In this new age of technology and increasing work options, some of us are in the office but a lot of us are working from home. Now that presents some challenges, doesn’t it? Challenges companies have been attempting to navigate since 2020.
Zoom meetings drone on and co-workers share screens. At the end of the meeting, something you all would have collaborated on in person turns into a “let me know when you’re done and we will see if it matches.” None of that sounds fun or productive, does it?
Then get Switchboard, a cloud co-working space that lets you and all of your team actually collaborate. You and your colleagues enter a 2FA and SSO-protected room. You all benefit from the same camera and audio features you would have in Zoom, but now you can collaborate using the tools you already use on a day-to-day basis.
Google docs, Figma, Jira, Asana, Trello, and even Monday.com are available to use within Switchboard. Those are just the tip of the iceberg as well. A wide variety of applications are already integrated into Switchboard, and many more will be added in the near future.
When in Switchboard you all have your own mouse icon with your name and a corresponding color. That way you can all have a hand on documents as you go through them without getting confused as to whose who. One person could be typing up a to-do list in notes whilst another makes new cards in Trello. And all of this can be seen by all other members of the team so it feels like you’re right there with one another. They even have a meeting memory function so you can pick up right where you left off in a future meeting.
Unlike other collaboration tools, you don’t have to share your screen, which means all those annoying notifications and semi-embarrassing pop-ups are gone. No more accidental oversharing.
If you are more of a visual learner like me, Switchboard also showcases exactly how it works on YouTube. In the video, you see how the team has three applications open at a time with everyone working on something different. With all these bells and whistles Switchboard has caught the attention of a lot of remote companies and boasts those reviews on its website.
Switchboard sounds and looks great but it must mean you have to download a huge application and pay a monthly fee. The good news is you don’t have to do either. Switchboard doesn’t require any downloads or installs and is completely free to use until the end of 2022.
We have been seeing a ton of new applications and tools on the market. But I have to say this one has been the most impressive yet and truly a tool I can see changing the way remote collaboration is handled.
A native New Englander who migrated to Austin on a whim, Stephanie Dominique is a freelance copywriter, novelist, and certificate enthusiast. When she's not getting howled at by two dachshunds or inhaling enough sugar to put a giant into shock, she is reading, cooking or writing about her passions.
