Does anyone use Instant Messaging software within their business?

[Paul_R]

Hi guys, newbie here! I love the forum – I’ll been reading & following for a while now!
I’m just looking to see if anyone uses any form of ‘Instant Messaging’ software between employees in their business?

If so, which one do you use and why?
If not, what do you use to communicate within the office? (apart from speaking – obviously! )

Thanks guys! Really look forward to your responses!J
Regards,
Paul

 

[Paul_Rosser]

We used MSN messenger at one of the smaller firms I worked for, at the larger ones as they need all communication tracked then they tend to avoid IM and so staff use email instead,

 

[deadgoodundies]

Yes we use skype between employees on different floors.
Easy to set up , if I need them to quickly look at something I just drag and drop the file/image onto the application and they see it and just msg me back.
We've got HD webcams on each station so if someone needs to show something they can just hold it up to the camera etc. etc.

 

[John85]

We use Skype, even between people in the same room.

If someone is busy, it is easier to send a quick message than ask and be told, I'm too busy.

It has worked quite well for a number of years. We only use internal email for things that need attention from more than one person.

 

[Quest Cloud Solutions Ltd]

We use Microsoft Lync which has a built in Instant Message feature... The office is fairly small but it's surprising how much we use it just for dropping notes to each other and letting others know about things like missed calls etc...

 

[Moneyman]

All above works but only if you have young tekky people. i tried something a while back and you wouldnt believe how many people didnt go with all this messaging stuff and they just couldnt handle the idea.

 

[deadgoodundies]

All above works but only if you have young tekky people.

Oh I don't know one of my staff is retiring in April, hates computers but when she hears the ping of skype she seems comfortable enough with it.

 

[Quest Cloud Solutions Ltd]

All above works but only if you have young tekky people. i tried something a while back and you wouldnt believe how many people didnt go with all this messaging stuff and they just couldnt handle the idea.

We've had a client rule out using Microsoft Lync just because their staff were "too set in their ways" to use something new. It's cringing really considering that Instant Messaging was actually a way of fixing an internal communications issue they were suffering from.

 

[B&H Digital]

We use Microsoft Lync which has a built in Instant Message feature... The office is fairly small but it's surprising how much we use it just for dropping notes to each other and letting others know about things like missed calls etc...

It's a really good piece of kit. Some of us use it when we're dropping links etc - we mainly use email and phone though (other than speaking to them).

We only have about 6 or 7 completely computer-based employees though, so it's not used much.

 

[Paul_R]

Hey Guys, thanks for the great responses! Really appreciate it!

(Apologies if I'm doing these responses wrong - still trying to work out the etiquette of the forum! )

Paul_Rosser - Great feedback Paul, thanks. Can I ask what type of firm the larger company was? I've never heard of companies requiring all communication to be tracked before - so it would be good to know if anyone else has seen this too?

deadgoodundies - Thanks for this! We also use Skype for its IM capability. Do you not find a problem where staff add-in their personal contacts? We sometime see that people are abusing it a bit by having personal conversations with their mates at work over Skype…
The HD Camera is genius though!

John85 - Thanks for this John - great to hear how people are using instant messaging within the office… Do you find a similar problem as above regarding people are abusing it a bit by having personal conversations with their mates at work over Skype?

Quest Cloud Solutions Ltd - Thanks for this! Doesn't Microsoft Lync need a server-side install? I imagine this can be quite costly and not easy to set-up?

Moneyman - thanks, something to bare in mind! Did you find a way to crack it in the end?

A general question to all of you guys - do any of these instant messaging solutions work over mobile too? I.e. if a staff member is 'on the road' or out of the office, can you ping them an instant message from your desktop to their mobile?
Would you see this as useful??

Also (final question for now - I promise!), who in your company (or a company where oyu have seen instant messaging used) is responsible for choosing the software and installing/orchestrating the adoption of it?

Thanks guys - amazing responses so far! Looking forward to hearing your further thoughts.

Paul

P.S. Please someone let me know if im getting the format of these replies wrong and I can actually reply individually to your posts!

 

[Paul_Rosser]

Paul_Rosser – Great feedback Paul, thanks. Can I ask what type of firm the larger company was? I’ve never heard of companies requiring all communication to be tracked before – so it would be good to know if anyone else has seen this too?

It was an accountancy firm, but they had the same policy when I worked for a bank.

As they are both very heavily regulated industries then all communications needed to be monitored and recorded.

 

[Quest Cloud Solutions Ltd]

Hi Paul,

Microsoft Lync is a full Unified Communications package and so is a hefty piece of kit and does require servers to run; we actually provide it as a cloud-based service to our clients so they can avoid the significant up-front infrastructure cost, but there's no denying it is expensive. Lync does have a mobile client so yes you can IM mobile users.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

Ryan

 

[Paul_R]

Hi Paul,

Microsoft Lync is a full Unified Communications package and so is a hefty piece of kit and does require servers to run; we actually provide it as a cloud-based service to our clients so they can avoid the significant up-front infrastructure cost, but there's no denying it is expensive. Lync does have a mobile client so yes you can IM mobile users.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

Ryan

Thanks for this Ryan!

Can i ask who it is in your clients who is responsible for selecting/installing/making sure everyone uses the IM system?

i.e. is it normally an office manager-type, or is it the IT department of the business?

Thanks again Ryan for the help!

Cheers,


Paul

 

[webgeek]

Skype all the way. We use it internally and with a substantial portion of our clients.

 

[Quest Cloud Solutions Ltd]

No worries Paul. So far we've found the size of organisation that want Lync generally have some form of IT Manager who would make the move to look into Lync, though we do provide a managed-service for those that don't. Generally the business owner has to make the final decision of course due to the cost.

I think it's only a matter of time before Microsoft blend Skype and Lync together, most probably ending with Skype being called something like Lync Free or Lync Home or something.

 

[IanDade]

Another vote for Skype.

We use it between desks here, works without any problems!!

 

[bootcampmedia]

We use a system called Bitrix24. We use it as a project manager but it also has a pretty cool IM tool built in to it. Great if we need to quickly send attachments or bring someones attention to a particular project or stage within a project.

It's a relatively new system that's still in Beta, but we all love it here!

 

[Paul_R]

Another vote for Skype.

We use it between desks here, works without any problems!!

Thanks Ian!

Is there anything Skype doesn't do which you wish it would?

Also, do you see the risk of people adding personal skype contacts as much of a problem?

Really appreciate the help!

Paul

 

[Paul_R]

We use a system called Bitrix24. We use it as a project manager but it also has a pretty cool IM tool built in to it. Great if we need to quickly send attachments or bring someones attention to a particular project or stage within a project.

It's a relatively new system that's still in Beta, but we all love it here!

Thanks for this - Bitrix24 looks like it could be a good system!

Is there anything you wished the IM tool did which it currently doesnt?

Cheers,

Paul

 

[sarahjohs]

We use Skype for internal communication. Everyone are quite comfortable using it.

It is quicker than mail and often better than the phone

 

[IanDade]

Thanks Ian!

Is there anything Skype doesn't do which you wish it would?

Also, do you see the risk of people adding personal skype contacts as much of a problem?

Really appreciate the help!

Paul

Hi Paul

No it does everything we need it to.

As for people using it for personal use, you could have the same issue with email, mobiles and phones etc. but these are common place in the office. We put trust in our staff that no one will abuse the systems they have available to them.

Ian

 

[webgeek]

As for people using it for personal use, you could have the same issue with email, mobiles and phones etc. but these are common place in the office. We put trust in our staff that no one will abuse the systems they have available to them.

It's wonderfully refreshing to hear of an employer who seeks to empower staff rather than police them like felons.

Giving a team the tools to succeed is surely one of the first steps to trouncing the competition. Trusting them to use those tools wisely is a sign that you're well on the way!

 

[Manishp100]

the two i have come across is Skype and also Cisco... just depends on which route you want to go down, your needs and costs involved.

Skype being an obvious free option

 

[Anastasiya]

AIM, Facebook, Google Talk, MSN, Yahoo instant messagings are very popular. We also use Skype for our office needs and for the communication with clients. That saves time and efforts, and improves customer service. Here is a list of IMs http://www.pcmag.com/products/25131/1 , you may check it and choose the most appropriate for you.


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[ILilja]

One more vote for Skype. We use it for IM, phone calls, screen shares, file transfer, you name it - internally as well as with some customers/providers. Mobile app works perfectly fine, too.

And now that I've recently discovered that I can actually edit already submitted messages, I can't think of anything I wish it could do

 

[Paul_R]

Hi guys, thanks for all the feedback - that's great stuff!

Does anyone know one that works well over mobile? i.e. if someone is out on the road/at home and you can instant message them from your desktop.

Does anyone else have a use for this or see a use for this?


Also, a lot of people on here seem to use Skype. Can I ask if you guys pay for it? Or you just use the free version? (And if they started, would you pay for it?)

Cheers!

Paul

 

[ILilja]

I think Skype works well on mobile devices. I personally get on well with the free version, but it depends on your specific needs, of course.