Archive for August, 2013
VirtualBarter Stays Organized by Relying on Podio Rather Than Email

Before Podio, we were fragmented.

Post by Bruce Kamm

We were using Asana for project management, Huddle for collaboration, email for communication, Skype for quick answers and Salesforce for email campaigns. Now, we just use Podio for collaboration and CRM and Asana for software development projects. We are able to collaborate with not only each other but also our clients and outsourced consultants in the workspaces, where everyone can connect, view status updates and comment.

We were very disorganized before Podio, and it was a challenge to remember where our documents were. If we wanted to refer back to a discussion or attachment regarding a project, we would search our emails with the usual negative results. We weren’t able to task (to-do lists) very well until Podio. And assigning tasks to a specific team member was a challenge itself. Being able to look and see what specifically needs to be completed each day in list format within Podio is very helpful.

Burce and Lauren, of Virtual Barter, managing the logistics of a press release via Video Chat in Podio.

We use Podio to stay organized – to be in one place rather than relying on email.

We use a customized version of the CRM app to track leads, clients, projects, ideas, opportunities and meetings. We also have an intranet and a files library where we keep email templates. One of the best features is the calendar that syncs with my desktop calendar to remind me about appointments that originate in Podio so I don’t book conflicting meetings and calls.

We also invite our barter exchange clients and vendors to collaborate together on certain projects. Podio helps keep us on track. Each internal and external task is tracked in Podio, which makes daily activity run smoothly.

I can use apps to view, review and provide direction for issues.

While searching for platforms, we tried about six different SaaS tools including Work, Zoho, Teambox, Salesforce and Basecamp. We liked Podio the most for its simplicity, ease of use and intuitive UI, but we especially enjoyed  the ability to install and customize apps.

Collaborating in one place has helped better organize our staff.

Projects are completed on time. Tasks are assigned easily. Comment sections are very helpful. Uploaded documents and art in one place is a huge plus. Production workflow organizing is a breeze. Client contact information capture is great. However, my favorite aspect of all is providing my team with one place to collaborate and communicate on work.

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