How to choose the right computer equipment for your business to increase your productivity and efficiency without it costing the earth.
Business software helps you complete a range of tasks. Choose the right software, provide support and train your staff with our introduction.
It is highly likely that you depend on the internet for some aspects of your business. Find out how you can use the internet more effectively.
Good communication with customers, partners and suppliers is vital for business success. This summary explores business communication methods.
How would you cope if your IT system failed or was breached? We cover the main IT security issues and how to protect against them.
Good IT management can help you choose, use and implement IT. Our overview helps you manage IT in a way that maximises the return on your investment.
IT support is vital if you rely on your IT system. But how can you set up an effective safety net in case things go wrong? We explore the options.
Getting the right IT is just the first step. Appropriate training, policies and working practices can help you maximise return on your IT investment.
Instant messaging (IM) is no longer confined to social circles and youth culture. It has made its way into businesses large and small and represents one of the most effective forms of communication for customers, colleagues and teams.
With many businesses opting for services such as Slack in order to rid their offices of email, the significant uptake of instant messaging in business is in no small part due to the ease with which colleagues and customers can communicate with one another. Just type a message, hit the 'return' key, and the message is sent instantly to one or many recipients!
Business instant messaging enables two or more people to communicate via an online chat on either their computer devices or smartphones. Delivery of messages is usually instantaneous, making it an attractive form of communication.
Instant messaging can be useful in all kinds of situations:
Instant messages usually take the form of short, typed messages, but it is also possible to send audio, videos and share files.
In order to use IM for your business, you need a simple piece of software - usually referred to as an instant messaging client or app - installed on your device or smartphone.
There are two kinds of instant messaging systems:
Private systems have traditionally been the choice for larger corporations, but an increasing trend towards ultra-secure end-to-end encryption has made public IM services such as WhatsApp increasingly popular for businesses.
If you're not sure how to get started with business instant messaging, signing up to a public service is a great way to assess its effectiveness in practice. An IT expert - like your IT supplier - can also advise on the various options.
Business instant messaging can also be found as a companion feature within certain applications. It's not unusual to find chat options in everything from word processing software to project management tools, meaning the ability to connect quickly with colleagues and keep discussion uniquely tied to the project in question is always available.
Most IM clients will synchronise all chat activity between devices, so you can quickly pick up where you left off if you switch from your desktop PC to your smartphone when you leave the office.
Online chat is a popular medium for service teams large and small. The abundance of 'Chat now!' buttons on business websites is testament to this.
If your business includes a customer service element, there are three compelling reasons for implementing instant messaging as a service channel:
When choosing an online chat service for your business, pay attention to the service fees (most will charge per user) and consider any potential integrations you may require. For example, you may want your live chat system to link in with your CRM or telephone system.
Slack is an instant messaging service designed for teams. It enables businesses to create specific 'channels' for different topics and mixes group chat with the ability to send private messages to one another.
The service has long been hailed as the first real alternative to email, with many businesses having successfully made the transition to it from one of the oldest forms of digital communication.
Email is often deeply embedded within company culture, so Slack's ability to replace it will depend largely on the size of your business and its existing reliance on email. For many, Slack can be a great companion for email and often slots well into certain areas of the business where remote working is common.
Slack offers a free service tier, so the best option is to get signed up and give it a go. The ability to transfer files and collaborate with colleagues in a more modern, social media-like way may just be the perfect tonic to fight email fatigue.
There are several things to be aware of before implementing instant messaging within your business:
Make sure instant messaging is covered by your IT policy, establish clear guidelines for when instant messaging isn't a suitable way to communicate (for example, when you need a permanent written record of something) and make sure these rules get communicated to all staff.
