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Suddenly a lot of us are starting to work remotely, in this article I’ll cover the challenges and solutions to this new environment. Figuring out a way to stay healthy is just as essential for yourself as finding a way to keep your business alive during this pandemic. Here at That! Company, we have decided to go fully remote to combat the spread of COVID-19 and take part in social distancing. While being safe and cautious for employees, we are keeping the flow of work at the same rate with minimal drop in production. Because we can work remotely and utilize apps such as Microsoft Teams, we are able to communicate and maintain the work needed to keep the day to day efforts productive.
The ability to video/audio chat with each other almost keeps us as close to one another as being in the office. Using our proprietary Project Management System (PMS), we can keep an open line of communication and receive all messages sent to us from any client. The ability to be mobile with a laptop, have an internet connection and use apps that can keep us communicating almost make it feel like there is no loss in productivity at all.
[bctt tweet=”The ability to video/audio chat with each other almost keeps us as close to one another as being in the office.” username=”ThatCompanycom”]7 Best Practices for Working Remotely as a Pay-per-click Pro.
As a White Lable PPC provider, I face unique challenges, but those challenges I am sure are similar to almost anyone working remotely. I’ll share with you some best practices to make you successful while working remotely.
1. Secure a strong internet connection.
Make sure you find a highspeed internet connection. You should test your internet connection, but be sure you also test your in-home wifi speed (if you are using wifi) as it can often be the culprit to speed issues. Sometimes your speed problems may not even be your internet connection. At times, you may have to restart your laptop or even the router/modem. I invested in an extended ethernet cable to enable the full bandwidth of my internet at home. If you use a Virtual Private Network or VPN, I highly recommend that you shut down your computer every evening and start from fresh in the morning to ensure connections are stable. The last thing you need is for the connection to drop attempting to make a call or save a file onto your server
2. Make sure all your files are digital or have been converted to a digital format.
I recognized a couple of days before we all went home to work remotely that not all the files I use daily are in a digital format. I keep logs and notes that now must be digitally accessible from anywhere within our remote system. If you have a printer at home, then paperwork can continue as you wish. This, however, made me realize how much paper I can save by not printing out weekly documents.
3. Staying on top of your tasks with clients and co-workers while we work remotely.
Luckily, here at That! Company, because of our Project Management Software, every client may access their white label communications from the moment they sign up with us. This system allows us to stay in constant contact with our clients. Clients can easily assign us tasks or ask us questions related to their accounts. When we receive a notification that a client has initiated contact with us, we respond as soon as possible to ensure everyone is on the same page. Internally, Microsoft Teams audio and video chat have allowed us to stay in contact with each other. We can share files and screens with each other if we are working together on a client or troubleshooting.
4. Keeping up with client work.
The capability to work remotely lets me stay on top of daily tasks. For my PPC clients, I review and complete bid adjustments, manage client budgets, and handle client questions/emails regularly. The ability to reach out and contact clients as if I were in the office lets me react quickly to requests. I can respond and keep everything moving forward.
5. While we work remotely: Maintaining Co-worker Camaraderie.
Every morning at the office, after getting some coffee, I would make my rounds and say hello to everyone to kick off the day. I’d start by saying hello to Jasmin at the front desk and then make my way by the management offices until I made it all the way around to SEO. Along the way, I would say hello to sales and usually say hello to the PPC department once I finished making the rounds. I realized that on day 2 of remote work life that I missed saying hello to everyone in the morning, due to COVID-19. Without realizing it, this became part of my daily routine. I now message everyone in the morning and say hello. This whole experience has been uniquely weird but saying hello brought it back to some work-life normalcy.
6. The communication speed of others and with others.
Communication is an area that I believe needs to be utilized and maintained every day to create great relationships. A lot can get lost in communication. With working remotely, I believe that you must be extremely aware of everything going on in emails, messaging apps, and the project system. We are not always available to respond immediately once a message is received, but that is the best practice. Doing so makes the person on the other end feel acknowledged.
I respond and get to requests as soon as possible to be able to keep track of what is active and what is not. This helps to keep things in order. This goes both ways for clients and for co-workers. The faster a client can respond, the faster we can know what the next steps are needed or what pieces are missing in order to complete work. Respond in a timely manner and share honest expectations or estimates with the other person. If you are not able to complete a task right away, doing so offers some peace of mind and clarity as to when something will get done.
[bctt tweet=”Communication is an area that I believe needs to be utilized and maintained every day to create great relationships.” username=”ThatCompanycom”]7. Stop working.
You’d think that stopping work would be an easy task. At the office, you mentally begin to prepare yourself when the last hour of the workday arrives. When you leave, you will get in your car to head home. As an hourly employee, once I clock out, it lets me know I can continue with the rest of my day and personal life. When you are at home, you realize that you are already home and do not have a commute. You must give yourself a cut off time and stick to it. There will always be more work, but there will not always be more life.
Another struggle I’ve experienced is creating a lunch environment. I am using the kitchen as the breakroom and make myself get up from the desk to head into the kitchen for lunch at the table. I believe this helps my body take a break from sitting at the desk. It creates a sense of “going somewhere else,” so my body doesn’t feel like it is stuck in the same place working all day remotely.
I never thought I would ever in my life have an issue with stopping work. Once you get into a workflow and the right rhythm, it is hard to stop. Keeping lists and checkpoints helps me pick up right where I left off the day prior.
I believe we must prioritize our work life and our personal life. Working remotely, those two worlds can blend. Keep yourself accountable and split the two to keep them separate.
Luckily, That! Company is able to stay alive during this trying time. We can help you keep arriving at with your White Label goals and continue to push forward, creating revenue while keeping costs low.
I miss the family at That! Company, but we are doing our best to keep things running smoothly no matter what happens. I hope this helps anyone who is working remotely in the pay per click world.
