What is a Group Chat?
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- Business Insights
What is a Group Chat and what a good group chat looks like in the workplace
What is a group chat (or team chat)?
Group chat is a type of communication platform that allows members of a group, team or organization to quickly and easily exchange information in real-time through instant messaging.
Group chats are formed by having a user, or multiple users, join a chat room by invite or by a shared link if they're made available.
They can send direct messages to the entire group without having to send multiple messages making it easier to send information to several members at the same time.
Group chat for personal use
In terms of personal use, group chats are usually used between friends or family members or even community members, to create chat rooms where they can message multiple users in a single space.
Within these group conversations, people can not only send messages, but also share photos, videos and audio messages to all members involved.
It can be a fun way to have everyone involved in conversation, share messages, have participants connect online, and share what's happening in their day-to-day lives.
Group chat as a workplace chat
In the workplace, group chats (or team chats) provide users with the ability to communicate instantly by sending direct messages, allowing for faster decision making and quicker problem solving.
They typically involve multiple people who can share direct messages, files, and other pieces of data with each other in an organized way.
Group chats are popular in the workplace, as they allow employees to collaborate more efficiently online.
With a variety of group chat functions such as task management, voice or video calls, screen sharing, file sharing, document storage, and many more, group chats provide teams with flexibility while staying connected to other users of the team.
What role do group chats play as workplace messaging apps?
Popularity of group chats at work
Group chat apps — which are also referred to as team chat, team chat app, workplace chat app, or team messaging app — are becoming mainstream with more teams using collaboration tools in the workplace.
It's getting to a point where you're more likely to find teams using some form of team communication software as opposed to those that don't.
In fact, a study of more than 200 IT managers and admins have shown that each respondent used an average of 3.3 workplace chat apps or team chat apps at work and that at least 2 different group messaging apps are being used by 91% of businesses at the same time.
Another study showed that well-connected teams were 20-25% more productive and that effective team communication show increases in employee confidence.
These studies show that team chat apps are becoming more of a necessity than a luxury in the workplace.
How are companies utilizing group chats?
Companies are using group chats for multiple reasons, but the main reason is to ensure teams stay connected and up-to-date on things that are happening within the company.
Nowadays, with so many teams moving over to remote work, or outsourcing staff from overseas, a solid chat is essential to staying productive and efficient.
Because of this, many group chats are designed with features that focus on helping users stay mobile and yet well connected through the web, with some made available as an app for android and apple devices.
The benefits of using a group chat for work
Group chats come with a wide range of benefits. From improved communication, to cost savings and enhanced productivity. Here are some of the main advantages of using group chat or team chat apps:
Improved team communication: Instant messaging makes it easy for teams to communicate in real-time, eliminating any delays that result from emails or phone calls.
Increased productivity: Group chat allows teams to quickly exchange messages, files or ideas with each other, leading to increased efficiency and better decision making.
Cost savings: It eliminates the need for expensive phone calls or video meetings, resulting in saved costs.
Enhanced collaboration: With features like document storage, task management, and screen sharing, collaborations between teams are made easier and more efficient.
Improved customer service: It enables businesses to respond to customers in real-time, resulting in better customer experience.
Managing conversations: It helps with managing conversations on a single platform rather than having to jump between multiple communications to find conversations.
Utilizing the right tool can allow teams to stay connected even when they’re on-the-move, making it easier for them to meet their goals and succeed.
What should you look for in a workplace group chat?
There are so many types of group chat (team chat) options out there and it can get kind of confusing on what to look for in a good group chat.
To make things easier, we've put together some features that you should look for in a group chat to help you stay connected in the workplace.
The 'basics' include everything you need to get group conversations started and keep members engaged in team communication, while the 'extras' help boost productivity for collaborative work.
Let's dive in.
The 'basics':
1) Free group messaging
Flexibility and affordability is an absolute must in a group chat.
You're trying to improve productivity and collaboration with your team in order to make money, so the software shouldn't be making it harder on you by charging you for team communication.
Quality group chats that support business growth should include unlimited chat and unlimited users or free team communication.
If you need more features, you can pay for them when they're needed, but you shouldn't be charged to talk to your own team.
2) File sharing, search and storage
As you work with your team, there's going to be moments where you need to share files, search for them, or store them somewhere.
Getting a group chat app that limits what you do with your own files or charges you for the number of files, shares, or searches can drastically increase the cost for your team.
There are work chat apps that let you share unlimited files, run unlimited searches and if possible, provide unlimited storage.
Finding one will help you minimize sudden surprises in your monthly bill while using these chats.
3) Chat history search and team chat tracking
The ability to track team conversations is critical when it comes to collaborative work.
Most group chats offer searchable chat history of conversations, but if you're looking for something more comprehensive, make sure the team messaging app you choose has team chat tracking capabilities.
This will help ensure that all conversations are captured and tracked easily, allowing teams to stay focused and productive.
If possible, get yourself team communication apps that provide unlimited message history, threads, or mention features where you can locate group conversations that you were involved in.
4) Tagging and member mentions
Communication is an integral part of active and hardworking teams, and if you've worked with a team that's completely or partially remote, you'll be familiar with how crowded and busy group chats can get with shared information.
And if you had to look through every single one of those messages it would drive you utterly crazy. Because of this, a good group chat should include the ability to tag or mention members to key information that's most relevant to them.
This allows team members to stay efficient and prioritize tasks without feeling overwhelmed with cluttered or lost messages.
It's an absolute must have especially if you're working with teams that communicate heavily online.
The 'extras':
1) Video conferencing or voice and video calls
Video conferencing is a great way to stay connected with team members who are located in different parts of the world.
If you need video conferencing or voice and video calls for your team, make sure that the group chat you choose offers this feature.
If you can't find one that offers both voice and video calls, you could also opt for a team chat app that offers integrations with other apps that offer video calls separately.
2) Project management or productivity tools
If you're looking to streamline project management and increase productivity, make sure to look for a group chat app that offers these features.
Look for features such as task management, action tracking, time tracking, so that your team can get the job done without sacrificing efficiency.
These features will ensure that your team is on the same page when working on important projects and tasks.
3) Screen sharing and collaboration features
Screen sharing and collaboration features are essential in today's workplace.
Look for group chat apps that offer these features, as they can make it easier to collaborate with team members, share knowledge, and reach decisions faster.
These features will not only help the person communicating get the message across more clearly, but it can also help the entire group get involved in completing urgent tasks or tasks that require hands-on collaboration.
Conclusion
Group chat apps can be a great way for teams to stay connected, collaborate effectively, and save time and money.
When choosing the right group chat for your business, make sure to consider its features such as flexibility, affordability, file sharing & search capabilities, voice & video calls, project management tools and screen sharing.
With the right tools in place, it will be easier for you to reach your goals faster and succeed.
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