BYOD Taking Team Collaboration To Next Level
No longer are teams tied to a device; they can switch devices and pick up conversations right where they left off.
Until a few years ago, BYOD was considered a privilege, with fewer companies accepting it with open arms. However, in today’s collaborative world, the need for flexibility and mobility is not a privilege but a compulsion. This sentiment is reflected in a comprehensive report by Fast Market Research titled BYOD & Enterprise Mobility Market – Global Forecast to 2021. According to the report, the BYOD market is expected to grow at an astounding CAGR of 15.7% from $35.10 billion in 2016 to $73.30 billion by 2021. These are figures that enterprises cannot afford to ignore.
Business communication tools have been available in some form or the other for the past one decade. Since then, team messaging and collaboration tools have changed significantly. They are currently more intuitive, user-friendly, and slowly becoming the tool of choice for today’s mobile and agile workforce. With companies, big and small, accepting BYOD, cloud and mobile devices, it won’t be a surprise if they take to team messengers in a big way.
It is quite apparent that BYOD technology can help team messaging platforms grow. It is also likely that a majority of the global workforce will soon adopt both. Thus, it’s time we understood the deeper aspects of their relationship.
Why team messengers are a natural fit for enterprise mobility
For businesses to take BYOD and enterprise mobility ecosystem, they require easy to use and secure tools that help employees communicate and collaborate from anywhere at any time. Team messengers, driven by the growing community of mobile users, strike the right chord at various levels, making businesses take notice.
Team messengers are compatible across platforms and mediums
A boon to the BYOD ecosystem is that team messengers are supported across all platforms including desktop (Windows and Mac), web and mobile (iOS and Android), with native apps available for each platform/device. This keeps teams connected wherever they are – while at their desk or on the go. Additionally, cloud-synchronised chat logs, contact lists and settings enable teams to stay connected and mobile. No longer are teams tied to a device; they can switch devices and pick up conversations right where they left off.
Team messengers meet high-security standards
One of the biggest concerns of an enterprise with a BYOD ecosystem is security. Team messengers ensure safe and secure data transmission through end-to-end encryption. Further, they provide accredited cloud infrastructure designed to provide the highest levels of security.
Team messengers let admins control their teams by managing invitations and file sharing permissions for users, including the type and size of files that can be shared. They can also block any domain from outside their approved list from joining a team, and much more.
Team messengers are easy to use
One of the primary reasons why team messengers are a significant contributing factor in propagating a BYOD/enterprise mobility ecosystem is ease of use. An IT team is not needed for setup and installation. Employees can simply download the messenger and get started with a simple, user-friendly interface.
Team messengers’ features support today’s mobile workforce and workflow
Today, workforces and workflows no longer exist within brick and mortar buildings. Therefore, it is imperative that the tools used are capable of fostering efficient workplace collaboration among teams as diverse as vendors, clients, industry peers, influencers and advocates. With today’s team messengers, users can create multiple teams, each with a specific purpose, and stay connected with all of them all from within a single team messaging platform.
Team messengers as a platform further propel the BYOD culture
Businesses planning to shift to a BYOD ecosystem will need more than just a business messaging app. They will require a messaging platform, which will give them the power to create a unique work environment through customised apps, bots and integrations. Such platforms empower teams to break away from the archaic concept of ‘one for all’ tools and create custom apps and integrations needed to enrich the collaborative space, making workflow familiar and adaptable.
Team messengers and BYOD technology work on similar principles, as both are committed to enhancing users’ productivity, flexibility and convenience. While BYOD technology will continue to enhance user satisfaction and convenience; team messenger platforms will work towards creating custom work environments.
(The author is Director of Product & Design for Flock- an enterprise messaging and collaboration app.)
