Having the right communication software ensures that the message you want to be delivered is delivered efficiently and effectively and using the right medium. Learn about the types of communications software businesses use and decide which ones your company needs.
Communication software provides systems or users with the ability to exchange information or messages between each other, often in the form of files, text, video, audio, or a combination of these mediums.
Some examples of communication software could be when a PR firms shares a press release about a company to journalists via a PR software, or when a the board of a company communications their quarterly financial results to investors via an investor relations (IR) software, or simply notifying customers about new product features via a customer communications management software or CRM system.
Internal communications software, also known as business messaging software, allows employees the ability to communicate one on one, or in groups, with other members of the organization often via instant messaging or video calls.
Public relations (PR) software is used to allow PR firms and internal PR employees to engage with journalists and other contacts to share news and information externally in an effort to build brand awareness, product awareness, corporate reputation, and to garner feedback from contacts.
Investor relations software is used to collect and disseminate financial information that a company authorizes for release, or that needs to be made public for regulatory compliance purposes. This includes quarterly and yearly financial reports, as well as certain legal documents.
Customer Communications Management software allows companies to track any communication or touch points they have with their customers. From digital documents (like emails and contracts) to conversions they have had with them (over the phone or chat) to positive and negative reviews, and everything in between.
Team communication software (also known as employee communication software) allows members of the same team to communicate with each other on particular projects or towards meeting a shared goal. Typically all team members will join a group where chats, messages, files, and other items can be shared between them. This can be done for work related tasks as well as a way to socialize and better solidify bonds between teams.
Employee communications software is typically used by upper management, as well as human resources, and legal to deliver important communications to everyone in the company in a structured manner. This can take the form of newsletter, internal social networks, company-wide chat programs, or even employee blogs. From the holiday shutdown period, to office updates during the pandemic, to new hires and more, employee communication software makes sure your employees stay up to date on what matters.
Chatbot software allows a company to have simulated conversations with potential or existing customers by using a software that filters customer requests, or questions, and provides scripted answers or next steps via the software (typically on a website or in-app widget). For example, a question on hours of operation would trigger an automated response back of 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Gone are the days of having to have company conference calls over the phone, or face-to-face with everyone gathered in the same room. Video conferencing software allows you to meet 1 to 1 thousand or more people, decide on who can speak, who can share, and who can just listen in.
Physician and patient communication software is designed to make connecting with your patients much easier and far less time consuming. From sending payment reminders, to notifying patients that their prescription is ready or that they have an upcoming appointment, physician communication software typically is integrated with your practice management software.
Incident communication software can notify relevant members of a business when there is downtown or other problems that might impact a business in terms of productivity. For example, if a server goes down and as a result a website stops functioning, the IT team can be notified so they can work on a fix immediately, and management can be notified so they can manage customer or team expectations.
Media monitoring software has replaced the older newspaper clipping services, which used to monitor for any mentions of a company in the news and share them with the PR or marketing departments. These software allow businesses to instantaneously know when their company or employees are being talked about in the press, so they can share good news or mitigate the impact of bad news.
Social media monitoring software is like traditional media monitoring, only it follows social media applications like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms for mentions of a business. As these are usually sold separately or as addons to media monitoring systems, it is technically a different software.
In short, virtually everyone uses communication software. From your employees when they are communicating with members of their team, to your PR department when they are communicating with the press, to board members and C-level employees when they communicate with investors, to all members of the company when they receive company announcements.
