Instant messaging is nothing new in the world of IT. Since its inception, though, much of the focus has revolved around individual users and personal chat apps. So much so that today users often employ at least three or four apps to keep in touch with family, friends, and sometimes coworkers.
In recent years, though, instant messaging has begun to shift – no longer focusing purely on individuals, but rather on workspaces, as well; from startups to small and medium enterprises, and even large organizations.
Today, myriad enterprise instant messaging platforms exist, each offering something a bit different than the next. Regardless of the platform and the offerings, though, enterprise instant messaging’s rise in popularity in recent years is undeniable and, in many cases, unavoidable.
So what’s prompted this rise in popularity? Here are 10 reasons!
1. Up to the Minute News
Whether it’s feedback that needs to be delivered immediately, an impromptu brainstorming session regarding the upcoming marketing campaign, or a hastily-arranged after-work gathering for dinner or drinks, a business instant messenger enables your message to reach its audience more quickly and efficiently than email or a phone call.
Features like broadcast messages, for example, allow you to rapidly remind employees of relevant details, deadlines, and information – think upcoming performance evaluations, a project deadline, or a product launch – but without the ambiguity as to whether a response is warranted.
2. Wider Accountability
Of the many reasons you should be using an enterprise instant messenger, the accountability they provide is unmatched by consumer-grade chat apps.
In many cases, chat records are required by law. That said, the ability to refer back to previous communications in order to establish what was said, to whom it was said, and when it was said can help prevent and resolve disputes, misunderstandings, and other communication issues.
What’s more, comprehensive user activity logs provide insight not only into when employees are communicating, but their preferred methods and channels; allowing you to pinpoint productive times and even halt bad habits or instances of time-wasting.
3. Effective Governance
Enterprise instant messengers don’t just offer accountability though. They allow for effective governance of communication and collaboration across the platform.
With consumer-grade instant messengers, employees can easily mix personal and business communication, leading to distractions, time-wasting, and even security risks.
Enterprise instant messengers, like Brosix on the other hand, offer a platform that’s manageable and adaptable. Administrators have the ability to group users as they see fit (by team, project, or location, for example), control who can chat with whom, and even regulate on a user basis features and tools. This ensures a more secure and productive work environment.
4. Focused Discussion
While some information and responsibilities are relevant to every employee, other tasks and projects undoubtedly fall to certain employees in established departments, on fixed or temporary teams, and possibly even in specific locations. Chat rooms help you focus these processes.
Common chat rooms help streamline company information and knowledge sharing, as well as establish a platform for each employee to exercise their voice.
Tailored chat rooms, on the other hand, not only help employees more quickly and efficiently locate relevant information, but also provide team members a clearer idea of what they’re expected to contribute; better focusing the collaborative process.
5. Consistent Employee Bonding
Forging healthy team relationships and a communicative work environment is no easy feat. Factor into the equation a growing prevalence of remote workers and the task becomes that much more difficult.
The seamless real-time connectivity provided by team communication and collaboration platforms, however, allows you to more consistently share with your team(s) moments, events, and initiatives critical to healthy and productive relationships; and via channels that are familiar to your employees.
A group chat room can help you mark employee milestones like birthdays and anniversaries, or spread invitations to lunch or after-work gatherings.
Over video chat, you could check in with international teams near their holidays or even hold virtual cafe sessions.
6. Dynamic Collaboration
Whether you’re working with a fully or partially distributed team, traveling for a conference, or simply occupying different rooms in an office – you can’t always count on being in the same room as your teammates.
In these instances, an all-in-one enterprise instant messenger not only ensures reliable communication, but also empowers dynamic collaboration.
By pairing tools like screen sharing, co-browsing, or a virtual whiteboard with chat features, you could provide concrete feedback on a website redesign, collaborate on competitor research, or review the monthly social media marketing report, for example.
7. Straightforward Task Management
4 out of 5 Americans are stressed due to poor office communication. While some of that can be pinned to personal communication styles and generational gaps, keeping as many of your tools as possible in one place can relieve the pressure of inefficient communication methods.
For example, an all-in-one enterprise instant messenger eliminates the burden of switching back and forth between email, messaging apps, and collaboration tools.
Moreover, unlimited size peer-to-peer file transfers save you the hassle of attaching files only to encounter size and data limitations, or uploading and retrieving from the cloud. Not only are these time-wasters, they’re a drain on efficiency, and could even lead to mistakes or security risks.
8. Mobile Connectivity
Myriad technological advancements have rendered work environments increasingly mobile.
A >business instant messenger featuring mobile connectivity not only ensures access to the same secure platform regardless of your device, but keeps team communication and collaboration free-flowing even when you’re on the go.
9. Timely Notifications
Instant messaging’s various alerts keep you in the know, ensuring you never miss a message regardless of your present activity; without the hassle of sorting through emails or voicemails.
If you’re away from your desktop and on mobile, for instance, push notifications instantly alert you when you have a message. And if you’re offline completely, offline message delivery ensures you’re informed once you’re back online.
User statuses, on the other hand, allow you to announce your availability; letting your team know that you’re online and able to chat, busy, or away altogether.
10. Multilayer Protection
Facilitating team communication and collaboration on a self-hosted, private team network does many things. It focuses productivity, maximizes workflows, and ensures security.
When your team chats, voice and video calls, and file transfers transpire peer-to-peer between authorized users, and are further encrypted end-to-end, you can rest easy that company data and information remains where it belongs – between the intended parties and safe from outside threats.
The Final Word
There’s never been a better time to consider an enterprise instant messenger. As this list demonstrates, the right messaging solution can provide your enterprise the productivity and peace of mind unmatched by consumer-grade chat applications.
