When it comes to Office Communication App, communication is vital for every business. Communication is the key, as it helps reduce the stressful situation and build strong connections between people.
Now you are wondering why building an office communication app for employees will be beneficial for business.
At the workplace, we all somehow, faced communication issues. That is when we need software that can simplify communication without sacrificing the privacy of the company.
With internal communication, the app gives everyone the ability to reach employees in the company instantaneously.
4 in 5 Americans prefer communication as the key factor to develop trust in the workplace and help in maintaining internal workflow.
Ultimately, when you create a communication app it will save time, money and improve the efficiency of basic tasks- especially for communication.
According to the study, businesses with high employee engagement improved their income by 19% over 12 months. This shows that communication can influence business financial metrics.
Therefore, in this article, we will discuss how beneficial is an office communication app for employees and how you can build one for your business.
With this let’s get started!
“Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.” – Jim Rohn
What is the Office communication app?
The office communication app is a software application or platform specifically designed to facilitate communication, collaboration, and information sharing within the workplace or office environment.
These employee communication apps have various tools that enable employees to interact with team members and exchange messages, share files, hold virtual meetings, and coordinate tasks efficiently. They are typically used to streamline communication processes, improve collaboration and enhance productivity within organizations.
However, some popular communication apps include Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom, Google Meet, and Cisco Webex Teams among others.
Some of the common features found in office communication apps include:
- Real-time chat functionality that allows team members to exchange messages and have quick discussions.
- Capability to conduct audio and video meetings, enabling face-to-face communication and collaboration regardless of geographical location.
- Ability to upload, share and collaborate on documents, presentations, and other files.
- Dedicated spaces with team members can organize conversations, and discussions and share updates with specific teams or projects.
With this, let’s look at the types of office communication apps:
Chat and messaging apps | This is the most common app for office communication, that focuses on real-time messaging and chat-based communication. With features of one on one conversation, group chats, etc. Popular examples are Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, and Mattermost.
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Video conferencing apps | These apps enable teams to have virtual face-to-face meetings, allowing participants to see & hear each other in real-time. They are great for virtual meetings, for example, Zoom; Microsoft teams and Google Meet, etc.
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Project management & collaboration apps | These apps combine communication with task management and collaboration features. With tools for organizing projects, assigning tasks, and progress tracking it facilitates team communication within projects and workflows. Examples are Trello, Asana, and Basecamp
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Collaboration Suites | These are comprehensive platforms that integrate various communication & collaboration tools into a single package. For example, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Zoho Workplace.
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Intranet and internal communication apps | Intranet apps are designed for internal communication within the organization. They serve as a central hub for sharing company news, announcements, and documents among employees. Examples include SharePoint, Jive, and Workplace by Facebook.
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Benefits of having an office communication app for employees
When you have your inter-office communication apps it helps businesses in several ways.
How exactly? Take a look.
Improving the remote experience for your employees
The Covid outbreak has impacted many industries and made companies quickly switch to remote work. To maintain proper communication between employees companies have to adapt team communication app to streamline the process.
Boost productivity
The main reason for developing Office communication app is to boost productivity among the employees. The logic is very simple:
Communication apps are the catalysts that unlock the power of collaboration, connecting employees and unleashing their collective productivity potential.
As these apps act as direct channels for communication, enabling quick and efficient information exchange that can boost productivity. It’s better than traditional communication methods like email or in-person meetings.
Moreover, automation is another great way to boost productivity. For example, integrating apps with bots helps to deal with routine tasks and frees up time for managers.
Streamline workflows
The business builds office communication apps to streamline communication processes & eliminate the need to switch between the apps and platforms.
Therefore, employees don’t have to spend time getting info at different places when they can get personalized content in one place only.
Promote corporate culture & create a friendly environment at work
It’s not all about communication; it’s about friendly working culture. A study found that 64% of respondents have experienced a toxic work culture and 44% blamed leadership.
Now most of us, spend our time working at the office and if that environment is not friendly it will not only create havoc in a person’s life but will create disturbance in the working environment. The side effects will be poor performance, unproductivity, and many others. This is why it’s very important to communicate and honor the employees to boost motivation and satisfaction at the workplace.
Let’s see what features you have to include to create an office communication app for the company.
Key features of the Office communication app
In the above section, we have already discussed the benefits of an employee communications platform and we created a list of features let’s take a look.
Instant messaging
Every chatting apps has this feature of real-time text-based chat functionality feature enables users to quick and direct communication between individuals or groups within the organization.
Video and voice calling
It allows users to have audio and video calls, enabling f2f communication and virtual meetings regardless of geographical location.
File sharing
With this feature it allows employees to upload, share and collaborate on files, documents, and media making it easier to exchange information and collaborate on projects.
Team channels or groups
This feature enables users to communicate where team members can share updates related to specific teams, departments, or projects.
Notifications and alerts
Alerts and notification features keep employees informed about new updates, messages, and important events within the company.
Presence status
Indicates the availability and online status of users, helping others know if someone is currently active or away.
Screen sharing
This feature of the office communication app allows users to share their screens with others during meetings or collaborative sessions, facilitating presentations, demonstrations, and remote assistance.
Search functionality
Advanced search capabilities to quickly find past conversations, messages, files, or specific information within the app’s database.
Mobile Accessibility
Mobile apps or responsive web interfaces that enable users to access apps to communicate with employees from their smartphones or tablets ensuring connectivity and productivity of the app.
A step-by-step guide to building an office communication app
Now you don’t have to worry about how to build a chat app. With this section, we will guide you through the process of building communication platforms for business.
Here is a comprehensive step to develop a messaging app :
Define the purpose and scope
Before you start developing an office communication app the first thing to do is to clearly outline the purpose and goals of your app. Determine the key features, target audience, and specific needs you want to address with the app.
With this, you can easily start the process without getting stuck between the development processes.
Conduct market research
The second and foremost important step is to conduct market research to understand the exciting office communication apps in the market. With this, you can easily identify the gaps in the market and gather insights about user preferences and expectations.
Moreover, market research will help you differentiate your app and make informed decisions during the development process.
Plan the office communication app architecture
After doing extensive market research create a detailed plan for the office communication app architecture and functionality. Start by defining the user interface, navigation flow, and features you want to include in your app.
Make sure to consider necessary factors like security, scalability, and integration with other systems.
Design the Frontend of the app
Now it’s time to design the front end of the business communication app by developing wireframes and design mock-ups to visualize the app’s UI and UX.
Just ensure a user-friendly interface, intuitive navigation, and visually appealing design that aligns with your brand identity.
Start backend development
In this step set up the server infrastructure and develop the backend of your office communication app. This includes building the necessary API’s data management system and authentication mechanisms & integration with external services or databases.
Implementing communication features
Now, integrate communication features like real-time messaging, voice and video calling, and file sharing. By utilizing appropriate protocols and technologies such as WebSocket and WebRTC for efficient and secure communication.
Test and debugging of the app
Thoroughly test the app’s functionality, performance, and usability. Conduct both manual and automated testing to identify and fix bugs, errors, or inconsistencies.
Also, make sure to validate the app against different devices, and apps.
Deploy and launch
After testing and debugging your app is ready to deploy. Prepare the app for employee communication for deployment by setting up hosting servers, configuring necessary security measures, and optimizing performance.
Publish the app on relevant app stores or distribute it to the intended users within your organization.
Monitor and update
Lastly, continuously monitor user feedback, analytics, and performance of the office communication app metrics to identify areas of improvement.
Plus, release regular updates to address bugs, add new features, and enhance the overall user experience.
How much does it cost to build an office communication app?
When it comes to building group communication apps or apps for communication the development cost varies on several factors, including the complexity of the features, the platform you choose to develop for, and the development approach.
However, the geographical location of the developer can also affect the cost of development. For a basic office communication app with standard features such as messaging, file sharing, and notifications the development cost can range up to $30,000 to $100,000.
If you require additional features such as video conferencing, voice calls, document collaboration, task management, and integration with other tools or platforms the cost can be increased. Also, the app complexity and the number of platforms you want to support will impact the cost.
Furthermore, ongoing expenses such as maintenance, updates, server hosting, and support should be considered as well. It is advisable to consult the cost with a mobile app development company before investing in office app development which can provide you with a detailed quote based on your specific requirements.
Conclusion
We have discussed how beneficial is the development of internal communication apps for the organization. It not only helps in enhancing productivity but also helps in boosting friendly work culture.
With this being said, we hope that this blog you are all set. If any questions left feel free to contact us. We have a professional team of developers that can understand your project requirements and help you with estimated details.
FAQs
An office communication app for employees is a software application designed to facilitate efficient and effective communication among employees within an organization. It typically includes features such as messaging, file sharing, notifications, and collaborative tools.
Steps start with Defining the goals, researching, listing features, planning architecture, hiring a team, developing, testing, deploying, gathering feedback, iterate. By following these processes you can easily create the app.
The main key features are Messaging, file sharing, notifications, calendars, user profiles, search, collaboration, and integrations.
When deciding whether to build an office communication app in-house or outsource, consider factors such as your organization’s resources, expertise, and budget. In-house development provides control and customization, while outsourcing can leverage specialized expertise and potentially be more cost-effective.
The development timeline for an office communication app can vary based on factors such as the app’s complexity, the number of features, the platforms targeted, and the resources allocated. Typically, it can take anywhere from a few months to a year.
Costs range from $30k to $100k. Consult professionals for accurate assessments.
Niketan Sharma is the CTO of Nimble AppGenie, a prominent website and mobile app development company in the USA that is delivering excellence with a commitment to boosting business growth & maximizing customer satisfaction. He is a highly motivated individual who helps SMEs and startups grow in this dynamic market with the latest technology and innovation.
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