Table of Contents
Effective communication is a critical element in both personal relationships and the business realm. According to a noteworthy study by Harvard Business Review, it was revealed that employees dedicate approximately 80% of their working hours to activities necessitating collaboration with their peers. In the contemporary business landscape, the optimal utilization of these interactions hinges on the use of the best communication platforms, specifically tailored to facilitate seamless and efficient engagement.
Collaboration is more important than ever in the modern workplace because more people are working from home and relying more on technology. The modern workplace is well on its way to becoming completely digital, especially as it becomes more important to manage the growing number of people who work from home. But too many businesses have different applications that don’t work together. Your company’s productivity and communication depend a lot on a few key systems and apps. Does your current intranet help people talk to each other as well and as efficiently as it could?
Communication platforms and software can be essential for making it easier to work together and connect with clients and partners, as well as with people inside the company. You can also use these solutions to improve your portal, intranet, learning management system, and website.
Best Communication Platforms Comparison Table
App Name | File Sharing | Cloud Storage | Collaboration | Video Conferencing | Integrations | Platforms | Visit Website |
Dropbox | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Android, iOS, Web | Visit Link |
Google Workspace | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Android, iOS, Web | Visit Link |
Rocket.Chat | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Android, iOS, Web | Visit Link |
Chanty | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Android, iOS, Web | Visit Link |
Slack | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Android, iOS, Web | Visit Link |
Confluence | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Web | Visit Link |
Nextiva | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Android, iOS, Web | Visit Link |
Dropbox
Feature | Description |
---|---|
File storage and sharing | Store and share files with others |
Collaboration | Work with others on shared files in real-time |
Mobile access | Access files from your mobile device |
Automatic syncing | Keep files up-to-date across all devices |
Version history | Access previous versions of files |
Dropbox is one of the easiest and most effective ways to share files in the cloud. Teams can use Dropbox to manage shared files better, which cuts down on the need for email and makes it easier for employees to work together.
Integrate your intranet solution so that team members can easily add their own content to a team workspace with just one click. The content can then be sent to Dropbox and shown visually. There is also a search function for the content.
The Good
- User-friendly interface
- Powerful file sharing and collaboration
- Multiple platforms.
- Simple for non-technical users
The Bad
- Limited free storage
- Some features are subscription-only.
- Third-party file access security concerns
Google Workspace
Feature | Description |
---|---|
Gmail | Email service with advanced spam filtering |
Google Drive | Cloud storage and file sharing |
Google Docs | Word processing and collaboration |
Google Sheets | Spreadsheets and collaboration |
Google Slides | Presentation creation and collaboration |
Google Meet | Video conferencing |
Google Calendar | Calendar management |
Applications for safe business collaboration and increased productivity provided by Google Workspace, formerly known as G Suite. It consists of Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Meet in addition to other applications. Due to the fact that it is web-based, G Suite is compatible with virtually all web browsers and operating systems. You also have access to a centralized administration interface, which makes the process of setting up and managing users both quick and simple.
The Good
- Productivity tools
- Google services seamlessly integrated
- Capable collaboration
- Universally accessible
The Bad
- Some users cannot afford subscriptions.
- Newcomers must learn some features.
Rocket.Chat
Feature | Description |
---|---|
Chat rooms | Create chat rooms for teams or projects |
Direct messaging | Send direct messages to individuals or groups |
Audio and video conferencing | Conduct voice and video calls |
File sharing | Share files with others |
Customizable | Customize the look and feel of the interface |
Rocket.Chat is an open-source messaging service that is a great example of a business communication platform. Why? Because you can keep all of a company’s communication under one roof.
This means that you can use chat and video conferencing not only to talk to people inside your company but also to talk to customers. Because we integrate with a lot of other software, you don’t have to use as many apps and can communicate with employees, partners, and customers from a single place.
The Good
- Self-hosted for security
- Actively developed open-source
- Simple setup and use
- Customizable interface
The Bad
- Comparatively few features.
- Few app integrations
Chanty
Feature | Description |
---|---|
Chat rooms | Create chat rooms for teams or projects |
Direct messaging | Send direct messages to individuals or groups |
Audio and video conferencing | Conduct voice and video calls |
Task management | Assign and track tasks |
Search functionality | Search for messages and files |
Chanty, a business communication software, comes equipped with a function known as built-in video calling as one of its many built-in features.
Through Chanty, video calls can be made between two parties, and the app also enables users to participate in group video conferences while sharing their screens. Chanty is currently being utilized by over 75,000 businesses as a method of communicating and aligning on their goals.
The Good
- Small-team pricing
- Easy-to-use interface
- Trello and Zapier integrations
- Simple for non-technical users
The Bad
- Comparatively few features.
- Some features are subscription-only.
Slack
Feature | Description |
---|---|
Chat rooms | Create chat rooms for teams or projects |
Direct messaging | Send direct messages to individuals or groups |
Audio and video conferencing | Conduct voice and video calls |
File sharing | Share files with others |
Integrations | Connect with other apps for increased productivity |
Almost 80% of the Fortune 100 use Slack every day. Slack is a way to send and receive messages at work. Even though Slack is often used for internal communication, it can also be used to get in touch with clients thanks to a feature called “guest.”
Users can talk to each other one-on-one, in small groups, or on public or private channels. Channels are groups of people who talk about the same thing, like a client or a certain job. Slack is also available as a website and a desktop or mobile app. The tool works with a lot of popular apps, such as Google Calendar and the ones on this list.
The Good
- Capable collaboration
- Numerous integrations
- User-friendly interface
- Multiple platforms.
The Bad
- Costly subscription for larger teams
- new users.
Confluence
Feature | Description |
---|---|
Document collaboration | Collaborate on documents with others in real-time |
Knowledge base | Create and maintain a company knowledge base |
Templates | Use pre-built templates for faster document creation |
Search functionality | Easily find documents and information |
Version control | Keep track of document versions and changes |
Although it is not technically a messaging platform, Confluence is an intranet system developed by Atlassian. It serves to centralize a company’s internal documents and makes it possible for multiple users to edit the same page simultaneously. It is classified as part of the internal communication category because, despite the fact that it contains many components that are more appropriately located in other categories, its primary objective is to provide users with the ability to collaborate on specific projects and documents. It offers templates for a variety of activities, including project planning, product management, marketing, and sales.
The Good
- Capable document collaboration
- High-quality knowledge base
- Many customizable templates
- Powerful search
The Bad
- New user learning curve is steeper
- Full functionality requires a subscription.
- Few third-party app integrations
Nextiva
Feature | Description |
---|---|
Business phone system | Manage calls and voicemails |
Video conferencing | Conduct online meetings and video calls |
Team messaging | Communicate with team members via chat |
Call analytics | Monitor and analyze call data |
Mobile app | Access Nextiva features on the go |
Nextiva is a communication platform that helps bring together your teams and your customers. The new business communication platform offered by Nextiva is an all-in-one solution that combines the management of communication, team collaboration, and customer engagement onto a single platform.
Its platform optimizes a company’s voice and video communications, as well as chat, analytics, and automation. You can concentrate on running your company without having to constantly switch between different applications.
The Good
- Integrated business communication
- Excellent phone and video calls
- All-in-one messaging, calling, and videoconferencing platform
- Performance-tracking call analytics
The Bad
- Costlier than competitors
- Advanced features may need add-ons.
FAQs
There are many communication platforms available for businesses, and the best one depends on the specific needs of the organization. Some popular options include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, and Skype for Business.
For remote teams, communication platforms that allow for real-time messaging, video conferencing, and file sharing are essential. Some of the best options for remote teams include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, and Asana.
For video conferencing, some of the best options include Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, and Microsoft Teams. Each platform has its own unique features, such as screen sharing, recording capabilities, and virtual backgrounds.