation to invoicing. Simply put, you can automate your business procedures, manage all your connections and transactions, and quickly collect leads. For organizations seeking total command over every aspect of their sales process, from lead generation to customer support, Bitrix24 is a one-stop free CRM platform. While with Bitrix24, beginning a project is effortless, thanks to the platform's online project management features & functionalities. Set up a workgroup, invite team members, define each person's function, and then begin delegating responsibilities. It is one of the few Salesforce alternative open Source platforms that simplify internal communication for remote teams to connect through chats, video conferencing, and other communication methods. It provides self-hosted and SaaS solutions suitable for businesses of all sizes. It helps with daily activities and projects with productivity and collaboration tools like Gantt charts, Kanban boards, activity streams, group chats, workload planning calendars, and workgroups. 3. HubSpot CRM   HubSpot is one of the widely used Salesforce CRM alternatives that offer a visual dashboard with a real-time view of your complete sales pipeline. Giving you access to in-depth reports on sales activity, productivity, and individual performance will allow you to monitor team performance and identify potential areas for improvement. Enterprise marketing, sales, customer support, content management, and operations software are available on HubSpot's CRM platform. When you use the CRM solution from HubSpot, your CRM is immediately and seamlessly connected with your HubSpot marketing, customer support, sales, and operations capabilities. This makes it simple to tailor and enhance your campaigns and processes using information from your CRM, resulting in work from your teams that is stronger and more significant. HubSpot is the ideal platform to employ HubSpot's free CRM functionality for free if you're looking for platforms like Salesforce. HubSpot's CRM is free unless you want to opt for premium subscription plans for more features. It has no time limit and supports up to 1,000,000 contacts. It also has no restrictions on users or customer data. 4. Zoho CRM Plus   A unified platform for customer experience, Zoho CRM Plus enables you to provide each customer with an excellent experience at every step of their lifecycle and turn them into brand evangelists. Engage clients through various channels at every point of the customer lifecycle. Receive the appropriate context across multiple media and stay informed in real-time. Organize discussions with different teams into a single thread. Some Salesforce alternatives like Zoho CRM Plus provide advanced capabilities to their users, such as the AI assistant known as Zia. The AI-based voice assistant from Zoho will help your teams collaborate wisely. By predicting business trends, suggesting the best time to contact a client, identifying email and ticket attitudes, and providing intelligent business dashboards, Zia may help you work more efficiently. Zoho CRM Plus provides lead management capabilities and reporting dashboards that offer insight into the sales KPIs you care about the most via desktop or mobile apps. Alongside the features mentioned above, it also provides a conference feature that will assist you in maintaining effective team communication. Using Zoho's conference feature, you can initiate video conferences, webinars, and other online meetings and interactions instantly from the CRM. Hence, your team doesn't have to depend on other tools for online meetings. 5. Freshsales CRM   Freshsales CRM aids in the development of customer relationships by assisting salespeople in contextually engaging with the appropriate prospects. It is intended to improve customer experience across all industries for micro, small, medium, and large businesses. Numerous reputable customer service businesses chose this tool since they saw it as one of the best salesforce competitors. Your sales and marketing teams' communication can be improved with the Freshmarketer, marketing automation software-Freshsales integration. Sending relevant and relevant emails automatically can help you get more context about your leads and offer customized and targeted emails that convert better. Automate your emails with rich images. Freddy, an AI provided by Freshsales CRM, assists you in concentrating on the deals that would generate more revenue. Obtain information on the entire funnel, from leads to sales. One benefit of using Freshsales CRM is that you may allocate contacts to the appropriate people using the auto-assignment rules. Leads are automatically assigned by Freshsales to carefully chosen salespeople. 6. EngageBay   EngageBay helps startups and growing enterprises scale quicker with its integrated all-in-one marketing, sales & support software that is easy, powerful, and economical with free CRM. It is intended to be an affordable Salesforce alternative. EngageBay claims that with its comprehensive set of Marketing tools, including Marketing Automation, Email Template Builder, Email Marketing, Lead Generation tools, Social Suite, Landing Page Builder, & more, your marketing team can take things to the next level. You may send targeted messages to target consumers, automate your marketing procedures, and save an unlimited number of contacts. You can also strengthen ties with your customers by keeping a record of all their information in one location. To learn about EngageBay's benefits, for instance, if you look at its email marketing and template builder, you can create eye-catching and captivating emails, then execute email marketing campaigns with a single click. Our simple software makes it simple to create emails, track results, and increase click-through rates. The email marketing solution turns your emails into a potent marketing channel that consistently generates a healthy return on investment (ROI). 7. ActiveCampaign   ActiveCampaign is a Marketing and Sales platform that helps businesses build meaningful connections with their customers. ActiveCampaign is a Marketing and Sales platform that helps businesses build meaningful connections with their customers. With powerful email marketing, effective branding, personalized automation, and CRM capabilities.   ActiveCampaign's CRM solution caters to the needs of businesses of all sizes. It provides robust contact management features, allowing businesses to centralize customer data, track interactions, and segment contacts based on specific criteria. The platform also offers powerful automation tools, enabling businesses to create personalized customer journeys, automate repetitive tasks, and engage with customers at the right time with targeted messages.   ActiveCampaign offers a user-friendly and intuitive interface, making navigating and setting up CRM workflows seamless. Additionally, it places a strong emphasis on email marketing automation, making it an ideal choice for businesses seeking advanced email marketing capabilities integrated into their CRM. The platform also offers competitive pricing plans that are popular among small to medium-sized businesses.   With its automation features, ease of use, and focus on email marketing, it presents a compelling alternative to Salesforce, particularly for businesses seeking a user-friendly CRM solution with powerful automation capabilities. 8. Agile CRM   Most users consider Agile CRM one of the most acceptable Salesforce alternatives for small businesses and midsize firms. This cloud-based software integrates sales, service, marketing, social media, and other engagement avenues to create one centralized hub for your customer reports, analytics, and marketing. The reporting features of Agile CRM go well beyond those of typical CRM reporting, offering advanced analytics, cohort analysis, conversion reports, and drill-down metrics. You can plan any report to perform automatically at a specific time and have the results forwarded to your email address using its scheduled report delivery. The report will be sent to you every time it is run if you plan it to run at a specific time. It is among the best Salesforce alternatives for businesses that combine offline and online operations, such as a SaaS provider that handles enterprise negotiations. It has many functions, yet it doesn't seem cluttered because everything is kept simple and organized. 9. Copper CRM   For companies who need to manage more sales leads and develop customer relationships, Copper is an intuitive CRM. You can access all of your key sales and relationship information, including email threads, previous communications, files, and tasks, in one location. Unlike other Salesforce alternatives, it integrates with Google Workspace to track all of your emails and other activities to the appropriate contact for you, saving you time from manually entering the data. It also reminds you to follow up with deals and contact contacts. This is an excellent tool for companies looking for alternatives to Salesforce CRM to keep contacts and manage communication in Gmail. It effectively functions as a Copper app that resides next to your Gmail account, allowing you to operate from two platforms simultaneously. You may use it as a Copper Chrome Extension for Gmail, giving you complete record management and maintaining a smooth workflow. It works well for businesses of all sizes and iOS and Android mobile devices. 10. Pega CRM   Pega CRM software provides businesses with a unified platform with real-time AI and end-to-end automation, offering you flexibility now and in the future. Real-time AI and end-to-end automation focused on the customer journey will transform how you engage with customers. Pega CRM equips you and your team to further CRM transformation, whether you're thinking about using software like Salesforce or looking to strengthen your present investment. There are some Salesforce alternatives on the market that provide AI-powered tools similar to what Pega CRM does. To address their most pressing business concerns, like personalizing engagement, automating service, and optimizing operations, you can employ its AI-powered decisioning and workflow automation. Business customers may swiftly develop new procedures and services because of its ground-breaking automated programming technology, which requires little assistance from IT employees. Pega CRM aims to revolutionize customer relationship management with its next-generation platform and CRM applications that work. If true, this CRM is far superior to alternatives to Salesforce. 11. NetSuite CRM   NetSuite CRM is an all-in-one platform that enables businesses to centrally manage interactions with partners, suppliers, and customers, both existing and potential. It offers marketing automation, customer service management, sales force automation (SFA), and the ability to manage quotes, commissions, sales forecasts, and partner relationships, among other features that make it a complete Salesforce alternative for CRM. Furthermore, it offers a smooth flow of data throughout the customer's lifetime, from lead to opportunity, order, fulfillment, renewal, upsell, cross-sell, and support. With the help of the enterprise-level solution NetSuite CRM, companies from various industries now have a single place to manage interactions with potential clients, suppliers, and other parties. It offers mobile apps for iOS and Android, as well as a mobile-responsive design, and it serves businesses of all sizes. 12. Nimble CRM   Nimble CRM is the only app that automatically enriches contact profiles from anywhere on the web, unlike other apps like Salesforce. To reduce your time on data entry by half, focus your cursor over any name to see relevant contact information, business insights, and interaction history appear. With the aforementioned in mind, the features are not difficult to use; users can designate contacts to specific users, set privacy at import, create privacy groups, and allocate leads to particular users. With inline editing and extensive custom activity monitoring, Nimble CRM's contact record makes it simple to view simultaneously, change, and search all your crucial relationship information. Infor Cloud Suite CRM, Creatio CRM, SAP Sales Cloud, Microsoft Dynamics, Insightly CRM, and more solutions should be mentioned as some of the best Salesforce alternatives in addition to the ones already mentioned. Troop Messenger is the ideal solution for your search if you're looking for a full-featured business chat app that can integrate with Salesforce or other alternatives, in addition, to securing your data, meeting your requirements, eliminating latency concerns, and more. It is regarded as the best team chat app available today. It is renowned for its usage of security methods and the plethora of features it provides to users, making it a comprehensive team communication tool. It might not be a direct alternative to Salesforce CRM. Still, it supports the Zapier integration, allowing you to use any Salesforce alternatives or Salesforce CRM as an end-to-end software. Conclusion In terms of offering top-notch services to consumers worldwide, Salesforce CRM is regarded as the finest. However, with the aforementioned Salesforce alternatives, I hope you have found more products that can function as the best CRM while upholding industry standards. If you are considering another CRM solution, it is best to examine the features & functionalities of the solutions mentioned above to make an informed choice.

With many companies shifting to remote work, virtual meetings are now an indispensable part of the working environment.   Virtual meetings are great. You can have meetings with people across the globe, without incurring costs for gas, transportation, and travel time. Time zones are less of an issue as well since workers can do it at a time that is convenient to them, without managers having to worry about finding a time and place to assemble them all. A person can do his or her meeting before going to bed, or one can do it after he or she finishes breakfast. How convenient, right?   While virtual meetings are now more common and have a lot of benefits, it's still not 100% perfect. According to a recent study done by Great Business School, 84% of people say that they still prefer face-to-face meetings. This is because face-to-face meetings allow you to see body language, facial expressions, and hand gestures that you don’t see properly in video calls. All these non-verbal cues are easier to communicate and interpret in person compared to virtual meetings. You may also run meetings in multiple languages with a remote interpretation platform on your communication platforms.   And aside from the debate between virtual versus face-to-face meetings, there is also one big problem. People… just hate meetings. According to a study from Harvard Business Review, 71% of people say that they find meetings unproductive and inefficient. 65% of them also say that meetings just keep them from completing their own tasks and work.   But still, meetings are an important part of work, much more so if you are in a remote setting. It is where employees gather to share their thoughts, brainstorm ideas, and do problem-solving together. Regular communication is also necessary to build rapport and relationships with your other remote coworkers.   This is why we gathered some tips and best practices to help you have a productive and effective virtual meeting. Read on below. Table of Contents Before the meeting During the meeting After the meeting Conclusion Before the meeting   Decide if the meeting is necessary: Did you know that people spend up to 55% of their workweek in meetings? By making sure that the meeting is necessary and essential to everyone involved, you’ll run less risk of people being disengaged during the meeting. It will also lessen the loss of productive time for the workers. Create a meeting agenda: Nothing is more inefficient than having a meeting that is poorly planned. First, figure out the goals and purpose of the meeting. Are you going to discuss a problem? Or are you going to brainstorm ideas? Then, figure out the structure. Who will be presenting, and how long will each speaker’s presentation last? How many topics are you going to discuss today? Will you need a break in between the sessions? Will you have an icebreaker at the start or a Q&A session after? Figure out the other necessary details: Are there any timezone considerations? Will you be needing some other feature like a breakout room, or a virtual whiteboard? Create visually appealing meeting slides: Aside from using your company’s logo design or brand colors in the slide, try to spice it up by adding images and well-designed infographics and graphs. If your company is much more relaxed and casual, you can also add some gifs or memes (but remember to keep it professional!). This will make your meeting more engaging and less boring. Plan which tool you’ll use: With the rise of remote work, there are now multitudes of tools available. For example, Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, Troop Messenger, and many more. Find which one will work best for you. Run some test presentations: Do it especially if you are using a new tool or platform. This will help you spot technical difficulties or errors before the meetings even begin. This way, you won’t waste time during the meeting trying to fix a video that won’t play, or clicking links that won’t open. Encourage people to test their technology in advance: Set up reminders for everyone to test their internet connection and devices beforehand, as well as check if their mics or webcams are working properly. This will lessen the chances of having some technical issues delay the meeting. Send out the meeting agenda and meeting reminders: Make sure that everyone is properly prepared and informed about the meeting. Sending reminders will also help ensure that everyone will arrive at the meeting on time.   During the meeting   Remind everyone of the meeting etiquette: At the start of the meeting, have everyone turn off their phones and notifications to lessen distractions, and keep their mics muted to lessen background noise. Have webcams turned on as well? Aside from getting better communication when you can see the other person’s face, it will also eliminate multitasking since your coworkers can see you. Have a quick roll call at the start of the meeting: This will help you keep track of who is at the meeting, and to signify to the attendees that the meeting is starting. Have some icebreaker: This doesn’t have to run long. Having some fun icebreaker questions or activities will keep everyone more engaged in the meeting, as well as build some connections that are sorely needed in a remote work environment. Encourage participation: Give everyone an opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas during the meeting. This is especially true for virtual meetings since talking is not as spontaneous as it would be in an in-person meeting. Try to call every member of the meeting to share their thoughts, especially at the halfway point of the meeting, when people might be feeling distracted already. Assign everyone a part in the meeting: Of course, this would depend on context, but if possible, try to assign a part in the presentation to everyone. This will give everyone a chance to speak up and be heard, and be more engaged since they have an actual responsibility in the meeting. Make sure to stick to the agenda: Remind presenters of the time to avoid meetings running over. Steer the conversation back to the agenda on hand as well if it ever veers off track to keep the meeting from dragging. Dedicate a separate Q&A time: One of the issues during meetings is running overtime due to impromptu questions or discussions. Try to set a specific time for it so that the whole presentation won’t get derailed. Then, if the Q&A session lasts too long, try to schedule a separate meeting dedicated to it, or move the discussion through chats. Keep the meetings short: It is recommended for meetings to run up to 45 minutes maximum. Going beyond that is just a recipe for disaster. You’ll run the risk of disengaged and bored attendees. Keep the environment cool and harmonious: Your virtual business meetings should help build connections and relationships between coworkers. If ever an argument arises, make sure to quickly snap it in the bud. Disrespect should not be tolerated in a meeting, virtual or otherwise. Be prepared for technical issues: Even with all the pre-planning, it is still possible that some issues will arise. Prepare solutions for common technical issues, and make sure that you have backup tools if needed as well.   After the meeting   Send a post-meeting summary: Send out a round-up of all the discussions, notes, next steps, and deadlines for all the attendees. If you recorded the meeting, send out the video to the necessary attendees as well. Ask for feedback: Send out a survey or have a conversation with the attendees. Which part did they like the most? What issues did they encounter? Do they have suggestions or ideas? By knowing all these, you’ll know how to improve and provide an even better meeting experience next time. Have 1:1s, if needed: If you started a new project, task, or policy during the meeting, make sure to set a 1:1 conversation with the member to see how they are faring with it. This will also let you see if there are some issues that may need to be addressed in your next meeting. Consider having virtual happy hours or virtual team bonding: Having work just full of meetings is definitely dull for everyone. If possible, try to schedule a weekly happy hour activity or virtual coffee chats for your remote workers, where they won’t be doing work but instead just having fun with their coworkers. This would help in building rapport with each other.   Conclusion Regular communication is important among coworkers, but especially more in a remote setting. Especially since it was reported that 19% of remote workers feel more disconnected from the outside world. Having regular meetings will help you build rapport with your coworkers and keep you from feeling isolated as well.   Of course, meetings are usually seen as boring and a waste of time. But there are ways to keep it more productive and efficient. After all, having a successful meeting is important since it fosters teamwork, builds better relationships, and helps you achieve your company’s goals. By following these tips that we provided, your next virtual meeting will be a success.

Now everyone is busy with content creation from ordinary users to large companies. The content that now occupies a leading position is video. They are everywhere: on social networks, blogs, and websites. Why write anything that takes a long time and includes pics when you can put everything in a motion picture? You can even make it so that any notion you want to express can be squeezed into a few minutes of entertainment! When businesses think about how they can captivate both potential and loyal customers, there is nothing better than video content. Marketers spend a lot of effort and money to come up with creative banner ads or publish informative articles. However, if you want consumers to desire to see what you have to offer, video marketing is your best choice. Here's something that demonstrates the importance of video marketing greater than anything else:   Only 14% of businesses do not use video as their main marketing tool in 2023; Over 90% of marketers say that this tool is the most important part of their marketing strategies; 94% of marketers say that video clips help improve user understanding; Over 85% of professionals say motion pictures are effective in finding prospects.   Such facts cannot be ignored. Marketing approaches, tactics, and strategies are continually evolving in response to what users react best to. Previously, it was various photos, articles, and other graphics, but now it is long and short clips. If you aren't already using movie clips as your primary sales gimmick, you should start now. T to create fantastic content, you also need to empower yourself with a few video-making apps. Table of Contents Why would you need a video editor? Great Tools for Your Business 1. Biteable 2. Movavi Video Editor Plus 3. VSDC Free Video Editor 4. Animoto 5. Vmaker screen recorder + editor Conclusion Why would you need a video editor? The easiest way is to hire a third-party company that specializes in creating motion pictures, namely marketing video clips. However, this is the best way when you have nowhere to put money. If you own a small or medium-sized business, you may not want to increase your marketing budget, as there are many other areas you'll want to invest in. Thus, this option is not suitable for every business. You can do everything yourself. Given the impressive video marketing statistics, you'll want to start making videos right away. All you need to get started is to use your imagination and equip yourself with video editing software. All you need to get started is to use your imagination and equip yourself with video editing software, and the team collaboration tools like Troop Messenger that helps you share your high-definition videos. It's best to have multiple tool options as they all offer a different set of features. We're not talking about expensive software because professional software is used for large-scale projects like movies. You can easily create perfect marketing AI videos using easy-to-use tools. Now we’ll discuss the most effective tools used by many businesses from small to large ones. Great Tools for Your Business There are many great video editing tools available for businesses to create engaging and professional videos. For example, online video cutters provide a convenient and user-friendly way to trim and edit videos without the need for downloading or installing software, making it accessible and efficient for businesses of all sizes. Here are some of the top tools: 1. Biteable If you want to achieve maximum simplicity and ease in working with marketing videos, then you would rather not bother with downloading software on your computer. This is easy to avoid as there are tools that you can use directly from your browser. One such good option is Biteable. All you need is an Internet connection, and you are set to start creating your projects. This is especially handy if your team works remotely, you don't need all your marketers to install the tool on their computers. Its main advantage is that beginners, starting to work with video, will feel comfortable. The interface, as well as all functions, are clear and easy to use. In addition, templates will be useful for beginners as they can help quickly create motion pictures.   Pros Free 7-day period with many features; Huge variety of templates for different types of video clips; Easy to use. Cons You can create only 10 projects for free; Limited feature set.   2. Movavi Video Editor Plus This tool is ideal for those who are just starting in this field but want to strengthen their video editing skills. At its core, it's a great alternative to iMovie for PC, which is also rich in various features. Beneath the user-friendly interface is a host of features that you'll find especially useful. It offers fast loading speed as well as fast rendering. In addition, this tool has many audio tools as well as coloring functions. One of the features is the ability to use the chroma key.   Pros Easy for beginners; Many transitions, filters, and special effects; Fast rendering speed. Cons Few options for color tuning; Watermark in the free version.   3. VSDC Free Video Editor If you already have some experience in creating clips, then you will find this tool quite advanced. Many users say that it can even compete with some professional tools. However, if you are a beginner, then the number of functions can lead you to a dead end. VSDC Free Video Editor is perfect for those who want to master the skill. Now such kind of tool is of the same importance as well as video calling apps. The good thing about it is that you can create different types of videos depending on your needs.   Pros A wide variety of functions; Video stabilization; Large library of effects. Cons For Windows users only; Difficult for beginners.   4. Animoto Any marketing video should contain a quality music track that will set the mood for the viewers. Animoto offers a huge variety of music tracks that you can use in your clips. It is perfect for both those who are just starting and those who already have some experience. If you have a small budget that you can spend on a quality tool, then this is what you require. You can spend the saved funds on other tools that will allow you to simplify task management because this is no less important.   Pros Rich music library; Great for beginners and experienced professionals; Web-based. Cons Limited text placement options; Watermarks in the free version.   5. Vmaker screen recorder + editor If you always wanted to use a tool that can record and edit videos, then you should check out Vmaker screen recorder+editor. Vmaker makes your life a lot easier, here's how. It's a screen and webcam recorder, so video-making is easy. Download their app, install it and you're set to record your first video. After the video is recorded, it is uploaded to your cloud-based dashboard. From here you can edit the videos using the built-in video editor itself.   There is no need to download a separate app or upgrade your subscription. With the editor, you can trim, rotate and resize the video. If you're planning to upload the video on YouTube, then you can also create intro and outros by uploading an external video or audio file. After that, you can easily drag the clips to put them in a sequence you like.   Pros Beginner friendly Works on both Windows and Mac PCs Watermark-free video recording Cons No mobile app right now, but it's in the pipeline   Conclusion If you decide to start making marketing videos but don't have a big budget, you'll want to take advantage of the few clip editing tools available. The above tools are best for beginners who are not good at creating videos and are not well-versed in video editing features. They offer an outstanding array of features as well as various templates that allow you to quickly create motion pictures.

In a world where work can be accessed from any given location, employee burnout has become increasingly common. The effects of such burnout can be extremely detrimental to a business, impacting factors such as efficiency and productivity. The most widely recognized means of avoiding employee burnout is through the use of approval workflows. In essence, an approval workflow is a feature that centers a Sharepoint. The role of a Sharepoint is to send a document to a list of people to seek their responses such as approval or rejection. However, there are other ways of reducing employee burnout without the help of technology. This article will explore such possibilities, specifically through the use of employee assistance programs and providing a balanced working environment. Table of Contents What are the key indicators of employee burnout? Adopt approval workflows Benefits of approval workflows Employee assistance programs Adopting positively balanced attitudes within the workplace How can burnout be managed on behalf of remote workers? Conclusion What are the key indicators of employee burnout? Knowing what employee burnout is one factor. But being able to define it and being able to recognize it are two separate things. With this being said, what are the key indicators of employee burnout?   Stress can extend beyond mental implications, and can have a physical impact on employees after prolonged periods of time. If an employee is consistently falling unwell, this is a prime indicator that their body is under too much pressure and that they or need to take it easy. If an employee suddenly reduces their output and becomes less productive, this can be a sign that they have become burnt out. In such scenarios, it is crucial to demonstrate understanding and ask how you may help.   Burnout may be caused by a variety of factors. Typically, these factors include unclear goals, unmanageable goals, excessive demands, and the absence of support from managers. If the advice above is followed, burnout can be avoided. Adopt approval workflows The adoption of approval workflows is utilized for the standardization, automation, and streamlining of specific processes. Approval workflows reduce employee burnout whilst simultaneously increasing the efficiency and productivity of a company. Approval workflows notify users when they have been assigned tasks, which in turn means that approvals are provided at a faster rate. The automation features also lead to a reduction in human error. This is because approval workflow software makes sure that all the necessary information is entered into a document, and therefore that each approval is completed correctly.   Through automating approval workflows, cross-departmental communication is encouraged and improved. The status and ETA of approval become trackable, with employees being notified when each change is made. Notably, automated approval workflows also function as organizational tools. This is due to the fact that the information for each approval becomes centralized. Benefits of approval workflows The prime benefit of an approval workflow, aside from the reduction of employee burnout, is the eradication of revenue leaks. A revenue leak is a straightforward term regarding the preventable loss of revenue. Such leaks are prevented by approval workflows due to their streamlining of the workflow process.   The adoption of approval workflows ensures that the length of the sales cycle is significantly reduced. This is because the automation provided by the software makes reviewing documents and signing them become more simplistic. The reduction of the sales cycle is key to increasing the generation of revenue. This is because customers value fast and efficient services. The faster a company can operate, whilst still being effective, the more likely they are to finalize a deal. Furthermore, shorter sales cycles mean that sales representatives are able to dedicate more time to strengthening customer relationships, and thus more time to the implementation of sales techniques.   Another benefit of approval workflows is the fact that automation improves the regularity of business processes. To expand on this, automation can be programmed to follow specific company rules. This in turn means that when used, the software will ensure that employees adhere to these same rules throughout the approvals process. Following this same sentiment is the fact that automation eliminates issues such as rogue discounting and product configurations. Thus, at the same time that approval workflows stimulate the generation of revenue, they also stimulate its maintenance.   Moreover, by using automation, the need for manual work is majoritarian lessened. Therefore, once a company is accustomed to the software it will be able to trust its automatic reviews of approvals.   There are additional benefits to approval workflows, with these being: the enforcement of timelines, monitoring of accountability, and the strengthening of communication within a company/across departments. Employee assistance programs Employee assistance programs go a long way when it comes to tackling burnout. At the start of the year, the EAPA (employee assistance professionals association) revealed that the number of employees using EAP in the UK increased by 350,000. These programs tend to materialize in the form of a helpline that employees can access. This helpline is provided by external professionals. In adopting such programs, employees are provided an outlet for their emotional struggles and stress. After receiving professional help, employees feel better supported and less strained. In turn, they are enabled to take steps to overcome burnout. Adopting positively balanced attitudes within the workplace Whilst work and productivity are priorities, so is the happiness of employees. It is commonly known that maintaining a healthy balance between work and your personal life is of utmost importance. When this balance is overturned, stress levels increase and so does the likelihood of burnout. A suggestion for approaching this is to provide flexible scheduling which can better adhere to the schedules of individuals. Tying in with this is the need to monitor workloads. If an employee experiences a period of taxing tasks, it is important to be mindful of this and not expect them to continue with unmaintainable workloads or a quick turnover rate. How can burnout be managed on behalf of remote workers? It can be easy to assume that remote workers are less likely to experience burnout, as they are able to work from the comforts of their homes. However, this is where the problem often arises. It can be difficult for remote workers to shut off from their day and avert their minds from focusing on work. As an employer, it becomes your responsibility to introduce structure to each day. A common means of achieving this is by setting explicit working hours and instructing employees to not contact you regarding work past a certain time. When remotely employing people, the possibility of demonstrating flexibility increases. If workers prefer working earlier in the mornings and ending their day earlier in the evening, this should be encouraged. However, the end of the working day still needs to sternly be established.   Many remote employees also miss human interaction. It can be helpful to schedule online meetings to establish a human presence and build relationships. Also, you can provide them with a coworking space, whether that's a physical space or a virtual one. Usually, coworking spaces use coworking software can be used to create a sense of community and collaboration among remote workers. Additionally, managers can encourage employees to take breaks throughout the day and to disconnect from work when they're not working. Conclusion To conclude, the avoidance of employee burnout is significant to the efficiency of a business. In order to supplement this and render such a task more “simple”, the use of approval workflows has proved to be effective. Approval workflows use a Sharepoint, with this Sharepoint routing documents to employees in order to receive approval or rejection. Approval workflows strengthen the productivity of an organization by reducing the length of its sales cycle. This advantage is solidified by the software’s use of notifications, which makes tracking the needs of a document more straightforward. Beyond the adoption of approval, workflows are other means. These means are: implementing employee assistance programs into your workplace, and ensuring that a positively balanced attitude to work is instilled. For those who employ workers remotely, implementing a scheduled working day and arranging video conferences can help employees greatly.