In an organization, teams or workers must keep communicating to boost productivity. One of the effective ways of communicating is through meetings where the teams get a platform to discuss ideas, make decisions or share information. In that collaborative space, individuals are encouraged to feel free to express their opinions and update others on the tasks they are handling. If there is a burning issue, the employees take advantage to let their employers know the challenges they are facing. In the same meetings, people discuss salary increments, promotions, and new positions are announced. In summary, meetings are essential for any company or organization. Notably, technology has also stepped into this space, where the IT team constantly introduces applications that allow people to hold online meetings.
What are Team Chat Applications?
Technology has brought many changes, such that physical presence in the office is no longer mandatory. Remote working is growing more popular, and virtual teams have become normal in most organizations. One tool that makes all this possible is the team chat applications, which help virtual teams collaborate and communicate daily. These apps act as a portal that centralizes significant communications, including progress on critical projects, business-related messages, status updates, etc. Therefore, a team chat application is essential for a company to enhance internal communication, boost employee productivity, and streamline staff’s daily operations. These applications have many benefits and are necessary tools for any organization’s business owners, employees, and employers.
Top Benefits of Team Chat Applications
- Real-Time and enhanced communication: A team chat application is designed to enable effective communication between staff. Sometimes it isn’t easy to be physically present for a meeting, and these applications make it possible to hold a conversation at any time. On these platforms, you can share your ideas, solutions to problems, share important documents, audio, or videos when necessary. Remember that these apps make it possible to communicate with your fellow workmates in the comfort of your home.
- Allows collaboration: The ideal team chat application makes collaborating with your team members easy. They have collaborative features enabling you to share a file by clicking and dragging. Hence, collaboration is the best way to make work easier and increase business productivity. When there is a critical project, several employees can work as a team and provide a solution as soon as possible.
- Audio and Video chat: Conversations are smooth and precise if done over a call or through a video call on Zulip. Team chat apps are the best options and a better alternative to simply messaging your colleague while offline. Some apps allow you to share your screen or view a screen when you are in the middle of a call. Thus, having team chat applications greatly benefits employees and employers who want fast and effective communication.
- Accountability: One of the main purposes of having a physical meeting is to ensure people are accountable for their tasks, job duties, and responsibilities. Thus, team chat applications allow staff to update their managers on their work progress. This help maintains a sense of responsibility towards their duties as they can share their update at any time and from anywhere with the help of these amazing office chat tools.
- Saves on time: Deadlines and a productive environment always go hand-in-hand. Thus, managing your time while working alone or collaborating with others is important. With a team chat application, there is no need to get up every minute while going to a colleague to ask for updates or assistance. You will save time and energy since, with just a click, you can call your team member and have the communication you want. Keep in mind that the less time is taken on a project, the more productivity and fewer resources are utilized.
What is Zulip Team Chat Application?
Communication in your workplace is a necessity. Everyone in the organization must keep each other updated on their tasks leading to high organizational productivity. Zulip is an excellent Team Chat Application that ensures effective team communication. It is a well-known and modern application that accepts live and asynchronous conversations. Due to its popularity, most teams rely on it for communication, including people in large companies, startups, or open-source projects. Notably, it is a collaborative software with open-source chat created by Jeff Arnold, Jessica McKellar, Tim Abbott, and Waseem Daher in 2012. Today, individuals are utilizing it at a high rate, considering that it is free and an alternative to Slack team chat application. Try it and enjoy its threading model’s unique feature, where each message has a topic and content. More outstanding features are found in the Zulip app; installing it is the best way to interact with its functionalities.
Zulip Team Chat Application Features
- Markdown Optimized: To express your ideas in a better way, you can use markdown. Zulip is markdown optimized, allowing you to use quote blocks, polls, spoilers, global times, LaTeX/math blocks, and other formats while chatting. Note that Markdown is a type of code that enables users to format their texts using characters directly within the message. For instance, you can use an asterisk before and after a phrase interpreted in markdown as an italic message (e.g., *today’s schedule*).
- Streams: In Zulip, you will use streams to organize the conversations. Streams help the team to discuss specific topics, thus avoiding confusion and keeping a flow for a certain conversation. Streams in Zulip also determine the people who get the message, and the topics tell the team members what the chat is about. These topics are designed as lightweight subjects, which resemble the subject line you see in your email. A key point to note from this amazing feature is that there is no pressure in replying to the topics; hence you can take your time and respond on your own time.
- Emoji Reactions: In Zulip, you can use your favorite emoji when chatting with your team members. An emoji is a pictogram or a small image inserted in text or electronic message to express emotions, objects, or symbols. While chatting with Zulip, emoji reactions are the fastest way to respond to a message and show your team how you feel about the topic of discussion.
- Drag and Drop: This feature is an intuitive process that allows teams to transfer data easily within the application. Zulip allows you to drag a file in the compose box and then upload and preview it. It lets you discuss and share files with your team workmates.
- Searching: In the Zulip team chat application, you can use the search feature to find specific messages, topics, files, and any other content. It is a quick way to navigate conversations between you and the other team members.
- Zulip for every platform: Zulip supports many platforms; hence you can install it on your Windows, Linux, and MacOS operating system. Also, it is compatible with Android and iOS mobile devices. Hence, you can download and use it from any mobile device while communicating with your team members.
- Open-Source: When an application is an open source, it is publicly accessible, and anyone can see, modify and distribute its code. Zulip is a team chat application that is 100% open source and built by a community of more than 1000 developers worldwide.
- Mentions: Zulip allows team members to mention each other in a chat and has a feature that sends a notification to those who have been mentioned. Zulip also lets you view the text where you have been mentioned in a dedicated tab.
- Links: Zulip allows the team members to share links to the streams, topics and messages. Also, you can link from one conversation to another in Zulip and share the links in emails or other external tools. Additionally, the links will also remain available when the message is transferred to another topic or stream. In other words, Zulip is amazing as it uses a permanent link syntax while quoting a message.
Installation of Zulip Team Chat Application
Zulip Package is available for MacOS, Linux, Windows, Android, and iOS devices. Access the packages from Zulip Official Website. Choose the one that matches your operating system and will be directed to the download page.
Installing Zulip on Windows Operating System
From the Desktop section, as shown in the image above, choose the option for Windows.
After clicking on the Windows operating system logo, you will be directed to the download page. Go ahead and click on the download button.
After the downloading, find Zulip set up for Windows from your PC downloads.
On the Next step, right-click on the Zulip Set Up. Click on the Run as an Administrator option from the list that will be displayed.
After running as an administrator, a small window will open. Choose whether you want the software to be available for all users or yourself, and click Next.
On the next installation page, choose the destination folder for Zulip. Then click on the Install button.
Installation of Zulip will take place, as shown in the image below.
Click on the Finish button to complete installing Zulip on Windows.
Zulip user interface will be displayed immediately after clicking on the Finish button.
Now you can start using Zulip and having fun with its features.
Connecting to Zulip Teams Chat Application
After the interface window opens, add your Zulip organization URL or click create a new organization.
With the first option, you will add the URL. As for the second option, click the Create a new organization button to redirect you to the Zulip website. Enter an email address for your organization from the webpage that will appear.
You will receive a message on your email address requesting you to complete the registration.
Upon clicking the Complete Registration button, as shown above, you will be directed to the Sign Up web page.
Fill in your details accordingly, then click on the Sign-Up button. Your password will be autogenerated and saved on your browser.
Zulip will open within your browser and display its user interface after signing up.
Back to the Zulip application on your desktop, and use the organization link to connect with Zulip.From the illustration above, you are can see the link provided by Zulip. Copy and paste it on the application.
Log in to Zulip using the different methods provided in the next step. If you don’t have an existing account, click Sign Up button and request an invitation link from the organization. Your company has access to the Zulip invitation link on the application.
Using Zulip Teams Chat Application
Now that you have an account, you can start using Zulip in the comfort of your home.
a) Inviting a New User
From Zulip, click on the icon at the top on your right hand. Then click on Invite more users.
Add the email address of the person you want to invite to Zulip. Keep in mind that you can add more than one user. Then go ahead and click on the invite button.
An email will be sent to the new user requesting them to complete the registration by clicking on the provided link. Registering new users is simple and only requires them to indicate their name and password. After clicking on the signup button, the new user will automatically access Zulip for your organization.
b)Creating a Stream
On your Zulip team chat application, locate the stream section on the app’s left side.
Click on the + sign to create a new stream.
From the displayed window, fill in your chosen stream name and description. Fill in any other necessary detail, then click on the create button.
Created stream will appear on the list of available streams.
Note that by clicking on the three dots on the created streams, a list of options will appear to assist you in adjusting your stream.
To start a conversation, select a stream and compose your message. You can also add a new topic or send a direct message to any of the members in the stream.
An example of a composed message is shown in the image below.
c) Chatting with a Team Member
If you want to send a direct message to another person in the same organization, simply click on the users and select the particular individual.
Select the user, then send them a message, file, make a call, send an emoji reaction, and more.
Final Thought
In your workplace or when handling a project, it is essential to communicate with your team members. Chatting with your colleagues increases productivity, and members remain focused on their tasks. Thus, Zulip is a must-have application as it ensures every conversation is organized and team members can communicate anytime and anywhere. In this guide, we have taken you through the installation and usage of Zulip, which is the best Slack alternative. Install it on your computerized device, introduce it to your colleagues, and enjoy its features and functionalities. In case of any query, leave a message in the comment section. All the best!.
