We’ve already talked about using Brosix on the Go, but there are specific instances where the mobile version of Brosix for Android and iPhone definitely come in handy, more so than others.  One such instance is commuting, or the act or traveling to and from work via train, car, or other form of transportation.

While Brosix never condones using a mobile smartphone to text or IM while driving, the other alternatives of commuting can offer a great opportunity to use Brosix corporate messaging.

A recent Gallup poll suggested that employees that are more engaged and truly interested in their work don’t mind commuting:

Engagement at work may buffer the effects of stress from a long commute because engaged workers are more likely to look forward to their work, probably making a long commute more tolerable. And after a good day of work, the drive home is probably more tolerable as well, thereby reducing the chance of high stress during a long commute. Conversely, disengaged workers tend to think of work as a burden, which is likely to influence their mood during their commute both to and from their workplace.

During longer commutes, engaged employees may find it useful to begin some work on their way there by going through email and having conversations with co-workers or clients via Brosix. As long as there is good phone reception, the Brosix Instant Messaging application makes it easy to get initial conversations started before even walking into the office. Taking care of these conversations and emails before setting foot into the office can make the day start off much easier and less stressful.

Have you had a chance to download the iPhone or Android version of the Brosix instant messaging application yet? The application can either be used as an instant  messenger for work or with the public or free version on Brosix. The program works with your existing logins for either the enterprise or public versions of Brosix.

This makes it so easy for employees to stay connected to co-workers back at the office or around the world while they are on the go. If an employee is traveling or running work errands, leaving their Brosix Instant Messenger running on their phone makes it possible to still have chat and instant messaging conversations from their iPhone or Android phone.

Receiving regular positive reviews, these mobile Brosix applications have been a big hit with existing and new Brosix users, especially because this mobile version still has the same encrypted security features that are a touchstone of the Brosix software that is available for download on Mac, Windows, and Linux.

To download the mobile applications for Brosix, be sure to check out these links:

• Brosix Instant Messaging for Work for Android
• Brosix Instant Messenger for Work for iPhone

Classic instant messaging conversations gave birth to internet slang terms that are still commonly used today, such as LOL for “Laugh Out Loud” or JK for “Just Kidding”. Even though these types of abbreviations and slang terms are commonly known, they still may not be appropriate for work communication.

Many employees may consider instant messaging for work to be a more casual form of communication than emails or written letters, but in many cases, this is simply not true. Instant messaging with a friend is a casual instant, but having an online conversation with a colleague or supervisor is different.

In these cases, employees should always take care to spell words correctly and avoid common slang terms and abbreviations such as LOL and JK. Even if the other user is doing it, an employee should still take pains to make sure their communication is professional and appropriate.

Some instant messaging programs will underline misspelled words, but if this isn’t the case, be sure to be vigilant and know how to spell most commonly used words correctly. If you are unsure of how to spell or use a word, look it up online at dictionary.com or open up a word document processing program.

The many features of Brosix instant messenger make it an easy program to use for interactions and troubleshooting sessions between IT or customer service employees and customers. Besides using text chat to communicate with customers, employees can also use the screen sharing or co-browse features to help customers.

Screen Sharing Feature of Brosix

These features allow the company employees to see the issue that the customer is having on their computer (via Screen Sharing) or on their website (via Co-Browse) so they can begin to troubleshoot and figure out how to solve the problem. Customers appreciate the instant service this type of “digital problem solving” provides, and employees (and companies) appreciate the convenience of being able to solve customers’ problems directly from their desks and offices.  This saves costs on sending employees out “into the field”– meaning, heading to customer’s homes or business offices to help them solve the problem in person.

Technical support via Brosix helps customers get the help they need instantly, and helps companies save the costs of in-person assistance. And because Brosix is a free download that is always secure and advertisement-free, most customers won’t mind having to install the program onto their computer in order to complete the technical support communication session.

Even though Brosix offers a public version, there is also an Enterprise version, which was created so businesses could have their own private instant messaging network for their company. Most Brosix users have found that this private instant messaging for work has had a plethora of benefits, including enhanced security through strong encryption, peace of mind, a simpler interface that makes it easy for any employee to learn, and unique award-winning features that make working online totally easy.

Many of our clients report that their employees enjoy using the unique features for so many reasons. From transferring confidential files securely to having online chats with co-workers, employees can use the Enterprise version of Brosix Instant Messenger as a complete online communication suite. This is because any type of communication that can be completed online can usually be done through Brosix.

From video chat, text messaging, whiteboard (a visual collaboration tool), and more, Brosix is a “one-stop shop” that allows employees to be more productive, less stressed, and easier to monitor using the administrative tools that come with the Enterprise version. Network administrators can view user’s activities, as well as only allow certain groups of users to communication with one another. This may come in handy in a large company or a company that needs to monitor employee’s activities for security reasons.

Photo from http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1305806 by http://www.sxc.hu/profile/CELALTEBER

CNN.com reported on a story about technology firm Atos Origin, based in France, who is planning on banning “internal email from company communication within two years”. The article states that “employees will communicate mostly through instant-messaging tools or wiki-like documents that can be edited by multiple users online”.

Atos Origin cites that its main concern with using email as a main form of communication is how much time employees and managers spend writing emails, up to 20 hours a week.

Instant messaging programs like Brosix can help companies wishing to reduce the amount of internal email sent by helping employees learn how to better communication through instant messaging. Along with being a faster means of communication, it also can cut down on productivity bottlenecks like writing, searching through, and organizing emails for multiple hours each day.

The CNN.com article ends with,

If trends are any indication, Atos may be on to something. Recent surveys have found e-mail use declining rapidly among younger people who prefer faster, less formal means of communication such as texting or instant messaging on Facebook or Twitter.

“Atos’ decision … is perhaps the most ringing endorsement yet for the notion that email is being gradually phased out of [the workplace],” wrote BonitaSoft CEO Miguel Valdés Faura on the tech blog GigaOm. “It will be interesting to see how many other large scale organizations will follow in its footsteps over the next several years.”

Is your office cutting down on email? Let us know in the comments.

Working Overtime

There are so many options and ways to use a business instant messenger, the possibilities are endless. However, one of the most convenient ways that I’m highlighting today is using instant messaging to communicate with employees that are working outside of normal business hours.

There are several times when using a business instant messenger like Brosix is applicable:

• Two employees who are working from home could use Brosix to talk about project they are both working on late at night.
• An employee staying late at the office could IM a manager who has Brosix online on her iPhone while she’s on the metro to ask for more details about a project.
• An employee who is freelancing with the company at their home could use Brosix to communicate with employees that are working in the office.
• A virtual assistant who is based in Mumbai could contact an employee who is working overtime late on a Sunday to ask about a deadline for website articles that still need to be written.

These are just some of the examples of scenarios when using Brosix outside of normal business hours (which for most businesses is from 8am to 5pm) can help increase communication and push employees to remain productive even though they are working unusual hours.

In a quiet office, often newer employees may feel like they are unable to get to know their co-workers. Additionally, bigger offices with multiple departments may find that there are feelings of distance between co-workers in difference departments. In either of these cases, having a business instant messenger may help.

Even though the majority of instant messaging conversations should (and mostly like are) about work projects and responsibilities, it is possible to find some time for occasional small talk between employees so they can get to know each other. Managers and network administrators should even encourage and condone this, provided that it doesn’t affect employees’ performance or work deadlines.

Having an office full of employees that know each other well will certainly lead to better teamwork, communication, and higher quality work output. When employees both new and old feel connected with those that they work with every day, they will be more open to share their honest feedback and also be more willing to help out with others are struggling with their workload.

A more connected workforce, both personally and professionally, is certainly a reality with the help of a business instant messaging software program like Brosix. With administrator control, it’s easy to monitor conversations to make sure employees are keeping things (mostly) professional while also still getting to know one another.

As mentioned in previous blog posts, status messages are a good way to keep other users updated with what their current online user status is– usually something relating to being online, busy, or away from the computer. Here are some recommended status messages for communicating effectively through the use of status messages.

Online Messages- These are used for the times when a user is available and ready to receive instant messaging conversations.

• “Currently at desk until a meeting at 2:30.”
• “Leaving the office at 4pm today.”
• “Can I help you with anything?”
• “Feel free to also call me at ext. 245.”

Busy Messages- These are used for when a user is at their computer, but is busy with their current work load.

• “Working on a project until 1pm.”
• “On a phone call.”
• “Please send email instead.”
• “Listening to a webinar, may not respond.”
• “Going through emails.”

Away Messages- These are used for when a user is away from their computer and therefore cannot respond to messages.

• “Away from Computer.”
• “Currently in a Meeting.”
• “Out of the Office until 11am.”
• “Gone to Lunch, Be Back at 1pm.”

As you can see from the above examples, these are detailed and explain what the user is doing. Detailed status messages are better than simply staying, “Away” or “Busy”, thus furthering communication.

Photo From http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1339522/

As mentioned in our previous blog post, Brosix Enterprise allows administrators to create their private instant messaging network, which allows them to monitor conversations of users in the network, add/edit permissions for features, and to add more users. This is a great and unique feature that can ward off any concerns that come with the leaking of confidential information or documents by employees (whether knowingly or unknowingly). A private instant messaging network will not only keep all conversations within approved users and computers, but will also prevent any hackers from accessing the network since it is highly encrypted.

According to a report published in March 2010, malicious attacks can have real and serious costs to a company: “Malicious attacks increased 7 percentage points in 2010 from the previous year, the study found, with the costs of such attacks jumping 48 percent, to an average of $318 per compromised record. Hostile breaches on average cost more than incidents blamed on negligence, such as lost laptops or computer system breakdowns, the report said.” These costs don’t ene take into consideration the breaches that are knowingly taken by employees– that is, employees sending confidential information and reports to contacts outside of the company.

In order to protect your company, try a free 30-day trial of Brosix Enterprise today. A private instant messaging network is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted and instead should be put into place in all business communication policies.