If you run a start-up business, then there are several important things to consider to ensure you pick the best team communication app for your needs. Picking the right one will have a positive impact on everything from your data security to your overall productivity.
Below, you’ll find the key points to think about when selecting a team communication app – and our pick of the top three providers.
Affordability
As a brand-new business, managing your budget is probably one of your foremost concerns. To this end, it’s vital to ensure you choose an app that not only delivers the results you want but offers great value for money, too.
Think carefully about the features and tools you’ll actually need and will make use of to prevent paying for things your business doesn’t yet require.
Features and Tools
Look for a team chat app that’ll give your team the means to collaborate effectively. This could include group chat and video conferencing capabilities, as well as the ability to be able to work on documents and files together in real-time.
Scalability
Hopefully, your start-up concern will have a bright future! So when selecting a team communication app, consider whether it can easily scale to suit your needs as your business grows and, for example, takes on more employees or opens another office in a new location.
Security
Of course, the security of your chosen team communication app is paramount. Make sure that any options you’re considering are deploying the highest levels of security possible. At the very least, it should use encryption and SSL technology to keep your team’s communication, files, and sensitive data safe and secure.
Customer Service
Finally, weigh up the level of customer service your start-up requires. Is it ok if you can only get hold of help Monday to Friday during normal office hours, or do you need 24/7 customer service on hand to help in the event of any problems with your service?
Team Communication Apps: Our Picks
If you are still unsure which option to go for, we can help! Below you’ll find our top picks of team communication apps that are particularly good for start-up businesses.
Spike
Available on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and the web, Spike is an entirely new proposition: it offers the world’s first conversational email. This does away with the annoying screen clutter of repeating headers, footers, and signatures in email threads, making inboxes sleeker, more efficient, and centered around promoting effective collaboration.
Spike’s users appreciate its priority inbox – an advanced algorithm filters out junk emails, sending them straight to a sub-folder so you won’t be distracted when you’re trying to focus on a task. Voice messaging and video conferencing are also integrated into this app, so you don’t need to waste valuable time switching between platforms and screens.
Other productivity-boosting features include online notes, tasks and to-do lists, synced calendars, file management tools, and advanced search. It’s also a highly secure platform, deploying AES-256 security encryption for all message data for ultimate peace of mind. And on the question of affordability? The Pro Plan, perfect for start-ups, comes in at a highly reasonable $5 per user per month, billed annually.
Slack
Another great option for a team communication app, Slack, also works across a wide range of operating systems and platforms. It focuses on allowing you and your team to create channels for projects, teams, and topics – shared channels also promote easier communication with outside organizations.
As well as text-based messaging, Slack offers voice and video calls and plenty of integration opportunities with popular software platforms such as Google Drive, Zendesk, and Salesforce. This option is very user-friendly and provides a range of functions designed to optimize collaboration and keep your team better connected. However, it’s important to note that while Slack offers great communication tools, it doesn’t offer many productivity features, so if you need this element, either Spike or Flock may be a better fit for you.
Slack offers a free plan, so if you’re unsure whether this app is a good fit for your business, you can try it without committing funds. If you’d like to unlock its full potential, there’s a plan ideal for start-ups that costs just $6.67 per user per month.
Flock
This app allows your team members to send messages, host video conferences, share files, set up calendar events, and manage to-do lists. Flock integrates with many popular platforms, including Google Drive, MailChimp, Asana, and Twitter, for extra convenience.
Flock boasts a range of productivity tools, such as polls, shared notes, and reminders, and offers ten public channels for group chat. Fans of Flock like the fact that even its free plan allows for unlimited team members, video calls, and one-to-one messages
The app is highly scalable, too. Once your start-up is ready for the next stage of its journey, you can upgrade to the Flock PRO plan that unlocks group video conferencing, enhanced admin controls, extra file storage, guest accounts, and access to priority support. And the best bit? This enhanced plan will set your business back only $4.50 per user per month.
Choosing a Team Communication App: Key Points
Taking into consideration several key things will ensure you pick the perfect team communication app for your start-up’s needs: these include affordability, the features and tools on offer, scalability, security, and the nature of the customer service provision.
Above, we’ve included our top picks of team communication apps that are particularly suitable for start-up concerns. All of these options are highly affordable and offer a powerful means to boost productivity, work more efficiently, and achieve a better-connected workforce.
