If you’re looking for a new app to help you build relationships, stay on top of industry buzz, and avoid awkward silences with colleagues or potential clients, then this business technology blog is for you! Whether your preference is communicating through the latest chatbot or connecting via email or text message, here are 10 great options that can help you enjoy more authentic conversations with your peers.
Skype: Skype is one of the most popular communication platforms in the world. It is a great option to communicate with colleagues or clients that are not near you and to streamline video calls. Skype also has a chatbot for sending and receiving messages.
Slack: Slack is a popular platform for communication between employees or team members within companies. It also has some great new features that allow you to send voice messages and group calls. The app has great features that make it a joy to use, including the ability to set reminders and the integration of bots, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Trello, and Twitter.
Email: Email is still an important form of communication even in this day and age of instant messaging. The tool is still widely used by many employers or clients because it is easy to access on desktop computers or mobile devices alike. Groups of people and businesses can also create lists to share messages with only certain team members. There are many email marketing tools that can help you clean up your inbox and help you efficiently manage your contact list.
HipChat: HipChat is a basic chat app that allows you to communicate with colleagues or potential clients via real-time messaging or group calls. The platform is owned by Atlassian, the same company that owns Jira and Trello, two popular project management tools. The Jira integration makes it easy to connect conversations from HipChat with project management tasks.
Facebook Messenger: Facebook is another platform that offers an app for instant messaging with people or with bots. Facebook Messenger allows you to communicate via text, video, and voice calling if you’re using one of Facebook’s mobile apps. The platform also lets you send quick messages to all of your contacts at once and live updates during video calls.
Quip: Quip is another messaging app that is similar to Slack, but it focuses on the individual user experience. The tool can create a bot that connects your Slack conversation with different services such as email, Skype, Dropbox, and Trello.
MeWe: MeWe offers a unique structure in the way in which it organizes users’ connections online. The app is similar to Facebook but offers the option for users to select who can contact them. MeWe’s features include the ability to create private communities, messenger tools, newsfeeds, and live video streaming, as well as an option for users to buy paid subscriptions if they want access to a wider range of features.
SlideShare: SlideShare is a great tool for sharing visual content in presentations or in brief bullet point form. It’s becoming a crowd favorite for presenting business ideas because it provides an easy way to present multimedia content without having to be tied down by traditional presentation platforms such as PowerPoint.
Loom: Loom is an app that allows you to connect with other people by sharing text messages or even video calls. The tool is similar to Skype in that it offers video chat, live-audio chatting, and group calling if you’re using one of Facebook’s mobile apps.
Google Hangouts: Google Hangouts offers a quick way of communicating with co-workers or clients in real time. The platform allows you to send text messages or voice messages via video chats. It also lets you create video group calls and screen sharing among participants. You can share photos or documents in your hangout conversations. The tool also includes video conferencing tools.