Slack vs. Microsoft Teams for Enterprises

Slack vs. Microsoft Teams for Enterprises

Does my enterprise need a chat solution?

According to a study by McKinsey, “the average computer-using worker spends 20% of their week searching for internal information.” This means that enterprises need a way for their employees to easily communicate with one another to share information and cut down on time spent searching for documentation that other employees already have. 

One way of doing this is through email, but with already full inboxes and the ‘I’ll get to that later’ mentality associated with this form of communication, it is not the most efficient way for coworkers to communicate. 

To solve this problem, enterprises need to implement chat platforms into their organizations that employees can use to easily community and share information. With all of the options available on the market, it can be tough to find the right one. 

In this article, we are going to go over two of the most popular chat platforms for enterprises, Slack and Microsoft Teams. 

What Chat Solutions are Available for Enterprises?

Although many live chat platforms offer similar solutions for businesses of all sizes, enterprises need to find a solution that aligns with their budget, business operations, and ability to manage the software.

Solutions range from lesser-known platforms like Ryver and Chanty to more well-known team chat solutions like Discord, Google Chat, Slack, and MS Teams.

For larger organizations, going with a more well-known platform provides your entire team with easier use of the software and more ability to integrate with other software you are already using. To help your enterprise decide what platform is best for your operations, we are going to go over the two most popular choices for large organizations: Microsoft Teams and Slack.

Why use Slack for your enterprise?

One of the most well-known enterprise chat applications is Slack. 

Slack was built with enterprises in mind and is flexible to every organization's needs. Whether your employees decide to use Slack’s desktop/smartphone app or web browser platform, you can rest assured your data is protected while your team communicates.

Apart from in-house collaboration, Slack also offers enterprises the ability to securely communicate with external organizations through the platform. This means no more back and forth on client emails. Instead, different teams can communicate quickly and securely from one platform.

One of the most beneficial features Slack offers for enterprises is its ability to seamlessly integrate with outside applications you are already using. Connect Zoom, Outlook, Google Drive, Gmail, and so much more to make sure messages are never missed and employees can easily navigate between software applications. 

If Slack sounds like the right fit for your organization but you’re not sure where to start, Cannon Group can help. Our team has 20+ years of IT telecommunications experience to help you assure you are making the right decision. Contact us today to get started using Slack in your enterprise!

Slack is a great option, of course. But what about Microsoft Teams? 

Why use MS Teams for your enterprise?

Depending on the size of your enterprise, another great chat platform to consider is Microsoft Teams. The platform offers a range of plans (from free to a per-user price) depending on your business’s needs and also integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft and third-party applications.

If your enterprise already runs on other Microsoft products, for example, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, etc. it is easy to integrate your files and other documents across platforms so employees have easy access wherever they are.

Enterprises can also easily use Microsoft tools to host live webinars, meetings, PowerPoint presentations, share Word and Excel documents, and more. Keep in mind that if you need to integrate applications from outside of the Microsoft suite of tools, the process to do so is a little more in-depth.

Teams is great for enterprises that need the ability to send and receive direct messages within their organization, send company-wide messages, or break into more granular sub-groups, or ‘Teams’.

Other features that MS Teams offers for enterprises include: 

• Webinar tools
• File sharing
• Teams rooms
• Teams Phone calls
• Device management
• Information protection

Although we have only shared a few of the features that Teams offers for enterprises, these are some of the most useful that clients have reported. If you think Microsoft Teams is the right enterprise messaging solution for your organization, you’re in luck! Our tech migration team is well versed in Microsoft Teams and can help you seamlessly migrate to the platform.

How to Integrate the Right Chat Platform into your Enterprise

Finding a new chat platform and getting it up and running for your enterprise is easier said than done. There are numerous problems that could arise along the way taking away even more of your IT team’s time and resources. 

For example, many organizations deploy their chat platforms without the right governance or security measure in place. Down the line, this can lead to major problems if there is a hack or data leak. On the other hand, some organizations simply don’t know how to leverage these platforms to their advantage. 

Instead of adding more to your teams’ plate to configure and train users on new chat software, schedule a consultation with Cannon Group. Our telecom experts will help you find the best solution for your enterprise and implement it with ease. This means no extra projects for your team!