By Anurag Lal, Feb 17, 2017
Anurag Lal, President & CEO of Infinite Convergence Solutions, explores how messaging platforms can function as productivity tools as part of a messaging ecosystem that encompasses a wider variety of services and capabilities.
In 2016, some of the biggest tech companies, like Google and Microsoft, announced advanced messaging platforms that changed the messaging landscape. Google Allo, focused largely on consumer use, features the Google Assistant to help users with everything from getting directions to finding movie times, all within the chat interface. Microsoft Teams, positioned as a Slack competitor, includes integrations with Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, allowing simple collaboration for teams working on projects, presentations, or proposals to enhance productivity.
Google and Microsoft aren’t alone. Many other organizations, like Facebook, are amping up their messaging platforms with robust features. And that effort isn’t without reason—three in 10 adults and 36 percent of smartphone owners use messaging apps.
The main thread between the two examples mentioned above and others on the market is that these platforms provide users with much more than a simple chat interface or communication channel. Rather, they look to function as productivity tools as part of a messaging ecosystem that encompasses a wider variety of services and capabilities.