The demand for cloud communication platforms is at an all-time excessive. With hundreds of messaging apps on the market, it may be powerful to choose the fitting one.

A staggering 83% of corporations misplaced a buyer, missed a serious deadline, or terminated an worker attributable to a communication problem.

Communication is important to each enterprise. Quick-growing corporations can’t afford to make use of disjointed communication platforms. Misplaced gross sales, drained worker engagement, and buyer complaints are byproducts of ineffective workflows; and poor communication platforms sit atop.

That can assist you bypass frequent communication points, we’ll break down the 5 sorts of communication platforms. You’ll additionally get a rundown of the highest communication instruments to make your workflows efficient and ideas that can assist you choose the one that most closely fits your work surroundings.

What Is a Communication Platform?

A communication platform is a software program service that facilitates exterior and inner messaging inside the office. It makes use of a number of channels, together with cellphone, video conferencing, process administration, and workforce messaging.

Communication platforms additionally provide venture administration, file sharing, and buyer communication functionalities.

Companies use efficient communication instruments to offer safe worker messaging throughout distributed groups and networks. Trendy options ship excess of simply instantaneous messaging and on-line conferences.

Strong function units assist staff meet firm objectives, serve clients effectively, and full tasks on time by making it simple to achieve the fitting workforce members throughout quite a lot of communication channels.

With many corporations embracing distant work, offering versatile instruments to your workforce members is a should. With out the right security measures and collaboration instruments, you’re setting them up for failure.

Examples of communication software program embody:

• Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS): VoIP cellphone service, workforce messaging, and video conferencing as one bundle.
• Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS): APIs, one-off PBX performance, utilized by builders to construct apps.
• Contact Heart as a Service (CCaaS): Name middle software program, omnichannel messaging, leverages workflow automation.

5 Forms of Communication Platforms

Communication platforms may be divided into 5 classes, every with distinct advantages. These platforms use real-time and asynchronous communication to simplify the way in which you’re employed.

1. Inside communications

Inside communication platforms set up real-time conversations between staff, supervisors, and licensed companions. The channels usually embody VoIP calls, group chats, and textual content notifications.

Examples: Nextiva, Slack, Confluence

2. Buyer communications

Buyer communication instruments assist clients really feel heard, supported, and glad. Prime capabilities embody a CRM to retailer buyer interactions, assist tickets, and stay chat.

Buyer communication platforms set up requests, observe buyer sentiment, and analyze developments. Superior options provide customer support automation utilizing synthetic intelligence that can assist you scale.

Examples: Nextiva, Zendesk, Assist Scout, Zoho Desk

3. Challenge administration

Challenge administration platforms present oversight into workforce workflows to align dispersed teams. Options like process administration, Gantt charts, timelines, and customized fields add construction to visualise progress.

With massive initiatives damaged into smaller assignments, all stakeholders can replace deliverable standing to floor potential delays early and sometimes to maintain efforts on observe.

Examples: Asana, Monday.com, Basecamp

4. Video conferencing

Video conferences replicate the expertise of face-to-face gatherings for all the pieces from each day standups to quarterly all-hands occasions, commerce present keynotes, and exterior webinars.

Superior options transfer past fundamental video streaming with strong choices — dial-in audio traces, group messaging, attendee administration, polling questions, cloud recordings, and extra to energy impactful digital session sizes small and huge.  

Examples: Nextiva, Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts

5. Collaboration instruments

Collaboration platforms permit fluid teamwork and suggestions cycles by means of real-time enhancing and annotation capabilities for delivering dynamic displays.

Groups can change concepts freely with out getting slowed down in scheduling conferences or circulating infinite e mail chains attempting to choose instructions.

Video conferencing, cloud storage, digital whiteboarding, and safe exterior portals are table-stakes options corporations ought to search for. Equally vital are the identification and entry parts to regulate doc entry and preserve model histories for compliance.

Examples: Nextiva, Google Drive, Trello, Workvivo

13 Finest Communication Platforms for Companies

We’ve rounded up 14 platforms you must know for seamless enterprise communication. Contemplate these options to boost your workflow and buyer satisfaction.

1. Nextiva

Sort of platform: Inside communications, Unified Communications, Buyer Communications, Video Conferences, Collaboration, Productiveness

Nextiva is a related communications platform that brings your clients and groups collectively. It really works out of the field together with your cellular gadgets, VoIP telephones, and desktops by way of a softphone app. 

Nextiva has earned its place among the many prime communication platforms due to its highly effective mixture of options, flexibility, and scalability. However what precisely makes it tick? Let’s have a look at its key options and pricing.

Nextiva’s key options:

• Crystal-clear VoIP: Take pleasure in limitless HD calls, together with dependable name forwarding, voicemail transcription, and auto attendant.
• Unified Communications: NextivaONE app brings all the pieces collectively — calls, texts, video conferencing, workforce chat, and file sharing — below one roof, accessible from any system.
• Collaboration boosters: Constructed-in video conferencing permits as much as 500 contributors (relying on plan) to collaborate seamlessly. Group chat fosters real-time communication, whereas file sharing retains everybody on the identical web page.
• Buyer relationship administration (CRM): Streamline gross sales and customer support with built-in CRM instruments like lead monitoring, alternative administration, and buyer ticketing.
• Superior analytics: Achieve useful insights into name efficiency, workforce exercise, and buyer interactions with detailed experiences and analytics.
• Safety and reliability: 24/7 buyer assist, knowledge encryption, and catastrophe restoration guarantee peace of thoughts and uninterrupted communication.

Pricing:

Nextiva affords three foremost VoIP plans, every catering to completely different enterprise wants:

• Important: Beginning at $18.95 per person monthly, best for small companies with fundamental communication wants.
• Skilled: $22.95 per person monthly, expands on Important with video conferencing, superior name options, and CRM lite.
• Enterprise: $32.95 per month-to-month person, caters to bigger organizations with limitless video conferencing, superior analytics, and premium assist.

2. Slack

Sort of platform: Inside communications

Slack is an alternative choice to inner emails as a real-time messaging software for enterprise. It affords channels for particular matters, departments, or places of work. Staff may also speak to one another by means of direct messages.

Key options of Slack embody:

• Channel group: Manage conversations round matters, tasks, or groups with devoted channels, fostering targeted communication and data sharing.
• Seamless messaging: Ship direct messages, interact in group chats, and leverage threads to maintain conversations organized and on level.
• File sharing and collaboration: Share and collaborate on paperwork, photographs, and different recordsdata straight inside Slack, eliminating the necessity for e mail chains and scattered attachments.

Pricing:

Slack affords a freemium mannequin, catering to each particular person customers and companies. Rising groups can improve to the Professional plan for limitless messages, storage, and visitor entry, beginning at $7.25 per person monthly (billed yearly).

3. Microsoft Groups

Sort of platform: Collaboration

Microsoft Groups is a workforce collaboration app for these within the Microsoft ecosystem. It brings conferences, chats, calls, and collaboration to 1 place. Microsoft Groups makes it simple to go from group chat to video name with a single click on.

Key options of Microsoft Groups embody:

1. Unified hub: Groups centralize communication, bringing video conferencing, chat, file sharing, and process administration into one central hub.
2. Integrations: It integrates with different Microsoft 365 apps like Phrase, Excel, and PowerPoint, permitting doc enhancing and co-creation straight inside conversations.
3. Safety and scalability: Constructed on the safe basis of Microsoft Azure, Groups boasts enterprise-grade safety and knowledge encryption.

Pricing

Groups affords three foremost tiers. Microsoft Groups Necessities begins at $4 per person/month (subscribed yearly) and provides video conferencing, stay captions, and 10 GB of cloud storage per person.

4. Zoom

Sort of platform: Video conferencing

Zoom is a video assembly and conferencing software. Members can be a part of conferences from any system, together with dialing in from their telephones. Directors can report conferences and might arrange integrations with different third-party companies.

What are a few of Zoom’s key options?

• Video conferences: Video and audio conferencing for as much as 1,000 contributors (based mostly on the plan you select).
• Assembly collaboration instruments: Display sharing, whiteboarding, breakout rooms, and polling options improve engagement and productiveness inside conferences.
• Cloud recording and transcription: Report conferences for future reference or share with absent contributors, with elective AI-powered transcriptions for straightforward data retrieval.

Pricing

The Professional plan begins at $149.90 per person/12 months and affords longer conferences, recordings, branding, and experiences. Giant enterprises have to contact Zoom for a customized enterprise plan quote.

5. GoTo Assembly

Sort of platform: Video conferencing

GoToMeeting is a web-based platform for on-line conferences, video conferencing, and display screen sharing. It’s primarily designed for enterprise professionals and distant groups, however may also be used for academic webinars.

Key options of GoTo Assembly embody:

• Display sharing and annotation: Share your display screen to current concepts, collaborate on paperwork in actual time, and annotate straight on shared screens for enhanced readability.
• Assembly recording and transcription: Report conferences for later reference or share them with absent contributors, Use transcriptions for improved accessibility and note-taking.
• Assembly administration instruments: Schedule conferences, ship invitations, handle attendees, and mute contributors.

Pricing

GoToMeeting affords tiered pricing plans catering to completely different wants and workforce sizes. The Skilled plan begins at $12 monthly (billed yearly), providing video conferences with as much as 150 contributors, assembly recordings, and attendee insights. Giant organizations have to contact GoTo’s gross sales for customized pricing.

6. Asana

Sort of platform: Challenge administration

Asana is a cloud-based venture administration software. You need to use it for limitless tasks, which you’ll be able to set up into lists, boards, and calendars. It makes it simple for small companies to ship tasks massive and small.

Key Asana options embody:

• Activity administration: Create, assign, and observe duties with due dates, dependencies, and customized fields.
• Challenge collaboration: Construct tasks with devoted workspaces, share recordsdata, and talk about particulars inside duties or venture boards.
• Workflow automation: Automate repetitive duties utilizing guidelines and triggers.

Pricing

Asana affords tiered pricing based mostly on options and the variety of customers. The Starter plan begins at $10.99 per person/month (billed yearly), providing venture templates, customized fields, experiences, and integrations for small groups and people. Contact Asana for a customized Enterprise plan with enhanced safety, knowledge management, and precedence assist.

7. Basecamp

Sort of platform: Challenge administration

Basecamp is a venture administration and workforce communication software program. It’s a trusted app for distant corporations — it’s price stating that Basecamp has at all times been a distant firm. It helps you progress your work from emails, file companies, and spreadsheets.

Key Basecamp options embody:

• Challenge administration: Create tasks, set up duties with due dates and dependencies, and observe progress by means of varied views like lists, boards, and timelines.
• Group communication: Foster asynchronous communication by way of message boards, discussions inside tasks, and “Pings” for fast updates.
• File sharing and collaboration: Collaborate on paperwork, photographs, and different recordsdata straight inside Basecamp, retaining all project-related sources in a single place.

Pricing

Basecamp’s base plan prices $15/person monthly, which is good for small groups or startups. Basecamp Professional Limitless prices $299/month (billed yearly), and provides options like automated check-ins, objectives, and enhanced file-sharing capabilities.

8. Trello

Sort of platform: Challenge administration

Trello organizes your tasks into engaging process boards. It’s a visible process administration software and supplies a transparent workflow map.

Key Trello options embody:

• Kanban boards: Trello’s intuitive boards have duties represented as playing cards transferring by means of varied phases (“To Do,” “Doing,” “Achieved”).
• Collaborative workflows: Group members can add feedback, connect recordsdata, and assign duties straight on playing cards.
• Customizable boards and automation: Create boards tailor-made to your venture wants, from easy workflows to advanced roadmaps.

Pricing

Trello affords a tiered pricing plan. Customary at $5 per person/month, billed yearly, is greatest for small groups. Premium prices $10 per person/month and is good for companies requiring enhanced options and admin controls.

9. Monday.com

Sort of platform: Challenge administration

Monday.com is a visible planning platform. It allows you to plan, set up, and observe all of your workforce’s work. Customers obtain real-time updates, so everybody has context on the venture at hand.

Keay options of Monday.com embody:

• Intuitive boards: Create visible boards personalized to your workflow, utilizing Kanban views, Gantt charts, calendars, and different layouts to trace progress and handle duties effectively.
• Group collaboration: Assign duties, collaborate on paperwork, and talk about venture particulars straight inside boards.
• Automations and integrations: Automate repetitive duties with highly effective automation and join monday.com with varied instruments like Slack, Google Drive, and Zapier for streamlined workflows.

Pricing

Monday.com affords tiered pricing based mostly on options and the variety of customers. The Primary plan prices $9 per seat/month. The Professional plan at $19 per person/month brings superior automation, visitor entry, and personal boards. Each plans are billed yearly and it’s essential pay for at least 3 seats. Contact Monday.com for a customized Enterprise plan.

10. Google Drive

Sort of platform: Collaboration

Google Drive is a cloud storage resolution that lets you entry saved recordsdata anytime. Retailer firm property like movies and logos, inner guides, slide decks, and extra.

The whole lot on Google Drive is in sync for each worker that has entry. It’s a horny resolution for distant collaboration and file model management.

What are a few of Google Drive’s key options?

• Cloud storage: Retailer and entry recordsdata of any dimension and format from anyplace with an web connection.
• Actual-time collaboration: Edit paperwork, spreadsheets, and displays concurrently with workforce members, seeing one another’s modifications in actual time.
• Integration with Google Workspace: Works seamlessly with different Google companies like Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Pricing

Paid plans for Google Workspace begin at $6 per person/month (billed yearly). You can even decide from different plans for companies and groups, together with limitless storage, superior security measures, and customized e mail domains.

11. Dropbox

Sort of platform: Collaboration

Dropbox is one other cloud storage resolution. It allows you to again your recordsdata up by means of file sync, file restoration in case you delete a file and model historical past. Collaboration options make it simple to share hyperlinks or file previews and depart feedback on a file.

Key Dropbox options embody:

• Cloud storage: Securely retailer your recordsdata of any dimension and format within the cloud.
• File sharing and collaboration: Share recordsdata and folders with people or teams, management entry permissions, and set expiration dates for delicate knowledge.
• Group file sync: Hold groups in sync by sharing folder.
• Cellular accessibility: Use Dropbox in your browser, as an Android or iOS cellular app, or as a desktop app on Home windows and Mac.

Pricing

Dropbox’s Plus plan prices $9.99/month and offers you 2TB for work and play. It’s good for private use. Dropbox’s Marketing strategy prices $20/person/month and is good for small groups.

12. Skype

Sort of platform: Video conferencing

Skype affords high-quality video and audio conferencing, worldwide calling, and group communication. It’s a superb software for video collaboration.

Key options of Skype embody:

• Video and audio conferencing capabilities for high quality calling.
• Group conversations and channels allow you to maintain group calls with a number of contributors, or create devoted channels for particular groups or tasks.
• Worldwide calling function lets you make direct calls to landlines and mobiles world wide.

Pricing

Primary plan matches private calls and small conferences with as much as 50 contributors. For limitless calling inside the US, the plans begin at $2.95/month. Skype Credit score allows you to name internationally.

13. Loom

Sort of platform: Collaboration

Loom is a video-sharing software that permits you to report your display screen, narrate, or seem on digital camera. What makes Loom distinctive is that it’s supposed for screen-sharing movies. You can even join with workforce members with out having to seek out time in everybody’s calendar.

Key Loom options embody:

• Display recording: Report your display screen, webcam, or each with a single click on. Edit recordings with fundamental trim and merge capabilities.
• Asynchronous video communication: Share your recorded movies with people or teams.
• Video feedback and reactions: Reply to movies with textual content feedback, emojis, and GIFs,

Pricing

Begin free for 5-minute movies and private tasks. The Marketing strategy, at $12.50/month (billed yearly), brings shared workspaces, analytics, and customized recording sizes. Contact Loom for a customized Enterprise plan.

Ideas for Selecting a Communication Platform

Selecting the best communication platform may be difficult, however with the fitting guidelines, you’ll be able to simply discover one which connects you together with your viewers and drives your communication. Listed here are some tricks to information you:

1. Know your function

What are you going to make use of the software for? Is it for inner communication, buyer engagement, venture collaboration, or one thing else? Clearly defining your objectives will enable you slim down choices and deal with options that assist these objectives.

2. Perceive your viewers

Who’re you attempting to achieve? Contemplate their age, tech savviness, most well-liked communication strategies, and site. Select a platform that’s accessible and user-friendly to your target market.

3. Analyze your message

Is your message formal or casual? Does it require real-time interplay or asynchronous collaboration? Totally different platforms excel at completely different message sorts. For instance, e mail may be higher for formal bulletins, whereas instantaneous messaging may swimsuit fast updates.

4. Contemplate your sources

What’s your price range? Some platforms provide free or fundamental plans, whereas others have completely different pricing tiers based mostly on options and person depend. Additionally embody setup, coaching, and ongoing upkeep prices in your price range issues.

5. Discover key options

Prioritize options that align together with your wants. Do you want video conferencing, file sharing, venture administration instruments, or integrations with different software program? Make an inventory of must-have options and examine completely different platforms to see which of them provide the perfect mixture.

As soon as that’s dialed down, right here’s what to search for in a platform:

• Usability: Select a platform that’s simple to be taught and use for each you and your viewers. Complicated interfaces can hinder communication and adoption.
• Safety: Make sure the platform affords knowledge encryption and safe authentication measures.
• Scalability and suppleness: Contemplate your future wants. Will it’s essential add extra customers or options sooner or later? Select a platform that may scale together with your wants and provide versatile choices for personalisation.
• Buyer assist: Dependable buyer assist is important for troubleshooting points and getting essentially the most out of the platform. Verify what sort of assist the platform affords, equivalent to e mail, cellphone, stay chat, and data base sources.

Bear in mind, the proper communication platform doesn’t exist. Focus in your wants and priorities to seek out one which bridges the hole between you and your viewers, fostering clearer and extra efficient communication.

Need To Make The Alternative Simple? Select Nextiva

For companies in search of a communication platform that scales seamlessly with their development, Nextiva stands out.

With strong telephony, omnichannel contact choices, built-in analytics, and straightforward CRM integrations, Nextiva supplies end-to-end capabilities for efficient buyer engagement.

Sturdy reliability and assist in addition to versatile plans swimsuit even small companies. Nextiva makes it simpler to unite distributed groups and supply constant buyer experiences.