5 Best Communication Tools in 2021
In this evolving world, the needs of workplaces are also evolving. There was a time when the fax machine was one of the major requirements of companies, but we don’t see those anymore. Slowly and steadily, the changes in technology are driving businesses to adopt new ways to deal with situations.
Like every other field that has evolved with technology, communication has also become easier, cost-effective, and better over the years. The communication tools have a lot more to offer now than what they had in the past. It was always bound to happen, after all, communication is one of the essential parts of every business. The increasing demands of these tools have brought some additional features, like, group discussions, instant file sharing, online video conferencing, and much more.
If these tools are used correctly the management of meetings and conferences will be the smallest of your problems. However, with the introduction of so many new tools in the market, it has become a bit overwhelming to pick one to support your business. You need to put in efforts to find a tool that can break the barriers of communication in your business and take productivity to the next level. In this article, we have compiled a list of some of the best tools for communication in 2021. But before we get into the list of those tools, let’s look at some of the features that communication tools must-have for businesses.
Must-Have Features in a Communication Tool
There are many factors you need to take care of to make your communication effective. The initial step for finding a proper communication tool is by looking at the features it should have. Let’s see the most important ones.
Direct and Group Messaging
Having a communication tool without a direct messaging feature is a crime. This feature brings some sort of convenience by allowing employees to reply to less priority messages only when they have time for that. Group messaging is the same, but instead of one-on-one, here you communicate with all the group members at once.
Real-time communication is necessary for businesses, and email alone is not sufficient enough to do this job. With the help of a communication tool that has a direct messaging feature, you can have a text conversation with anyone by only creating a channel.
Video Chat
Video chat takes direct messaging features to the next level. Many a time, you might need to have face-to-face communication with your remote employees or foreign clients, and commuting every time you need this can make a dent in the pockets of both parties. Since these tools operate on the internet, the cost per call decreases. With the help of these tools, you can also easily reduce the cost of your call centre.
Screen Sharing
When you have a tool that has a good quality video chat feature, you should also ensure that it comes with a feature to share your screen. This feature is invaluable as it gives you an option to share docs, reports, or anything visible on your screen with the participants of the meeting. You don’t have to open separate apps or close the existing meeting. With this feature, the flow of the meeting remains unaffected.
Audio Conferencing
It is one of the primary features that comes with communication tools. Sometimes you might need to clear a point on the spot. Here, jumping directly on video calls won’t work, and texts will take a little time. This is when the audio conferencing feature acts as your guardian angel. It is a simple feature that works on your desktop, which means you don’t have to switch devices or set up an external line of communication.
Secure File Sharing
Being able to share files is one thing, but when you have the ability to share files of multiple formats, that’s when the game changes. If you do not want to compromise on the productivity of your tool, then you must ensure that it has the option to share files securely from platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, and even your system.
5 Best Communication Tools in the Market
Now that we know the features we should look out for, it has become significantly easy to compile a list of tools that have everything we need to make communication seamless. Take a look at five of those efficient tools:
Microsoft Teams
Platforms: Android, iOS, and Web
Features: The conversation screen appears as threaded emails, which improve the readability and clarity of replies. You have options for private discussions, video/voice conferencing, group chats, and it supports GIFs. Some additional features are tabs for frequently used documents, @mentions, open API, customisation alerts, and multiple-factor authentication.
Integrations: Asana, Trello, MS Powerpoint, Office 365, Microsoft Planner, Excel, Skype, GitHub, SurveyMonkey, and much more.
Pricing: $5.00 per month
Zoom
Platforms: Android, iOS, and Web
Features: Zoom is responsible for bringing teams together effortlessly and getting more done in a secure and frictionless video environment. It is easy, reliable, and comes with features like scheduling a meeting, messaging, invite through email, audio/video conferencing, user management, meeting management, screen sharing, record meeting, drag and drop sharing, etc.
Integrations: LeadMaster, Marketo, Microsoft, Outlook, Dropbox, HubSpot CRM, Slack, Zapier, and Zendesk.
Pricing: The basic version is free and works well, considering you don’t have to pay anything for it. The Pro to Enterprise version starts from $13.99 per month per host.
Skype
Platforms: Android, iOS, and Web
Features: You can make free calls using Skype through the Internet. Like the other tools we’ve mentioned, it also has the feature of voice and video conferencing. You can use it for instant messaging, both personal and in groups. It also comes with SMS integrations, third party integrations, and voicemail. Other than this, you can get reports and statistics out of Skype.
Integrations: Microsoft Outlook, Dynamic CRM, Slack, and Bitium
Pricing: $7.99 per month
Google Workspace
Platforms: iOS, Web, and Android
Features: Google workspace provides you with everything that you need to get anything done. It included various types of communication, collaboration, and productivity tools like Gmail, Google Meet, Drive, Sheets, Docs, etc. It is one of the best tools when it comes to communication. It is quick, and the Meet feature has a screen sharing option and also has a whiteboard for you to draw and have the feel of an actual conference room. Sharing files using Google workspace is extremely easy.
Integrations: Google Calendar, Bitium, Zapier, and Gmail
Pricing: Starts from $6.00 per user per month
GoToMeeting
Platforms: iOS, Web, and Android
Features: GoToMeeting is one of the industry leaders when it comes to online voice and video conferencing. Before your meeting, you get options like business messaging, call me, join from your phone, webcam preview, etc. During the meeting you get features to share your screen, you get access to drawing tools, and you can even add custom backgrounds. The meeting transcription is one of the coolest and stand-out features of GoToMeeting.
Integrations: Office 365, Zendesk, Outlook, Google, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Slack, HubSpot, Zoho, and many more.
Pricing: Starts from $12.00 per organiser per month
Final Words on Communication tools
So, there you go. This was our list of top five communication tools and also the features that they must have in order to completely support your business. Apart from these tools, there are many others also available in the market that work like a charm and can help you see the power of effective team communication.