In my own experience, having access to great communication apps has made working together with my team a lot easier, no matter where I work. With more and more people working from home these days, keeping communication lines open and easy to use is now essential for getting things done quickly.
I’ve noticed that relying only on email isn’t enough anymore in both my personal and professional life. Instead, companies like the one I work for that want to be ahead of the curve are using the latest business communication software. This change is being made because of the need to boost productivity and encourage new ways of solving problems in today’s fast-paced workplace.
Slowly but surely, the world is moving away from SMS and MMS as the default text messaging method. It started years ago with applications such as AOL Instant Messenger and has grown into a plethora of options, all of which work very well. In the past few years, evolution has definitely made great strides. Group messaging applications are software that can be used on any electronic device (cell phone, laptop, tablet or interactive display) that focus on instant messaging and voice and video calls, but with the crucial element of focusing on group chat. Below we have mentioned the best communication apps.
Best Communication Apps
Slack
The Enterprise plan essentially allows large organizations to have multiple Slack workspaces under one roof. If necessary, HIPAA compliance can be ensured with an Enterprise account. The program uses channels and threads so that groups of people can have seamless IM conversations and video calls. It is probably the most popular chat software currently used in the United States by remote teams. The clean interface is easily recognizable: it uses dark purple and white/gray colors, although you can customize the appearance.
As a messaging app, it works both real-time and asynchronously, making it suitable for hybrid or fully remote work environments. Slack creates a more vibrant environment than many other business communication apps, and the ability to customize the app to a certain extent is a great strength. Slack is simply a pleasure to use. It is almost effortless in the sense that you know how to use it intuitively. At the top left of the screen is a set of predefined channels for collaborating in groups.
Trello
Trello uses a different type of communication, but just as important as any other business chat app. With Trello, it is possible to assign tasks to individuals and move them into different categories, as each task moves from “to-do” to “assigned” to “to-do” to “done.” Therefore, it provides a visual map of all the tasks on a to-do list and related processes. Trello can be used on the app or on the desktop. Team members can connect and collaborate on projects using the tab system, which allows them to add comments, links, files and photos to project tabs.
Trello is an engaging, fun and intuitive app that helps organize, coordinate and keep track of work. The web app runs smoothly, with excellent drag-and-drop functionality, even for uploading attachments. There are some advantages to installing the desktop app. For starters, you get desktop notifications and quick add options. Also, with a compatible Mac, you get Touch Bar features and support for additional keyboard shortcuts.
Zoom
Featuring a business model that consists of online meetings, webinars, and conference rooms, Zoom is an excellent team messaging application popular with many companies. Used by clients such as Uber, Zoom works well when arranging meetings outside the office and is therefore perfect for remote teams. Scheduled meetings and all the details on how to connect automatically appear on the linked calendar.
You can schedule a meeting in advance from the Zoom app or directly from a linked Google Calendar, iCal, or Microsoft Outlook calendar. It is best to do this from a built-in calendar because you can add an agenda or description of the meeting. When setting up a meeting from the Zoom app, you cannot. You choose a date, start and end time, time zone, and some other preferences, such as whether you want the camera to turn on automatically when you start the call.
Chanty
Chanty is a work management solution that uses collaboration software to optimize coordination between teams and workflows. It is aimed at all types of organizations. However, it is particularly suited to teams that focus more on actual work and less on chats. The software allows you to have private and group conversations without leaving the platform. You can also communicate via video calls and send voice notes while on the go.
Chanty, named after a type of song sung by sailors to alert others of news, is a team chat app that uses artificial intelligence to offer unlimited messaging to virtual teams. The platform is praised for its simple and easy-to-use interface and the ability to easily share different content within the app, especially in the Teambook feature that organizes tasks and conversations.
Troop Messenger
Troop Messenger is a feature-rich collaboration software used for continuous communication between individuals and groups. The software helps improve communications between and within teams through an innovatively designed chat messenger. Troop Messenger facilitates high-quality communication and allows team members to virtually come together to discuss projects, business ideas, work plans, etc. Troop Messenger allows employees to share all types of files, such as multimedia files, documents, and so on.
It has a scalable design that suits companies of all sizes. One of the main features of Troop Messenger is the self-hosting service. Companies/users can save all communications in the location of their choice. Troop Messenger is a convenient team-based messaging application with features including instant messaging, private messaging, video calling, sharing, and several group chat options.
Basecamp 3
Basecamp 3, which syncs with some of the best features of the previous Campfire and Basecamp applications produced by the same company, aims to be “more than just a project management tool.” Inside the software, perfect for remote work, are a message board, a shared to-do list, a team schedule, a document and file list, a group chat and automatic check-ins. The software also offers some interesting features, such as the ability to set office hours so that free time really is, and automatic organization, which makes tasks very easy to see and complete.
Basecamp Personal users have only 1 GB of cloud storage space and can only work on three projects at a time. Basecamp Business, on the other hand, offers 500 GB of storage space for projects and the ability to create an unlimited number of projects and user accounts. Basecamp is designed to be an all-in-one project management solution that provides access to the same features that would otherwise require subscribing to different services.
WhatsApp is generally considered a social application for chatting with friends, but it can also work well for remote teams. It is easy to create a group chat on WhatsApp, where teams can send quick messages and send audio and multimedia clips. Group calling is another feature that was recently added to the app, so while it is not ideal for large meetings, it is perfect for a quick chat.
Like any other SMS messenger, you can start a conversation with an individual or a group and video call up to eight people. The iOS version also has in-app support for playing videos from Instagram and Facebook. You can also share your location, broadcast your status to contacts, share contacts, set custom wallpapers and notification alerts, e-mail chat history, use the camera to take photos and videos from within the app, and broadcast messages to multiple contacts simultaneously.
Ryver
Ryver is a popular remote collaboration tool. It offers forums-where teams can discuss any pressing issues or hot topics-, private group chats, and one-on-one communications. Tasks can be assigned to employees and discussed live within the app on each task. This is Ryver’s USP, offering 3 times the functionality in one app.
A group messaging app that emphasizes productivity over all other features, this collaborative tool for teams of any size offers an easy way not only to assign tasks but also to have team members review them with just a few clicks. Most of the administration functions and advanced features are easy to find but do not create confusion or clutter in the main window. Basic chat functions are intuitive and easy to locate.
Final Words
With built-in social networking tools, enhanced security, and free video conferencing via Wi-Fi or data plans, mobile communication apps are a better alternative to e-mail and text messaging. Here are some of the best communication programs for desktop and mobile devices, in addition to familiar ones such as Facebook Messenger, etc.
