Only two years after its launch, Microsoft Teams is neck and neck in popularity with chat and collaboration tool Slack, according to Computer World. This is a remarkable achievement, since Slack has dominated since it burst on the business chat scene five years ago. Most people think Teams is getting its quick rise due to the fact that it’s included in every copy of Office 365.
However, these two collaboration powerhouses are not alone. The group messaging field is also rich with options from Google, Cisco, Facebook and more.
The most popular workplace chat tool, according to a recent survey by Spiceworks, is still Microsoft’s Skype for Business. However, this is already changing due to the fact that Microsoft is replacing Skype with Teams. Things are also in flux across the board as all the varying collaboration tools make modifications and add features in innovative attempts to win over new business customers.
Currently, the most popular business chat apps include Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Hangouts, Cisco’s WebEx (formerly Spark), and Facebook Workplace. The size of the business influences which chat tool a company favors. In the Spiceworks report mentioned above, the data revealed that companies with fewer than 100 employees favor Slack, whereas bigger businesses tend to use Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts.
Slack is seen as the most innovative tool. Teams is viewed as the most cost effective and secure solution.
According to Computer World, “Side-by-side comparisons between competing collaboration apps can be problematic, because they tackle similar tasks in different ways. But each tool offers some key strengths.”
One of the advantages of Slack is its innovative quality. It integrates well with a lot of other apps. Microsoft Teams offers a cost benefit. When you purchase Office 365, you automatically get Teams.
Still in its early days, Facebook Workplace could pose a competitive threat in the work chat space due to the ubiquitous nature of Facebook. In addition, Facebook is a platform almost everyone online is familiar with, so the learning curve for Workplace is favorable. Sometimes employees resist learning a workplace chat app because it feels like it will take too much effort. They prefer to stick with email. According to Tech Republic, Workplace is on the verge of “giving other collaboration tools a run for their money.”
Here at Emerge, we’ve been very happy with and had productive results for our clients with Cisco’s collaboration tool, WebEx. It’s simple, secure and complete. It offers some of the strengths from all the other tools. You can instantly chat with your co-workers, or host a live meeting. Interested? Find out more about WebEx Teams.
Email remains a key communication tool for companies, but more and more businesses, both small and large, are adding chat tools to their communications options. To keep up in terms of productivity and ease, look into what’s available in 2019. Take a look around and find the best fit for your business.