Introduction
The use of the communication process can therefore not be over-emphasized in today’s world that is typified by very dynamic technological advancement. Communication is crucial in any environment, and it does not necessarily matter whether you are a business person who wants to organizationally manage your team or an ordinary person who wants to talk to friends and loved ones.
With people working all day and communicating via remote means, it is essential that the equipment we work with be good. Here, you will find the list of the most topical communication tools which are aimed to help you work more effectively and communicate effortlessly.
1. Zoom
Possibly one of the most used applications in a relatively short time from its inception, Zoom, is an example of versatile video conferencing solution. Zoom is relatively young software that started in 2011; during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of daily participants in Zoom meetings has exceeded 300 million.
The platform has a myriad of features that allow the coordination and organization of communication. These features include the ability to plan meetings and automatically send invitations, participate in meetings, share the screen, use relevant built-in tools for coauthoring tasks, and record the meeting for later playback. Its interface is simple and the video and audio quality are some of the best, so it’s perfect for the remote work and conference times.
2. Slack
For a long it has been defined as a team collaboration platform which is used to continue the communication and enhance the productivity among the teams. Slack provides for most conversations to be sorted by channels matching a project/theme perspective, allowing to track debates on a given project, topic, or group. They have rich features such as file sharing, integrated third apps, and cross-device and cross-OS availability making the team work together perfectly.
3. Microsoft Teams
Powerful, the Microsoft Team includes a range of features designed to help make communication more efficient. Other functions include messages and files exchange, video calls, documents and projects cooperation, and the possibility of incorporating enhancements with other Microsoft Office instruments. That makes it a great fit for those enterprises that are already using various Microsoft solutions.
4. Google Meet
Google Meet is the video conferencing tool we are gonna use by Google and it is a great viable and flexible service for organizing remote meetings. Such as real-time captions, noise cancellation and, breakout rooms, Google Meet has made the communication process efficient. In addition, all team members can benefit from the platform, since it’s in sync with other Google apps and services such as Google Drive and Google Calendar.
5. Skype
Skype was initially released in 2003 and up to now has remained desktop application for P2P communication focused on voice and video calls to friends and kin across the globe free of charge. Apart from its rich set of consumer functionality, Skype also offers business tools for remote communication, such as screen capture and meeting recording. Opting for the wide variety of the platforms, Skype as a convenient solution can be used for both the desktop application and the WEB as well as for the mobile devices.
6. Cisco Webex
Cisco Webex is an excellent and functional system of video calls, which is suitable for both, big and small companies. Added functionality includes real time language interpretation, interactive whiteboards and virtual backgrounds that make Webex employing when teleworking and doing virtual events. Besides, Cisco Webex Meetings has rich analytics and recording services, which would be quite helpful to companies keen on reshaping their business’s strategy concerning communication .
7. Discord
Discord is an application for messaging that has emerged as the game communication app. Initially meant for gamers, Discord offers personalized voice and text channels to users by server provisions. Screen sharing, video calls and customizable bots have resulted in making Discord relevant and useful to not only fun loving gamers, but individuals in business who require easy and instant access to their teams.
8. WhatsApp
One of the most useful things it can do for people is make calls with the help of the messaging and voice-over-IP service WhatsApp. The functionality of the program includes messaging, as well as calls and conferences in text, voice and video modes, as well as the transfer of files and multimedia, including photos and videos. WhatsApp is secure as it has to feature of the end to end encryption and helps the user to keep their private while using the application.
9. Telegram
It is based in the cloud and it is an open source messaging platform with the following features to enhance communication. Messages, photos, videos, voice and video calls can also be signed in by the users. Having a channel, as well as the ability to broadcast, Telegram is perfect for businesses that are trying to share information with customers or advertise their products.
10. Signal
Signal is an open source and very secure messaging application that lets users share encrypted text messages, voice messages and even videos. Due to centralized large database and numerous social media connected with the platform, safety and confidentiality issues are crucial for such type of network; thus, attracting users who are more concerned about privacy and protection of their information. Signal’s code base is also open-source, and this makes the process by which the platform is built and run transparent and therefore accountable.
Conclusion
Altogether, often choosing the right communication tools can become a critical success factor for business, productivity and effectiveness. The software is now available from simple features such as video and audio conferencing, team collaboration, and messaging application to virtual meeting solutions. Since business processes remain increasingly decentralized as organizations normalize remote work and virtual meetings, the value of proximal and efficient project-related tools cannot be overrated.
There are some factors to consider when choosing what communication option to use these are: ease of use, integration compatibility and security aspect. Hence, the identification of your communication requirements and the relationship between these requirements, and the tools, would make business and efficient communication possible in the social media age.
