The COVID-19 crisis has brought about many changes, especially in the corporate world. Even if for many of them the possibility of working remotely from anywhere in the world was already a reality, it can be said that today, many of them are still looking to implement these flexible working models which allow them to work from home or even while traveling, without needing to settle in a single location. Here comes a new concept: the mobile office.
In this context, it has become essential to have the systems and tools to communicate adequately (both externally with your customers and internally between employees) and who we can have available to any moment. In addition, it is important that you take into account a series of elements for this form of telecommuting to be successful.
Therefore, we will explain in this article, all you need to know regarding the mobile office so you can enjoy all its benefits.
What is a mobile office?
This concept happens to be very close to the term digital nomad, so before we find out what it is, we have to go and have that definition first. A digital nomad is nothing more than a person who can work from anywhere in the world, without needing to locate themselves on a fixed geographical point, or find a place to do their work.
There are different types of digital nomads depending on the work they do and, of course, depending on the specific needs of each. We find there :
- Entrepreneur: these are the people who create their own businesses and products, but instead of doing it in a physical establishment, they do it through the internet, so that they can lead from anywhere in the world.
- Freelancer: this type of digital nomad is what we know as self-employed. Thus, it is only a person who works for his own account, establishing his own schedules and providing services to third parties but with the particularity of not having to travel.
- Employee: nowadays, many companies no longer need their employees to be in the office and on schedule. They only need all of their attention to be directed towards achieving the goals. In addition, thanks to the tools to easily communicate with the rest of the team (such as video conferencing) this need decreases.
To do their job, these people currently only need a device connected to the internet, although it hasn’t been that long. This is where the concept of a mobile office emerges. With it, we refer to the instruments that allow you to do your work remotely from any location.
Tips for working from a mobile office
Although working remotely from a digital office does not require large infrastructures or high costs, it is advisable to follow a few guidelines in order to be able to meet your goals.
1. Maintaining good internal and external communication
Working from a mobile office has many advantages. However, the distance can turn into a big drawback, so that’s why it’s necessary to find the tools that will help you have good communication with the rest of the team.
In this context, advances in new technologies are revolutionizing the way we communicate with our environment, making it possible to speak from anywhere in the world. The best solution for telecommuting from a mobile office is a virtual PBX. Investing in this type of system not only makes it possible to speak with your customers from anywhere, but thanks to the built-in functionality, it is also much easier to maintain a good relationship with the rest of the team.
Both in the field of external communication with customers and internally with the rest of the staff, you can find many means of communication there, although the most common and those included in most virtual PBX for companies are the videoconferencing, internal chat and the possibility of integrating instant messaging applications, such as WhatsApp or Telegram. This way, you will not only be able to receive your calls without worrying about where you are, but you will also be able to manage all your communications from the same platform.
2. Make sure you have a stable internet connection
Since a digital nomad does his work over the Internet, having a stable connection is essential. No one likes having to send a file to a customer in an emergency and the connection doesn’t allow it, or even if you’re on a video conference and the image freezes. So, it is very important to check that the WiFi network of the place where you are located is of good quality and even, if possible, use a cable connection which provides better stability. In the case of mobile phones, it is recommended to use your phone’s data network for better stability.
3. Organize your work properly
Regardless of what may be found at home, in the office or elsewhere, it is important to consider organizing your workday, especially if you are working remotely. We sometimes think that working from a mobile office is more “relaxing”. However, there is the risk of failing to achieve the objectives if we do not organize properly our duties and the time left, we must know the difference between work and leisure. This way, we avoid having to work overtime to finish a task that could have been done before.
The advantages of mobile office
If you still doubt that becoming a digital nomad can bring you any benefits, here are some of the benefits of this form of telecommuting :
- Flexibility: with the ability to work from anywhere, it is no longer so important to have fixed hours, but good organization and the achievement of goals on time. Thus, the employee can adapt their schedules as they see fit. The flexibility is also manifested in the fact that it is much easier to move our work equipment around the space we are in.
- Ubiquity: most of the tools you can use in a mobile office work with WebRTC technology. This means that nothing happens on the devices, everything is hosted in the cloud. This way, all you need to do is access a browser with a username and password and you can use the system from any location. When we talk about a virtual PBX, it takes on a broader meaning, because, in addition to those that work with WebRTC, we find those that work with the SIP protocol. In the latter case, unlike the former, a series of installations, or even the downloading of additional software, is required. This makes mobility very difficult, as we will not always be able to move the equipment or we will have to continually download software and updates to be able to communicate properly.
- Productivity: by improving the well-being of the worker, his productivity also increases. Thus, the service provided and its quality will also increase, as the worker will be more motivated by having the possibility to change the work scenario and break the routine.
- Compromise between personal and professional life: In a mobile office, it is possible to combine leisure and travel with work. As we mentioned above, this requires good organization, as we run the risk of spending too much time on one of these two areas, but through this model of remote working, you can learn how to find the balance.
Many companies have already found that the mobile office is a competitive advantage over other companies in their industry. This is why, at Fonvirtual, we want to make it easy for you to have the latest technologies and to be able to telecommute from anywhere. As we said before, communication is a fundamental element in this model of remote working. Thus, we offer you our virtual PBX, which works by WebRTC, so that you only need to access it with your username and password in any browser to be able to manage your communications from a unique platform.
In addition, our PBX has many chat, voice and video tools to facilitate the external and internal communication of the company, such as internal chat and videoconferencing, which, as you will have noticed, are an element essential to maintain direct and effective contact.
If you want to know more about our solution, do not hesitate. Contact us and our team will help and carry you throughout the process to benefit from all the advantages offered by the mobile office.
