How Workplace Chat Apps are Changing the Way We Communicate

avatar
By Sivan Kaspi, Updated on September 19, 2023, 6 min read
iPhone showing an iMessage for Windows 10 and 11 alternative

Communication is a major factor of measuring success and reaching your goals in the workplace. And when it comes to communication at work we all know the struggle of getting quick responses, or feedback. Sometimes waiting on a response can push back timelines and affect the progress of an entire project.

 

Producing successful projects means having clear, and direct ways to collaborate and communicate with one another, which is why communicating via only email isn’t always the most efficient solution for getting work done. Having a workplace chat-app helps team members get quick responses without long threads or lagging response times.

 

Plus with the recent rise of working from home, it is especially important for organizations to introduce better and more active ways for employees to get in touch.

 

Here are three reasons why every company should be using a workplace group chat app:

 

1. Declutters Communication in the Workplace

In order to have clear workplace communication, conversations should be organized in one main space.

 

Many of us today have multiple channels for how we communicate and a lot of times important things get lost in translation. For example we send questions about an assigned project via email, and then follow up via WhatsApp, but only get a response via iMessage–with all the back and forth it’s hard to remember the context of the question in the first place.

 

Having conversations pile up in different locations just over-complicates communication, and causes unnecessary confusion.

 

Using one centralized app to communicate ensures that everything is in one place, easily accessible and always has context. You’ll never have to bounce back and forth between messaging apps to try and understand what was said where.

 


Discover:


 

2. Faster and More Responsive Communication

 

Teamwork from home - best tools

 

Traditional Email is known for having longer response times since most inboxes overflow with large piles of mail daily. Plus having to sort through what’s high priority vs. low priority can take up a big part of the workday.  

 

That’s why when it comes to cutting down response time people prefer to send an instant message instead. With instant messages team members can quickly get to the point and get work done more efficiently. 

 

Having a dedicated workplace chat-app helps cut through the noise and clutter of overloaded email inboxes, and promotes faster, more responsive communication. 

 

3. Increases Productivity

 

increase producitivity

 

Having a work chat-app increases productivity by streamlining communication, boosting responsiveness and enhancing response times. Projects get moving simply and more seamlessly, and allow employees to solve problems quickly.

 

Plus most chat-apps provide collaborative capabilities that help team members better brainstorm and reach their goals. Creating things like group chats or group channels allows multiple people to share creative thoughts or ideas on just about anything.  

 

So stop relying on old-fashion communication channels at work and start using chat-apps to become even more productive.

 

The Best Chat Apps

1. Spike

email client

 

When it comes to selecting the perfect workplace chat app, Spike stands out as the clear winner. It offers a unique blend of team chat, email support and messaging capabilities, transforming your communication experience into something extraordinary. With Spike, all of your messages are converted into a chat-like interface, providing the convenience and simplicity of sending a text message.

 

You can Try Spike and see what all the hype is about.
 

Key features:

  • Supports internal team chat and external messaging through email

  • 1-click video and audio calls

  • Offers seamless collaboration over notes and team task management

  • Cross platform across web, Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone, and iPad

  • Group chat eliminates siloed communication across multiple platforms

 

Pricing:

  • Free for 1 email account

  • Pro offers a unified inbox across 3 email accounts for $5 per user per month (annually) with 5GB of storage, and 5 person video calls

  • Business plans offer everything in Pro, but with unlimited accounts, 20 GB storage, and up to 10 people on a video call

 

2. Slack

Slack workplace chat app

 

Slack is a popular workplace chat app as it one was on the original platforms that launched the category. One of Slack’s most notable strengths is its user-friendly interface, which is easy to use and customizable, allowing users to set notifications and preferences for each channel. It’s now owned by Salesforce, so it’s innovation has slowed in recent years.
 

Slack offers both free and paid plans, with the paid plans offering more advanced features such as countless app integrations, advanced analytics, and 24/7 support. It offers a robust search feature as well. Overall, it’s integrations with 3rd party tools is its most beneficial feature. As a workplace chat app, it’s somewhat overkill in 2023.
 

Key features:

  • Deep ecosystem of 3rd party apps that connect to Slack

  • External connections can help bridge the gap between internal and external Slack accounts

 

Pricing

  • Free plan option

  • Paid plans

    • $7.25/user per month (annually) for Pro plan
    • $12.50/user per month (annually) for Business plan which includes SSO/SAML login

 

3. Microsoft teams

Microsoft Teams

 

Microsoft Teams is a workplace chat app that has quickly become a popular choice for companies looking to streamline their communication and collaboration efforts. One of Teams’ biggest selling points is its integration with Microsoft’s suite of productivity tools and a Microsoft 365 subscription, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This integration makes it easy for users to work on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations without ever having to leave the Teams platform.
 
Teams offers channels for team communication, video and audio calls, screen sharing, and file sharing, making it a comprehensive tool for remote teams to collaborate effectively. Unless you’re heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem with devices, there are more streamlined options available.
 

Key features:

  • Deep integration Microsoft desktop apps

  • Built in video and audio calls

 

Pricing:

  • $6.00/user per month (annually) for web based access

  • $12.50/user per month (annually) for desktop app access

  • $22.00/user per month (annually) to add access and data control

 

4. Twist

Twist workplace team chat app

 

Twist from Todoist is a relatively new player in the workplace chat app market. However, its unique approach to communication and collaboration has made it a popular choice for many remote teams. Twist is a work place chat app that focuses on asynchronous communication, meaning that messages are not expected to be answered in real-time. Instead, Twist aims to help teams communicate in a more organized and thoughtful way, allowing for greater productivity and reduced stress.
 

Key features:

  1. Threaded replies are top among industry workplace chat apps

  2. Integration with Todoist for task management

  3. All channels are public by default

 

Pricing:

  • Free plan offers access up to 1 month of comments and messages

  • Paid pricing is $6user per month (annually) for unlimited everything including files, message history, etc

 

5. Flock

Flock App

 

Flock is a workplace chat app that offers features designed to improve communication and collaboration among teams. It offers an intuitive interface and customizable options with robust desktop apps. Flock offers channels for team communication, direct messaging, video and audio calls, screen sharing, and file sharing. It also includes features such as built-in polls/voting, team and individual to-do lists, and note-taking.

 

Key features:

  • Integration with internal LMS, HRMS and other systems

  • Ability to manage personal and team-wide tasks and track their progress right in Flock.

  • Polls allow teams to make decisions in an asynchronous manner

 

Pricing:

  • Free plans offer 10,000 searchable messages, 10 public channels, and 1:1 calls

  • Paid plans start at $4.50 /user/month with unlimited channels, searchable history, and 10GB of file uploads per user.

  • Enterprise plans offer everything in the paid plans plus integration with internal LMS, HRMS and other systems

 

Wrap Up

After finishing this blog, you are likely coming to the same conclusion we did: it’s clear as day that workplace chat apps have become an essential tool for modern organizations. They have truly transformed the way we communicate and collaborate in the workplace. Workplace chat apps like Spike are game-changers, simplifying communication, strengthening team connections, and promoting real-time collaboration. The best part? These apps seamlessly integrate with other tools, further growing productivity and efficiency amongst your team.
 

By embracing the power of workplace chat apps, your organization can unleash its full potential. Imagine a workplace where communication flows effortlessly, teams are closely connected, and collaboration happens in the blink of an eye regardless of location. With Spike, you can make this a reality. Say goodbye to lengthy email threads and hello to a workplace chat app, file sharing, group chat, and team task management!

avatar
Sivan Kaspi Sivan is the Director of Marketing at Spike. A firm believer that the right kind of tech actually helps us use it less, she is passionate about tools that improve our lives. She starts off each morning reviewing her Spike feed over a good cup of coffee.

Gain Communication Clarity with Spike

You may also like