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Take a Quick TourMore and more of us are using instant messaging to communicate in our personal lives. Over three billion users worldwide are signed up for Facebook Messenger, Skype, or WhatsApp, to name just a few. Not surprisingly, businesses also recognize the value of team chat software in the workplace. It could facilitate an online chat between remote workers or distributed teams. It might be a platform for quickly resolving simple queries. Or it could open up two-way conversations with customers. Instant messaging supports communication and collaboration, offering some surprising advantages over traditional email.
What Is Team Chat?
Team chat software is a communication tool that allows users to share messages and files or join channel discussions and group chats with others. Access is via a mobile device or a desktop.
Popular group chat apps include Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, and Slack.
All employees, whether remote, on-the-go, or office-based, can start a new conversation, create a discussion channel, and collaborate with colleagues.
Team Chat Software Essential Features
Here’s a run-through of the essential features every business IM platform should have:
Real-time Chat
Users can start conversations and share emojis, files, and more in secure individual and group conversations. To further enhance communication, enabling the option of reading text out loud can assist team members who prefer auditory information processing or are engaged in activities where visual attention is limited.
Customization
You should be able to tailor the chat platform to your team’s needs. Enhance the user experience with customization features like notifications, themes, and integrations.
Searchable Chat History
You want easy access to past conversations and shared files. Searchable messages ensure teams can find relevant information quickly.
Team Chat App For Business Use
Businesses are increasingly using group chat to support internal communication. Unlike email, it’s much faster and more responsive. Users instantly receive notifications when they are online, and the sender can see straight away when the recipient has read the message. It’s immediate, so workers can be kept updated more efficiently than ever. Collaborative, meaningful online discussions resolve issues quickly, while vital information gets shared equally and inclusively.
Instant messaging also tends to be more accessible. Messages are usually brief and more like a casual chat. And perhaps because they are shorter and less formal, people typically reply immediately.
Chat Messages: Practical Business Uses
So, how are organizations using instant messaging in the workplace? Here are some practical examples of how you can apply it in your office.
Support Team Communication Regardless Of Location
A post-pandemic desire for a better work-life balance has seen more and more people embrace remote working. This trend is only likely to continue growing.
A team chat app provides a vehicle for these workers to communicate, connect, and share, bridging the divide of physical distance between users.
Instant messaging also allows remote or on-the-go workers to resolve issues quickly. Let’s say the finance manager has a query about an employee’s expense claim. Rather than a formal email, which the employee may not open until the next day, an instant message easily resolves the issue. The finance manager can process the claim immediately, and the employee receives their expenses the same day.
Help Teams Collaborate More Effectively
Real-time communication encourages active teamwork. All team members can join the conversation, contribute ideas, and offer feedback. Furthermore, it helps break down silos and improves transparency so there’s a shared understanding of goals and progress.
Increase Productivity
Chats can increase the speed with which the team shares information. Files and data are easily uploaded and shared instantly. Real-time communication means decisions are made quickly, resulting in more agile working and increased productivity.
Furthermore, group chat reduces the need for meetings and gets employees the answers they need without interrupting workflows.
Resolve Issues Quickly
A team chat app can be crucial in resolving issues and problems. After all, help from knowledgeable colleagues is just a ping away.
Say, for example, your HR manager wants to hold a team meeting to progress check on the new employee benefits package. However, finding a time and a day is time-consuming, especially as two team members work in different offices. So, instead of the bureaucracy involved in face-to-face meetings, video or conference calls, team members simply get together on the social intranet. An exchange of chat messages in a group discussion channel means the entire team is simultaneously updated.
Get Important Messages Out
Group chat via the social intranet is a great way to quickly get vital messages out there. Unlike email, where unread messages clog up employees’ inboxes worldwide, group chats are instant.
Perhaps your team member needs to make an urgent decision regarding a customer inquiry. The manager can respond immediately, possibly saving the deal.
Improve Customer Service
Furthermore, real-time team chat can support enhanced customer service. Businesses increasingly use bots to provide more responsive and personalized customer experiences, and instant messaging can help your frontline staff deliver better results.
For example, you may be on the phone talking to a potential customer who asks for specific details about a product they are interested in purchasing. You don’t know the information off the top of your head. However, a quick instant message to a colleague means you can answer the query without the customer being any the wiser.
Simply put, instant messaging offers the potential for streamlined internal communication and faster, more agile operations.
Introducing MyHub’s Team Chat
Here at MyHub, we have developed a team chat tool that is an integral part of our social intranet platform.
We have made it easier for organizations and employees to start new chats, send messages, organize conversations, and communicate across the company. Team chat supports decision-making, agile practices, and inter-office collaboration.
Among the standout features are the following:
- Public or Private Chats: MyHub’s team chat lets you connect with individuals or groups. Set up channel discussions for departments like marketing or finance, or create chats for specific topics such as annual reporting or a Google Workspace user group.
- Online Status of Colleagues: See who’s online, busy, or unavailable, and start conversations with a click. Add a profile picture for a personal touch and make communication more engaging.
- Searchable Conversations: Every chat history is stored and easy to search. Whether it’s a private message or a group discussion, finding key information is just a tap away.
- File-sharing Capabilities: Instantly upload and share documents, images, or videos in private or group chats. Channels can also be searched by file name.
- Create Familiar #Channels: Use topical, team, or role-based channels just like on social media. Combine them with @mentions to notify colleagues instantly about new posts.
- Customizable Notifications: Turn chat on or off, mute conversations, or adjust notification settings to suit your workflow. Receive an optional daily email summary to stay informed.
- Single Sign-on: Integrated into the social intranet, team chat requires only one sign-on, reducing app-switching and boosting productivity.
- Simple To Set Up: Team chat is intuitive and quick to configure. Check out our how-to video and get started in minutes.
Benefits Of Team Chat
Instant messaging provides quick, easy, and responsive internal communication. Fully integrated into your social intranet, team chat delivers real-time connections that enhance productivity and customer service.
Email vs. Instant Messaging
Businesses have relied on email since the early days of the internet. With over four billion users worldwide, it remains the most widely used communication tool. Email is ideal for broadcasting group messages, attaching files, and reaching large audiences quickly.
Some argue that email is better for longer or more detailed communication, while instant messaging works best for quick, informal exchanges. Email is often considered a more formal channel, making it preferable for sensitive matters. However, it lacks read receipts and real-time interaction.
The Dreaded Long Threaded Email
One major drawback of email is the infamous long, complicated threads that make conversations difficult to follow. Instant messaging, by contrast, enables seamless, real-time group discussions that are easier to track and act on.
Most importantly, email is not a real-time communication tool. Nearly 350 billion business emails were sent last year alone, but for urgent decisions, email often falls short.
In summary, email still has its place, but it’s increasingly being complemented, or replaced, by instant messaging. If your organization is exploring integrated communication tools, discover how MyHub’s all-in-one solution can help with a free demo or a 14-day no-obligation trial.
FAQ Section
What sets team chat apart from traditional email?
Team chat enables real-time messaging with read receipts, quick group discussions, file sharing, and instant feeds—making it faster and more interactive than email.
What essential features should effective team chat platforms include?
Key features include real-time messaging, channel/group discussions, file sharing, customizable settings (like notifications), and searchable chat history for later retrieval.
What are the benefits of using chat integrated within an intranet?
Intranet-integrated chat eliminates app-switching by offering secure messaging, user status visibility, channels, and single sign-on under a unified platform—streamlining collaboration and improving efficiency.
