What to look for in a team communication app
There’s no limit to the number of team communication apps out there. But many of them, like Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams, mainly cater to large organizations and remote teams — not small businesses like yours.
For instance, they prioritize features that most small businesses don’t need like video conferencing, screen sharing, and remote hangouts. Plus, these advanced business messaging apps offer all the bells and whistles at a higher price tag. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of features to look out for in the ideal team communication app that can support small business owners and their hourly workers.
1. Great user experience
Your team is likely to be a bit apprehensive about downloading or having to get familiar with yet another app. And transitioning your workers to a brand-new tool might not be as straightforward as you want it to be.
That’s why choosing a beginner-friendly solution that can streamline your team’s experience right off the bat is crucial. Your team communication app is there to save you time and get your team on the same page. So look for an option that can make everyone’s experience as good as possible. This makes it easier to get started right away with little to no friction.
2. Affordability
The second most important deciding factor is pricing. And just because profit margins might be tight, doesn’t mean your business doesn’t deserve powerful technology. So you need an app that’s either free or provides a wide range of flexible pricing options.
Some team communication software offers extra functionalities like audio calls, AI chatbots, and custom emoji. And they’re great to have, but often make the app more expensive. Instead, it’s better to choose software that meets all of your fundamental needs and does it well, but at a lower cost.
3. Group chat capabilities
In addition to personal and team-wide instant messaging, your software of choice needs to allow for group chat capabilities. Because having to receive notifications for every conversation can get very overwhelming for team members that don’t need to be involved. This way, owners and managers can message groups of employees according to shifts, roles, and locations.
Of course, some conversations can get lost in group discussions. So your software of choice should also let you know when your team has read your messages and viewed any updates, granting you extra visibility.
4. Privacy and security
Seeing as you’re likely sharing sensitive information and storing personal staff documents within your team messaging app, you have to choose secure software. This also makes it much easier to get your staff on board with the transition, since you can assure them that their data is safe and no unintended recipients can get ahold of any files or bank details. So always look for end-to-end encryption, a system where only the communicating users can read messages.
Also, many staff members might be uncomfortable publicly sharing their phone numbers, address, or even emails. Especially if they don’t know the other team members very well. So an app that doesn’t display your employees’ data business-wide is the best choice.
5. Integration options
Integrations expand the capabilities of your software and let you accomplish more things. They also allow you to easily transfer information, like files and data, between different platforms you already use. For example, Homebase’s communication tool integrates with payroll to help you run your operations easily without having to switch back and forth between the solutions. As a bonus, you also reduce the risk of making errors in transferring data from one tool to the other.
As a small business owner, you can look for a messaging app that combines tools for:
- Hiring and onboarding
- Scheduling
- Timesheets and time tracking
- Payroll like Square or QuickBooks
- File sharing and storage
- HR and compliance
Messaging apps with built-in integrations save you time and help you focus on doing what matters most to your business.
Top 5 team communication apps for small businesses in 2022
When running your small business, there should be no room for open-ended questions and fuzzy details. For everything to run smoothly, your employees should always be on the same page and be aware of important information like when they’re scheduled to work. In terms of project management, your staff should know exactly what’s expected of them so they’re well-equipped to get the job done.
That’s why having an excellent team communication app is vital. Let’s take a look at the five best team collaboration software and see how they can help your team.
TL;DR: our pick for the best team communication app
We might be biased, but we truly believe Homebase is the best team communication app for small businesses with hourly teams. Whether you’re asking a quick question about availability or giving a team update, with Homebase, you can message unlimited users on your team for free. Send them their schedule as soon as you are finished building it and inform them about their wages, hours, time off, and more.
And the best part about Homebase is that your messaging system is linked with Homebase’s other team management tools. For example, with our free Basic plan, you have access to timesheets and time clocks, hiring, and scheduling. You can even add payroll to any plan for an all-in-one experience. And if you’re already using another payroll solution, you can always sync it with Homebase through our wide list of integrations.
| App | Price | File sharing options | Data encryption | Integrations | Top features |
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Free basic plan Upgrades start at $20 per location |
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 Connecteam |
Free for up to 10 users Paid plans star at $35 per month |
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Free basic plan Upgrades start at 1 cent per message |
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Free for teams with under 20 employees Upgrades start at $4.50 per user per month |
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 Rocket.Chat |
Free Community plan Paid plans start at $7 per user per month |
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1. Homebase
Homebase’s messaging system integrates with cloud-based timesheets, time clocks, payroll, hiring, and scheduling to support your small business every step of the way.
Source: https://joinhomebase.com/team-communication/team-communication-app/
Homebase is an all-in-one team management app built specifically for small business owners who employ hourly workers. Our platform lets your staff easily turn their mobile device, tablet, or web browser into a collaboration tool so you can share vital information instantly. Send direct messages to individual staff, your entire organization, or create groups according to job function, shift schedules, or seniority — whatever works for you.
No more searching through texts to see what day an employee wanted off because it’s all tracked in one convenient place. Share files and images, leave specific shift notes for employees, share feedback, and simplify communication to get more time back in your day.
Top features
- Team announcements and shoutouts
- Automated reminders and notifications
- Shift notes and employee feedback feature
- File storage and sharing
- Data and analytics
- Time clock
- Timesheets
- Scheduling
- Time tracking
- HR and compliance
- Options for mobile payroll with Homebase payroll
Why it works for SMBs
Every piece of our messaging app is designed to help small businesses with their unique problems. For example, our paid plans only charge per location, as opposed to some platforms that charge per employee. This means you’re able to grow your team without having to worry about a price increase every time you onboard someone new.
Also, while other messaging platforms focus on tools fit for larger organizations with hybrid and remote teams, like voice calls and video chats, we offer a lean, straightforward solution so you don’t have to pay for features you don’t use or need.
Homebase messaging also looks out for everyone by sending your team members reminders about when their shift is supposed to start, or if they miss breaks and forget to clock in and out.
Pricing
Free! You can access messaging, timesheets and time clocks, scheduling, and hiring with Homebase’s free plan.
