Real-time Chat Tools Smackdown: Microsoft Teams vs. the World

Imagine if real-time chat apps could meet in a wrestling match to battle for domination. The solution that offered the most bang for its buck would win. Instead of spending hours researching all the tools on the market, you, the systems administrator, could wait for a winner to be declared and give your recommendation.

Unfortunately, such a battle wouldn't help you determine if a piece of software has the features that meet the unique needs of your own company. For that, you must research the complete specifications list and likely even read reviews and comparisons. As the person everyone relies on to build and maintain a robust technology infrastructure, it's essential for you to stay abreast of the latest tools.

Chat tools seem to be all the rage. There are new kids on the block, old favorites, and offerings from established names and startups. This guide will help you, the IT administrator, answer the question: What chat tool should we use?

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is first because your end users will probably gravitate toward it. One of the biggest benefits is that it works with the Microsoft solutions you already use, which means less work for you. In addition to easy setup, you can recommend our online training course on the essentials and equip your end users with the skills to start collaborating.

Fave Features:

• Channels and conversations

• Video calls and screen sharing

• Private direct messaging

• File sharing

• Wikis

• Bots

• Compatibility with a variety of devices

• Powerful integration across all Microsoft Office products

Slack

When comparing Teams and Slack, it's essential to realize that Teams is more of a feature built into Microsoft Office 365. On the other hand, Slack is a full-fledged project designed specifically to help teams collaborate. You can chat, share files, and update others on the progress of your projects, either from a PC or mobile device.

But it's important to pay close attention to the cost before committing because you'll be required to have the most expensive plan to access file storage, a feature you can get for free with other tools. Slack recently added the ability to conduct video calls and screen sharing, a big bonus when competing with Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts (among others).

Fave Features:

• Open and private channels

• File sharing

• Open API to build your integrations

• Private direct messaging

Google Hangouts

Update: Google Hangouts was shut down in November 2022.

Google Hangouts is often a natural choice for a group chat forum because so many organizations use Google products, including Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive. But in a business environment, choosing the tool with the best features is important rather than avoiding the need to create another password. If you want to use Microsoft Office 365 products, this might not be the best choice because Google will naturally steer you toward using its own office productivity tools.

Fave Features:

• Video calls and screen sharing

• Private direct messaging

• Group chat and calls

• Customizable alerts and settings

• Easter egg animations (just kidding. They drive us nuts too.)

Skype

Skype is synonymous with "video chat," but the app can also be used for text-based and audio communication. Is it the best feature for collaborating with your team? One of the best features of Skype is its integration with Microsoft Office 365, which makes it easy to launch a call directly from Outlook or screen share a PowerPoint presentation with clients. This should be at the bottom of your list if you're looking for a day-to-day interoffice chat tool.

Fave Features:

• Free Skype-to-Skype calls anywhere worldwide (but watch those time zones!)

• Voice and video calls

• Text messaging from the comfort of your keyboard (your thumbs will thank you)

• File and screen sharing

• Skype Translator

Yammer

At one time, Yammer was a serious contender in this space. However, it has fallen out of favor recently, especially with so many competitors. Yammer is designed to be an enterprise social network rather than a straight-up chat tool. However, Yammer has made a smart move by building in Microsoft Office 365 integration, making it a top contender for Microsoft Teams.

Fave Features:

• Groups and external collaboration options

• Inbox notifications (if you like that sort of thing)

• Discovery feed

• Office 365 integration

HipChat

HipChat is a rapidly growing company in the collaboration solution space, and it's ideal for teams that want to embrace this type of tool fully. This software is the perfect choice for a business that wants to encourage constant communication between team members. If your team is remote, this may be the best choice for you because your team members can launch a video chat or instant messaging session at the drop of a hat. Microsoft Office 365 integration is available through an add-on.

Fave Features:

• Unlimited group chat rooms

• Drag and drop file sharing

• Secure guest access

• One-click screen sharing

• Robust integration options 

Chat tools can empower your end users to stay in touch without seeing each other in person. We'll likely never see them go head-to-head in a wrestling match, but we can look at each platform's features and find one that fits within our organization.