Introduction
Communication is the driving force of productivity. The smartphones, digital transformation, and technology-driven changes are doing wonders beyond time. Switching from the email to enterprise apps is the new approach in business communication. Building momentum in business depends on effective communication tools utilization. Studies show 66 % of the workforce prefer enterprise apps.
Instant messaging, the real-time communication tool eventually fits appropriately in the Business world.
Staying Connected with Instant Messages
Instant Messaging (IM)accelerates the workflow with real-time group chat. Emerging in the 70s “TheTalk” became the first-ever public chat software while America Online(AOL) launched its Instant messenger (AIM) in 1997. By the early 2000s, several IM systems like Apple’s iChat, Google Talk, and MySpace became available for multiple platforms. What started as an attractive text chat for Millenials later rose to become the most effective communication tool for all. Instant messaging is a buzzword in today’s business communication facilitating the back and forth communication and team collaboration in real-time.
Instant Messaging as a tool to Streamline Business Production
Technology in Instant Messaging allows a team to interact with each other privately and in real-time. However, this sounds similar to email technology. The easy access to a message without opening the app is what makes IM an instant hit. Users get a notification and message display on their phone screen at the same instance when the message is triggered by another user, the app being un-opened. To streamline production, many businesses use Instant messaging. IM enhances the workflow, improves the efficiency in workplace communication, minimizes the interference and stabilizes the servicing.
Let us take a look at the key pointers of how Instant Messaging as a tool improves business productivity.
Amplifies the Communication
IM bridges the gap between issue and the response generation. The Instant Chat allows peer-to-peer communication via either a group or private chat. Voice and Video call feature enables effective team collaboration, features like file transfer and screen sharing allow knowledge sharing while operating from remote.
Minimizes the Interferences
Unlike the phone call or email, one need not switch between tasks to reply. While working on current tasks, employees can still respond to any message instantly without holding back the ongoing task.
Team Engagement & Management
All employees stay connected with instant messaging, and whenever a new issue arises, it becomes easy for the team members to identify the root cause, assign for a resolution. Communication apps with features like whiteboard collaborators allow the team to talk and brainstorm ideas, and arrive with quality results quickly.
Better Customer Service
Instant messaging offers an ideal solution in customer feedback managing and query solving within a small time frame. E-commerce businesses are a perfect example of this. Customer’s query handling is easier, with IM and video (VOIP)chat employees can seek approval, receive approval instantly from a manager and resolve the issue.
Cost- Effective
The best part of IM is that it is low-cost usability. Instant messaging enables companies to save huge travel expenses. The instant file transfer, whiteboard, and Screen Sharing allow users to collaborate in real-time, correct the documents and share them. Building the right instant messaging solution is the need of the hour.
Must-Have Features in Instant Messaging
A High-performance workplace demands instant messengers with a rich set of features. Screen-sharing and instant screenshot simplify how-to explanations, visual demonstrations, and many tech support processes. Peer-to-peer unlimited size file transfers eliminate annoying size and data restrictions. The compelling features of an Instant messaging API are as follows.
- Group Chat & Private Chat
Group Chat is the most important feature, as this allows users to create,
hold real-time private and secure chats. This brings all communication under one channel and improves productivity.
- Flexible File Transfer
The common need in a workplace is the exchanging of files between co-workers. Sometimes, it becomes so tedious while operating at multiple locations and sharing large files. An instant messaging app with unlimited size file transfer will solve this purpose.
- The Screen Sharing
Screen Sharing is an effective way for a team to interact and exchange ideas. This simplifies the process of visualization, feedback, correction in remote working environments.
- Safe & Secure communication
A secure instant messaging application should adhere to industry-based security practices. Touch id password protection and spam protection forms the core in establishing secure communication.
- In-app Integrations
The integrations in the instant messaging app, such as push to talk, picture-in-picture, and spell checker enable users to have a better interaction. Plug-and-play integrations encourage more user engagement.
- Voice & Video Call (VoIP)
The one-to-one voice and video call, conference calling and recording not just improve workplace communication. The IVR and call queuing elements can help you provide better customer communication.
Choosing the right Instant Messaging Platform
Research studies show that nearly 71% of employees in the tech industry and 62 % of the global workforce rely on tools for effective operations. It is really hard to pick the right instant messaging platform, as the market has many players.
Here is your checklist of must-have features for any instant messaging solution.
- More Customization Options
A best instant messaging platform must meet all your requirements. If not, it must have a customization option to enable you to incorporate add-ons according to your requirement. Additionally, integrating the custom app with services allows you to run and store databases on your servers along with cloud servers.
- Compatible in all platforms
Many use more than one digital device, say if the employees log out from their work laptop, they will be still able to access the chats, calls from their smartphones. The cross-platform compatibility, allows users to access from android, ios, web, and any smartphone.
- Hosting Options
Best secure Messaging platforms usually come with self-hosting options. In case, you wish to take additional control of privacy, messaging apps provide flexible deployment on cloud or on-premise hosting with smart data access.
Secure End to End Encryption
End-to-End encrypted messages with touch id password protection, an extra layer of security with SSL and AES encryption, secure TURN server, and spam protection forms the core in establishing peer-to-peer secure communication.
The instant messaging platforms with advanced search filters, spell checker, two-way deletion, two-step verification and auto message deletion is a must-have tool for business enterprises.
Wrapping Note
In 2019, worldwide IM accounts were over 7.0 billion, this will reach 8.9 billion, by 2023. Business Owners must look into a way to improvise the internal and external communication
with good messaging tools to grow their business. Instant messaging is the next big communication tool for any business.
