Instant messaging is a way to communicate in real time using digital devices. Messaging apps are instant messaging tools that make the exchange of information between people more convenient and accessible. It can rightfully be argued that instant messaging apps are an integral part of the life of a modern person. Every year more and more people start using this service, since messaging has long gone beyond personal communication between friends, now this tool is actively used in the business environment.
It is worth noting that the best instant messaging apps are not limited only to the transmission of text information, they also provide many other tools within the framework of the platform. Some of the most popular ones include file-sharing capabilities, audio and video calls, and project management for business.
Conditionally, there are two ways to use Instant Messaging Apps for business purposes.
Instant Messaging Apps for Communicating with Customers
Gone are the days when most issues with the client were resolved in a conversation on the phone. Now customers also prefer online communication through chat. Live chat is a modern and convenient way of communication, your customers are waiting for a quick response to their needs, so the main thing here is always to be available. If you respond to the message as soon as possible, even if you do not manage to solve the issue right away, you will show your interest and concern for your client, thereby increasing loyalty to your brand.
Here are a few instant messaging apps that your customers, as well as your prospects, choose to communicate with, and with which you can always keep up to date.
- TEXT. Simple, Reliable Messaging.
Message your friends and family for free. WhatsApp uses your phone’s Internet connection to send messages so you can avoid SMS fees.
- GROUP CHAT. Groups to keep in touch.
Keep in touch with the groups of people that matter the most, like your family or coworkers. With group chats, you can share messages, photos, and videos with up to 256 people at once. You can also name your group, mute or customize notifications, and more.
- END-TO-END ENCRYPTION. Security by Default.
When end-to-end encrypted, your messages and calls are secured so only you and the person you’re communicating with can read or listen to them, and nobody in between, not even WhatsApp.
Facebook Messenger
Hang with your favorite people on your favorite apps and devices. Now you can customize your reactions, with way more emojis. Bring your conversations to life with fun AR effects, message effects, and selfie stickers. Opt in to use your device’s face or fingerprint ID to unlock Messenger, so only you have access to your chats. Choose the exact message you want to reply to or forward, right in your chat.
Start a free chat anytime and anywhere. Whether you want to send messages or share photos and videos, you can chat freely through WeChat. Wherever you go, you can immediately get in touch with the people you care about using WeChat. If you’re unable to express your feelings in words, then send a sticker to make your chats more fun. Designed by talented artists around the globe, WeChat’s Sticker Gallery offers users free downloads sending countless fun stickers.
Telegram
This app delivers messages faster than any other application. Telegram messages are heavily encrypted and can self-destruct. It has no limits on the size of your media and chats. Telegram groups can hold up to 200,000 members. Telegram lets you completely customize your messenger.
Skype
Send text messages directly from Skype. Discover a quick, simple way to connect via SMS online (text messaging) anytime, anywhere with Skype. Instantly react to any message with fun reactions or use @mentions to grab someone’s attention. Keep your sensitive conversations private with industry-standard end-to-end encryption.
Viber
Send texts, photos, videos, or files. Record quick-sending voice and instant video messages. Communicate genuinely, playfully, and expressively with endless stickers and GIFs. Express yourself perfectly with your own stickers or Gifts. Family meeting, group hangout, or yoga class—everything can happen on group chat, video, or voice calls.
Snapchat
Snapchat was created by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown. One of the basic concepts of this app is that the transmitted images and messages are only available to the recipient for some short time before they become completely inaccessible.
LINE
LINE is the fastest-growing mobile messenger app in the world, bringing users closer to their friends and loved ones. Enjoy free messages, voice calls, and video calls anytime, anywhere. LINE is available on smartphones, including iPhone and Android devices, and also PCs and Macs. Whatever it is you want to message your friend, you will find the sticker that expresses your feelings best, like nothing else available in the market.
Instagram Direct
In Instagram Direct, you can send messages to individuals and groups of people. Messages can contain text, as well as photos and videos taken with the camera or uploaded. In Instagram Direct, you can also send posts that you see in the feed, disappearing photos and videos, Instagram profiles.
Discord
Discord servers are organized into topic-based channels where you can collaborate, share, and just talk about your day without clogging up a group chat. Grab a seat in a voice channel when you’re free. Friends in your server can see you’re around and instantly pop in to talk without having to call. Get any community running with moderation tools and custom member access. Give members special powers, set up private channels, and more.
Instant Messaging Apps for Internal Business Communication
For this type of instant messaging apps you can also find such names as business messaging apps or team messaging apps. These applications help to create a single space where you can communicate with colleagues or ask them questions both in real time and asynchronously. Business messaging apps are among the best productivity tools because they make it easier to track conversations, improve teamwork, and help maintain corporate culture.
The relevance of this service is also explained by the state of affairs in the world, in connection with the pandemic caused by COVID-19, more and more people continue to switch to remote work. When everyone works from different places, the presence of a single messaging center is simply necessary. This allows you to save time, solve problems, plan, and exchange ideas.
Here are some instant messaging apps that will help you optimize your team’s work.
Slack
The key to productivity in Slack is organized spaces called channels—a different one for everything you’re working on. With all the people, messages, and files related to a topic in one place, you can move a whole lot faster. Give yourself the flexibility to work when, where, and how you work best. Take control of notifications, collaborate live or on your own time, and find answers in conversations from across your company.
Flock
Channels in Flock help streamline decision-making and problem-solving. Organize your conversations and manage all your work in channels to hit your business objectives. Create a channel for anything worth discussing, from team projects to company-wide initiatives. Eliminate discord caused by messy chats and emails. Work async to get a better grip on work. Flock’s built-in video and voice calling system keeps your employees engaged and connected across all your devices, wherever work takes them.
Microsoft Teams
Stay connected and access shared content any time to learn, plan, and innovate—together. Chat, call, and share video simply from one place that helps you stay close to all the people in your life. With shared documents and files always available, you can create, share, and exchange ideas whenever you want to and keep things moving forward together.
Twist
This is async messaging for teams burned out by real-time, all-the-time communication and ready for a new way of working together. Twist puts threaded conversations front and center, so important topics aren’t immediately buried in chitchat. Catch up and chime in on your time. Stop wading through the chatter to find what’s important. Your inbox gathers all the threads you’re part of in one place, to join (and mark done) as you go.
Mattermost
Mattermost is a secure collaboration platform that is open, flexible, and deeply integrated with the tools you love. Bring your people and processes together. Mattermost helps you align your teams, tools, and processes across each stage of the development lifecycle – from the plan and build to release and operate. A rich ecosystem of community contributions and customizations so you can work the way you want.
Chanty
Create new tasks from scratch or turn any message into a task to enjoy a smarter collaboration with your deadline-driven team. Meet more efficiently with video conferencing. It’s easier to see things eye-to-eye when you’re face-to-face. Video conferencing helps you share information more efficiently, so work gets done faster.
Zoho Cliq
Zoho Cliq simplifies your team communication with organized conversations, easy-to-find information, and connections to the tools you love. Work together, no matter where you are. With channels, your team communication is visible, transparent, and efficient. No matter where you’re working from or what device you’re working on, you can jump onto a voice or video call and stay connected. Your day-to-day tasks and calendar schedules are available right where you collaborate.
Troop Messenger
Troop Messenger is a comprehensive instant messaging app for businesses-small to giant. It is a user-friendly office chat app compact with contemporary features addressing your business needs and necessities. This office chat software syncs your conversations and files across all the platforms uniformly. Upgrade your team communication to the next level with this collaboration software. Join your work on this group chat software from anywhere, anytime, and on any device. Collaborate on a single screen!
Tameday
Need to have a private conversation with a staff member, team, or department? Tameday’s real-time chat lets you ask quick questions, discuss sensitive issues or make quick announcements to the right people. Manage all your meetings, appointments, milestones, holidays, and deadlines—and never let an important date slip again. Easily plan things in advance with reminders on recurring to-dos and events. Keep things private or share with departments or your entire organization, and sync everything with your Outlook, Google, or Apple calendar.
Ryver
Optimize your business processes. Talk with any teammate in Ryver. Have quick conversations, share files, and get stuff done (Great for spur-of-the-moment discussions). Chat with your team anytime. Turn conversations into action using task management. Great for assigning, tracking, and completing projects.
Using instant messaging apps will allow your business to grow in the realities of the modern world. Knowing how to contact your team and how to optimize your communication with customers solves countless problems that you constantly face in your work.
If you are also looking for platforms for video conferencing with your customers, suppliers, friends or colleagues, I recommend you to take a look at these Best Platforms for Video Conferencing.
