Why do we work more effectively with a collaborative messaging system?
Collaborative messaging is an essential part of any business, local authority or organisation, in that it is by far the most widely used application on a daily basis. Today, the use of a business mailbox goes beyond the traditional issues of simple e-mail exchange.
While email has become the universal means of inter-company communication (sending documents, invoices, making appointments, etc.), SMEs and SMIs need an email service that really enables their teams to work together effectively: collaborative email. When you work together, you're immediately more productive, because you save the most precious commodity of all: time. So what are these extra features and what benefits do they bring to your business? Let's talk about making better use of email!
What are the challenges of a professional e-mail system?
Conventional e-mail is a means of exchanging information almost instantaneously, making it easy to communicate from a distance without having to worry about the equipment of the recipients. But at the professional level, work teams need a versatile tool that can facilitate participation in a joint project. That's why professional messaging has been transformed into a veritable Swiss army knife, at the service of company organisation: collaborative messaging.
There are many email servers, Open Source or not, installed in-house or in SaaS mode, but not all of them offer the same functionalities. And it is these features that make all the difference. Collaborative messaging is groupware that offers several communication solutions to staff working in the same company. This could be a local authority grouping together different players, a coworking centre or even a large group with an international presence. But above all, this shared messaging system is also a way of pooling as much data as possible: contacts, diaries, information and files.
How can collaborative messaging help you work more efficiently?
Organising the migration to a collaborative messaging solution within your company is a productivity booster. By pooling data, everyone is better informed. Your teams quickly become more efficient and responsive. This pooling of information is possible thanks to these five practical and essential tools that can meet your needs:
#1 The features that help you communicate
Communication is a vital part of any business. That's why it needs to be encouraged as much as possible, by multiplying the means of exchange between partners.
With a collaborative messaging service, sending e-mails is simplified and immediate. Most offers include an instant conversation channel (or chat) for real-time discussions. This type of electronic mailbox also makes it possible to delegate email accounts, while a colleague is on holiday for example.
#2 A messaging solution for better planning
Working together means constantly having to coordinate everything: a meeting, a call, the roll-out of a project...
Thanks to its integrated shared calendar, your collaborative messaging application saves you precious time when planning tasks. You can view your colleagues' appointments directly on your PC, tablet or smartphone, and find out when they are free without disturbing them. You can also use a shared resources diary to book a room or a vehicle, for example, with just one click.
#3 Access useful contacts via your shared messaging system
Customers and other external parties communicate with different parts of the company, sometimes with very little connection between them.
Using a collaborative messaging system allows you to rationalise contact management by pooling different address books. There's no longer any need for lengthy procedures between your sales force and customer service, for example.
#4 Which features will help you get organised?
To optimise their time, company employees often need to be able to plan their tasks easily.
Choose a shared messaging system with a directly integrated task manager. This makes it easier for each member of staff to manage their time and work as a group, because tasks are visible in the shared diary and pooled with the contacts concerned using tags.
#5 The advantage of groupware for working together
Staff working on the same project constantly need to share large files, sometimes too large for conventional e-mail.
Features like those offered by BlueMind make the task easier. You can attach a document to a message without worrying about its weight: if it's too large, it's automatically hosted and its link integrated into the email. One click is all it takes to access the file.
3 essential criteria to help you choose your groupware
1st criterion: compatibility with Microsoft Outlook
Perhaps you already use the Exchange mail server and are looking for an alternative solution for your company. You're not alone: around 80% of professionals use the Outlook email client. And few of them want to change client so as not to disrupt users. However, no messaging solution other than Exchange allows you to use Outlook in its advanced native mode (Exchange via MAPI) or without a plug-in...
A solution is finally emerging: BlueMind collaborative messaging has developed a revolutionary tool that makes it easy to replace the Exchange server while retaining Outlook without adding anything to it. So your teams are not disrupted by the change of interface. If you've been waiting for your company to grow before migrating, it's advisable to make the transfer as soon as possible. This tool will be available during 2018.
2nd criterion: the possibility of an email solution in SaaS mode
You're probably wondering: SaaS or On Premise? Software as a service is increasingly the solution of choice for businesses. Installation and maintenance costs are generally lower, and you can be sure that updates are rolled out to all your IT staff.
In all cases, put accessibility and mobility at the heart of your concerns. All your teams need to be able to access your messaging solution, from anywhere and on any type of terminal.
3rd criterion: the advantage of a flexible open source application based on APIs
Choosing established open source software is a criterion that guarantees a dynamic and responsive ecosystem. The openness of messaging software, the central building block of communications, means that it can be integrated flexibly into a complete information system.
Today, APIs (often web-services) are as important as the software itself. An open source messaging system like BlueMind is built around APIs to provide greater flexibility. You can easily interconnect it with other solutions such as your usual CRM and ERP software. You can also extend its functionality to suit your needs, thanks to a system of plugins.
Adopt a communication channel to boost your productivity
When it comes to deploying a new collaborative messaging solution for your business, the key concept that should govern your choice is synchronisation. This instantaneous sharing of data, contacts, diaries and electronic messages compensates for the lack of communication between colleagues and serves the interests of the whole team.
When you gain in time and efficiency thanks to the functionalities of your e-mail system, you increase your productivity. With an easy-to-use web-based collaborative messaging service like BlueMind, accessible from any terminal, your team can get on with the job, with no barriers to mobility.
Article translated from French