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A new generation of lightning-fast business-messaging apps has overtaken executives’ phones and laptops.
Slack
Perhaps the reigning king of business messaging apps, Slack is almost de rigueur in many workplaces. It’s popular not only for its easy-to-use interface but also for a virtual tsunami of add-ons, including Slack Bots, which are essentially mini-apps that can perform a host of functions, such as reminding users of meetings, managing tasks, or even polling the office.
Slack also allows users to create separate channels for different teams or form side threads, so as not to derail the primary conversation, among a host of other convenient features.
Google Hangouts Chat
If Slack is the big boy of business messaging, then Google Hangouts is its conscientious dad. A longtime favorite of numerous big-name companies for its functional video conferencing, Google Hangouts now offers a Chat version aimed squarely at businesspeople looking to quickly connect.
Especially convenient for businesses that have already supplied their employees with G Suite accounts, Google Hangout Chat allows users to generate and filter semi-private rooms and one-on-one chats, as well as share Google docs, slides, and sheets in real time.
HipChat
Yes, it’s true Slack just snapped up this burgeoning app, but it’s still well worth a nod for its array of features and amazingly accessible interface. Not only does HipChat integrate with plenty of third-party apps, ranging from Dropbox to Facebook, it also offers file sharing, video conferencing, and screen sharing, not to mention more common features, like group chat rooms and one-on-one messaging.
Additionally, HipChat allows users to utilize good ol’ SMS messaging should they desire and offers a convenient 5GB of file storage.
Microsoft Teams
If your entire workplace is glued to their Office 365 accounts, this battle-tested messaging app may be the way to go. With a somewhat similar interface to Slack, Microsoft Teams offers a pretty impressive array of features, ranging from the ability to organize channels by specific teams and create side conversations, generate video and audio calls, and collaborate on docs through the app’s integration of most features within the Microsoft suite. Like HipChat, it can also interface with a host of third-party apps.
