What to say via Business Instant Messenger
The topic of this post may sound a bit silly. After all, it is your decision as to what you say via a business instant messenger. While true, many users don’t know where to draw the line. In other words, they either use an instant messenger for everything or nothing at all. It goes without saying that you should find a happy medium.
If you want to keep things simple, you can use an instant messenger for basic interoffice communication. This can be anything from reminding a coworker about a meeting to sending a file.
On the other hand, there are more advanced ways of using a business instant messenger. Have you given any thought to setting up a chat room with several employees joining in on the conversation? This is more or less a conference call via IM.
Tip: don’t say anything in an instant message that you would not say in person. This is a trap that many new users fall into. You must keep a high level respect for others, while thinking twice before you type and hit the send button. Remember, once your message is sent there is no getting it back.
As you continue to use a business instant messenger you will get a better feel for what you should be saying, as well as the things that you need to avoid. Make sure you are getting good value from your application, and everything else will fall into place.
Three Unique ways to Get Employees involved with Instant Messaging
Did you recently implement instant messenger communication within your company? If so, you have cleared the first major hurdle. Of course, there is still a lot left to do. One of the most important tasks is getting other employees involved. After all, you are going to look silly talking to yourself on IM!
Here are three unique ways to get others involved with business instant messaging:
1. Put together a presentation that outlines the benefits of using an instant messenger. This alone is usually enough to show others what they are missing out on. Of course, the more exciting the presentation the better chance you have of getting everybody involved.
2. Declare one day instant messenger only – with a few exceptions. While you don’t want to jeopardize your business, declare a day in which employees are only to use instant messenger to communicate with one another. This will give everybody a better chance to see what IM has to offer, and how it can replace email, phone, and other modes of communication.
3. Ask for the input of others. Okay, this may not be a unique idea but it is one that will definitely work. If you ask for employee feedback, it goes without saying that they will have to use the instant messenger application on a regular basis.
How to Follow-up on an Instant Messenger Conversation
Do you enjoy communicating with others via an instant messenger? If so, you know that there are many benefits of doing so. But at the same time, you also know that your IM conversation will come to an end at some point. This leads to a very important question: how are you going to follow-up on the conversation that you just had?
Many people find that using an instant messenger application is the end all. If they have more questions after their initial conversation, they simply jump back online and send another IM. While there is nothing wrong with this, at times you may have to adapt.
There is nothing wrong with making a quick phone call to follow-up on an IM conversation. You can hash out all the important details online, but then speak on the phone to ensure that both parties are on the same page.
Sending an email recap is also a great idea. With this, you can more or less summarize what was said during your IM conversation and then forward it to the appropriate parties via email. This is perfect when you need to fill in another person – somebody who was not present during your IM chat.
If you use an instant messenger for business purposes, there is a good chance that you will need to follow-up on many of the conversations that you have. Consider doing this with additional instant messages, as well as phone and/or email.
Checking in with Brosix
For those of us who like to use instant messaging but also have a busy lifestyle, brosix has the perfect solution for keeping touch with I’m contacts, no matter if they are online or not.
The feature I am talking about is Brosix offline text messages. It is a great perk that lets you leave an offline message for one of your brosix contacts, even if they aren’t online. Simply select the person’s name, type your message as if they were online, and sent it. Brosix will deliver the message as soon as the person signs on next.
You may ask, “well I already have a phone. Why would I need brosix offline text massaging?” The answer is, there are many occasions when another type of communication besides phone and email may be needed:
1. Don’t know person’s phone number.
2. Phone lines are down.
3. It is a professional contact and you don’t want to call their cell phone.
4. You don’t want to bother the person at that time; or the message isn’t that high priority.
No matter why you need to leave a message when someone isn’t online, Brosix is there to make your busy life a lot easier.
Be sure to check out other easy Brosix features too, like video chat and file transfers.
Is Instant Messaging Good For Networking?
When I ask the question, “Is instant messaging good for networking?”, I don’t mean contacting random people online in order to get to know more people. But I do think that networking is something that can be done through instant messaging.
For example, take into consideration someone who is just starting a new job and doesn’t know any of their co-workers. If their work environment has an instant messaging system, this is the perfect way to get to know co-workers.
Because one of the best benefits of instant messengers is the fact that you can use them and still be productive while multi-tasking, a new employee could use instant messaging to learn more about their new co-workers- what they do outside of work, what their main responsibilities are, and even asking questions about office policies and paperwork.
While this may not be ‘networking’ in the truest sense, instant messaging is a great way to get to know the immediate people around you. What are some of the other ways that you can get to know people through IM?
Don’t use an Instant Messenger to Bother Coworkers
It takes two people to use an instant messenger. You may be the type who wants to send IMs all day long – and there is nothing wrong with that. But before you get too far ahead of yourself, make sure you stop and think about the other people in your office. Are they as excited about instant messaging as you?
Believe it or not, many people use an instant messenger to the point of bothering coworkers. And in most cases, this is totally unintentional. There is nothing wrong with using a business instant messenger day after day, just make sure that the people you are talking to are just as excited about it as you.
If you continue to send unwarranted instant messages you are killing the productivity of you and the other person, as well as your office as a whole. Rather than do this, make sure you have something to say and that the other person is available to chat.
How often are you using a business instant messenger? This is a great tool, and you should feel free to take advantage whenever possible. Just make sure you are using it for good, and not bothering your coworkers along the way.
Three Reasons to use an Instant Messenger Today
With millions of people across the world using an instant messenger on a daily basis, there has to be many benefits of doing so. Those who have yet to get involved should strongly consider changing their ways in the near future.
Here are three simple reasons to start using an instant messenger today:
1. It is a quick way of communicating with others. Above all else, this is most important. When you use an instant messaging tool you are putting yourself in position to communicate with others in real time. No matter if it is for personal or business use, an instant messenger is a great communication tool.
2. It is as simple as it seems. Don’t believe anybody who tells you that using an instant messenger is a difficult, drawn out process. You can choose an application, and be up and running within a matter of minutes. How does that sound to you?
3. Everybody else is doing it. You don’t have to follow the crowd, but if others (friends or coworkers) are using an IM tool you may want to do the same. This gives you another way of communicating on a regular basis.
Rather than wait, you should consider using an instant messenger today. The three reasons above should show you why this is a great idea!
Immediate Benefits of a Business Instant Messenger
One of the nice things about using a business instant messenger is that you will immediately begin to realize the benefits. While some advantages will become clear as time goes by, many of them will pop up right away.
So, what are some of these benefits?
1. Employees will get excited. Implementing a business instant messenger is something that will get most workers talking. After all, it is a new way for them to communicate with one another. Even if the initial excitement wears off, this is a good thing in terms of long term usage.
2. It will be up and running in no time at all. Once a new business instant messenger is installed you and everybody else will be ready to use it. There is no wait time – from day one every employee will be able to experiment with the application and use it to better their career.
3. New features will mean a new way of doing things. For instance, you may decide that having a chat instead of a conference call would be advantageous to everybody involved. As you learn more and more about your business instant messenger of choice you will be in position to take full advantage of its many features.
You do not have to wait around for these benefits to kick in. Once your business instant messenger is installed you will be ready to go!
Multi-Tasking While Using Instant Messenger
One of the best things about using an instant messaging program is the fact that you are able to carry productive conversation while also completing other tasks on your computer. I like multi-tasking because it allows me to still finish my other assignments even though I’m talking to a co-worker or a friend about something else that is completely unrelated.
Because I am able to multi-task, I’m also able to be available for more time during the day. Because I know I can still be productive while chatting online with my instant messenger, I leave my messenger on for the most of the time I’m on the computer, even though I may be busy and working on several assignments. Even if someone starts talking to me, I’m still able to finish my work on time.
Being able to multi-task also allows me to look up information for the person I am chatting with. Because both of my hands are free, I can look up information online and in online files that I wouldn’t be able to do as easily if I was on the phone. I also don’t feel as rushed as I would be if the co-worker or friend had come to ask me in person. I am able to give a better answer because I have more time to respond- people usually understand when you take some time to answer in an instant messaging program.
How has Business Instant Messaging changed you?
Go back to the 1990’s and you won’t find many people using an instant messenger to communicate at work. In today’s day and age you will be hard pressed to find any organization that has not at least thought about this. There are many ways that you can use a business instant messaging tool. Those who have used one in the past usually find that it has changed them for the better.
How has business instant messaging changed you? For many, the answer is easy: it has made their office more efficient in terms of communication. The more ways that you are able to communicate the better off you will be.
Others have found that business instant messaging has opened up a whole new world in terms of client communication. Sure, you can speak with those in your office but do not overlook the benefits of bringing clients into the equation. The ability to communicate with clients via a business instant messenger may make your job much easier.
Do you have more time for other things? There is no denying that many employees spend so much time on the phone and email that they are running short when it comes to other projects. Fortunately, if you use a business instant messenger you can free up time during your work day. In the end this means that you have more time for other duties and responsibilities.
If you are taking full advantage of business instant messaging you are not alone. Once you get started you will realize that this mode of communication is changing you for the better.