In today’s fast-paced business world, effective communication is key to success. While standalone chat apps like Slack have been popular choices for team collaboration, many organizations are now turning to Zoom’s Team Chat as their preferred solution. Here’s why:
1. Seamless integration with the Zoom ecosystem
One of the biggest advantages of Zoom’s Team Chat is its seamless integration with the entire Zoom platform. Unlike standalone chat apps, Team Chat is where all your communication happens within the Zoom ecosystem. You can chat one-on-one or in groups, share files, and easily search across conversations – all while having instant access to other Zoom features like video meetings and whiteboards.
The continuous meeting chat feature is a prime example of this integration. It allows conversations to flow naturally from before, during, and after Zoom meetings. Meeting assets like recordings and whiteboards can be shared directly in the chat, keeping projects moving in one steady flow. This level of integration is something that standalone chat apps simply can’t match.
2. AI-powered productivity boost
Zoom’s Team Chat comes with built-in AI capabilities through Zoom AI Companion, giving users a significant productivity advantage. This smart AI assistant can help you catch up on long chat threads by providing concise summaries, draft messages with the right tone and length, and even suggest meeting times when scheduling with colleagues.
According to a 2023 Morning Consult AI in the workplace survey commissioned by Zoom, 77% of leaders whose teams use AI agreed that their team is more productive as a result. This built-in AI functionality gives Zoom’s Team Chat a clear edge over apps like Slack, where such features might require additional integrations or subscriptions.
3. Bridging external and internal communications
Zoom’s Team Chat offers a unique solution to the common problem of juggling external and internal communications. While many organizations use email for external contacts and a separate chat app for internal communication, Team Chat allows you to securely bridge this gap.
Administrators can manage permissions and control which external contacts can join internal chat channels, and employees can easily see when external contacts are present in a chat. This feature streamlines communication workflows and reduces the risk of important information getting lost between different platforms – a common issue when using separate apps for internal and external communication.
4. Cost-effective and streamlined workflows
In an era of shrinking IT budgets, Zoom’s Team Chat offers a cost-effective solution. It’s included in your Zoom Workplace license, meaning you don’t need to allocate additional budget for a standalone chat app. By consolidating your communication tools, you can significantly reduce your total cost of ownership (TCO) for communication platforms.
Moreover, Team Chat integrates with a wide range of business apps through the Zoom App Marketplace. This means you can access tools like Jira, Asana, Salesforce, and GitHub directly within your chat interface, reducing context-switching and improving productivity. For organizations with specific needs, Zoom also provides developer tools to build custom apps for Team Chat, offering a level of flexibility that many standalone chat apps can’t match.
5. Easy adoption, management, and migration
One of the biggest hurdles in adopting a new communication tool is the learning curve for employees and the complexity of management for IT teams. Zoom’s Team Chat excels in both areas. For users, it’s built right into the familiar Zoom client – accessing Team Chat is as simple as clicking the chat icon in the toolbar. This familiarity significantly reduces the adoption curve.
For IT administrators, Team Chat settings can be controlled through the centralized Zoom admin portal, simplifying management and ensuring consistency across the organization.
When it comes to migrating from other platforms like Slack, Zoom offers a Team Chat Migration app to help import existing chat data. For organizations that need to migrate in stages, third-party solutions like Mio enable cross-platform messaging between Zoom Team Chat and other platforms like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Webex.
While apps like Slack have their merits, Zoom’s Team Chat offers a compelling alternative that integrates seamlessly with a broader communication ecosystem, leverages AI for increased productivity, bridges internal and external communications, reduces costs, and simplifies adoption and management. As organizations continue to prioritize efficient and cost-effective communication solutions, it’s clear why many are choosing Zoom’s Team Chat over standalone alternatives.
If you’re interested in discussing a Zoom solution for your organization that enables you to chat and much more – please fill out the form below and we’ll be in contact!