If your computer is the new office, where is the space for talking and getting together? Where is the “virtual coffee” machine? Today we’ll talk about team communication in remote working moments. With new apps and tools popping up nearly every day, how do you cut through the noise and pick the right one?
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What to consider when choosing a communication app
A couple of things to have in mind when deciding which app is the best option for your team:
- Ease of use: People need an app that doesn’t waste their time, isn’t too complicated, and has a visually pleasing user interface.
- Group capabilities: Look for a solution that makes it easy to organize conversations into groups. This allows teams to break discussions down by topic, event, project, and more.
- Workflow integrations: Instead of switching from one platform to the next — search for integrations to content management apps, payroll systems, and field management systems like Rambox that helps make workflows more streamlined.
Each job and industry has different needs. Therefore, the applications used by a marketer will be different from the applications needed by a full-stack developer. Each company is different and you must adapt to the needs of your teams.
5 team communication apps that everyone loves
There is a multitude of communication applications for the work environment. It can be a tedious and time-consuming process to look at all the available options and compare their features and functionalities. That’s why Rambox recommends the following ones.
1. Slack
As a team communication app, Slack has a great balance between functionality and simplicity. Connect with your colleagues, in real-time, in three ways: direct messages, voice and video calls, and channels. Channels are “dedicated spaces” for conversations to take place according to the subject matter, team, etc.
It offers a limited free plan and paid plans for businesses and enterprises.
2. Basecamp
If you’re looking for an all-in-one app for everything related to project management, collaboration, and communication — Basecamp is the answer.
Basecamp is a comprehensive tool for team collaboration, but the non-customizable flat rate means you may end up paying for features you don’t need — especially true for small teams.
Basecamp Personal is free and includes limited features.
Basecamp Business goes up to $99/month.
3. Microsoft Teams
Built with the same functionality as Slack and more, this app has upped the ante with its solid video chat capabilities and conferencing integrations. It can be not only a reliable standalone app for team messaging but also a compelling all-in-one solution for businesses when coupled with the Microsoft fleet of project management products. It’s an excellent option for enterprise businesses.
Available as a free download and then it goes to pricing options for personal or business.
4. Google Chat
Google Meeting/Chat is a way for you to connect with your team. Set up video meetings or use the chat feature for instant communication. It’s easy, fast, and runs on a platform that everyone knows.
This app is free with any Google account.
5. Discord
Discord is a platform that became popular among games, but grew to all types of industries for its powerful community-building experience. Discords allow you to chat in real-time via text, voice, and video. Ideally, this tool can be used for teams organizing study groups, classes, or training.
A few last tips
Some apps make it easy to work out of a single platform by combining team chat with video conferencing, project management, cloud storage, and more. These tools are ideal for people who prefer not to have their work scattered across multiple apps.
Other chat apps keep it simple by doing one thing and doing it really well — perfect for those who prefer to keep instant messaging separate from their other activities.
Think about what problems you’re looking to solve and how you and your team members like to work, keeping in mind that many companies offer free trials, so you can always give it a spin before you commit. Also have in mind that if it is too difficult or too complicated to use, people will not adopt it.
How to include these applications in Rambox
Rambox allows you to unify as many applications as you want in one place, making it the perfect tool to improve productivity when working with multiple applications.
The 5 communication apps mentioned above are available for free to work with from Rambox. If you want to add any of these applications to your work toolbox to improve your concentration and productivity when programming with Rambox, you only have to follow three simple steps:
- Click on the + icon in your applications panel.
- Search for the name of the application you want to install.
- Click on the “+ add” button to add the application to your applications panel.
That’s it! You now have all the apps you want in one place.
If you are overwhelmed by the number of applications you have to work with, and can’t optimize your time and resources, try Rambox for free. All you have to do is download the program, configure it to your liking and start enjoying its functionalities. No cards, no cheating, it’s that simple!
