Complete guide to group communication apps

Clear, effective communication has become especially important as teams become increasingly dispersed across offices and remote work locations, such as shared workspaces and home offices. That’s where group communication apps can help. Whether managing remote teams or coordinating projects across departments, these tools seamlessly unite people and the work they do together. 

In this complete guide, we’ll explore the importance of selecting group communication apps for modern businesses, key features to consider, and how Zoom’s suite of applications excels in supporting teamwork. 

While some work apps offer just one method of communication, such as instant messaging, group communication apps offer multiple ways for team members to interact and communicate in one solution, including messaging, email, phone, group SMS texts, video conferencing, file sharing, and an organization-wide contacts directory.

Together, group apps facilitate connections across workspaces and allow team members to share ideas, updates, and files easily. Plus, when team members can communicate in real time, they can resolve issues quickly and make decisions faster. This immediacy helps eliminate bottlenecks that often arise from delayed responses, helping teams maintain momentum on projects.

In distributed work environments where teams may be spread across different time zones and locations, the role of group communication apps becomes even more important. Zoom’s group apps are designed to support in-office and remote collaboration, allowing teams to maintain a high level of engagement regardless of their location and physical distance. 

Whether through scheduled video calls or spontaneous group chat messages, team members can connect and communicate effectively with Zoom, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. Investing in the best group apps helps ensure your team remains connected and productive, no matter where they are.

To help your team stay connected and productive, it’s important to look for group apps that are user-friendly, accessible, secure, and reliable.

User-friendly interface and ease of use

Look for group communication solutions that are designed with simplicity in mind, allowing people of all technical backgrounds to navigate between different apps easily. At Zoom, our focus on usability means that your team can spend less time grappling with complex features and more time engaging in meaningful conversations.

Accessible all-in-one platform

Another consideration is the ability to access all your work group apps from a single platform. For example, Zoom combines video conferencing, messaging, phone, file sharing, and more in one work platform, creating a cohesive environment that enhances productivity. Zoom’s accessibility also extends outside your organization, making it easy for internal and external contacts to communicate using the same apps. 

This all-in-one approach eliminates the need to switch between multiple applications, streamlining workflows and allowing teams to focus on working together to achieve shared goals. 

Security features and data protection

The security of your communications is priority number one. Look for group apps that incorporate advanced encryption protocols, robust security measures, and access control settings to safeguard sensitive information. Whether you’re hosting a regular team meeting or an important new business call, with Zoom, you can trust that your data is protected with industry-leading security standards. This commitment to security not only fosters trust within your team but also reassures clients and customers that their information is in safe hands.

Platform reliability and uptime

When you depend on apps like video conferencing, phone, and messaging for everything from daily standups to client calls, any downtime could result in significant business impacts and damaged professional relationships. Zoom's exceptional platform reliability and 99.999% SLA uptime for phone make it a cornerstone for modern business communication, helping teams connect seamlessly whenever needed.

Zoom's communication and collaboration products work together seamlessly in the Zoom Workplace app, making it easier for teams to connect and get more done. Teams can work from any location by signing into the Zoom Workplace desktop and mobile app or Zoom web portal. Plus, Zoom is an AI-first work platform — Zoom AI Companion* 2.0 surfaces important information across your Zoom apps, helping you prioritize what matters most and turning every interaction into action to help you fly through your day.

Zoom Meetings: Video conferencing solution for high-quality virtual meetings in real time. 

Zoom Phone: An easy-to-use, modern VoIP phone system for organizations of all sizes.

Zoom Team Chat: An instant messaging app for chatting with individuals, teams, channels, and external contacts.

Zoom Mail and Calendar: Connect your third-party email provider accounts to the Zoom Workplace app so you can use your existing email and calendar service alongside your other work group apps in one place.

Zoom Scheduler: An online appointment scheduler that makes it easy to share your availability and book appointments with people outside of your organization.

Zoom Rooms: Zoom Rooms enhances conference room meetings by enabling in-person and remote participants to interact in real time. Tightly woven into the Zoom Workplace app, Zoom Rooms makes it simple to start a meeting and share Zoom docs, whiteboards, and other content on the screen.

Productivity apps: In addition to communication tools, Zoom offers solutions that make your workday more productive by saving time, jumpstarting creativity, and streamlining workflows. These apps include Zoom Docs, Zoom Whiteboards, Zoom Clips, Zoom Surveys, and Zoom Tasks. 

Zoom App Marketplace: Explore thousands of ready-to-use Zoom Apps and Integrations to extend the power of Zoom Workplace.

Take a look at these success stories about how customers use Zoom Workplace apps together to help teams communicate and get work done throughout the day.

Lake|Flato Architects saves 100 hours a week by consolidating on Zoom Workplace

Lake|Flato Architects has implemented a comprehensive suite of Zoom products to support its hybrid workforce, with each solution working together seamlessly. The firm converted all conference rooms into Zoom Rooms featuring dual displays — one for content sharing and another dedicated to showing remote participants, helping everyone feel equally included regardless of location. “When we display an energy analysis model or floor plan on the screen, everyone in the room can see it because the display is right there in front of them. But, more importantly, remote participants are always present on the dedicated second screen,” said Dan Stine, Director of Design Technology at Lake|Flato.

The team uses Zoom Whiteboard daily for client presentations and collaboration with consultants, using features like voting, notes, and sketching, while also using AI Companion capabilities to assist with presentation preparation. They’ve integrated Zoom Phone for streamlined communication, which automatically prevents call disruptions during meetings and provides useful voicemail transcripts for quick triage. Additionally, the firm uses AI Companion to increase productivity through automated meeting summaries and “catch me up” functionality, saving team members up to eight hours per week on meeting-related tasks. Read the case study.

TOX PRESSOTECHNIK gets a global efficiency boost with Zoom

TOX PRESSOTECHNIK, a global manufacturing leader with 1,500 employees across 40 countries, transformed its fragmented communication system by implementing Zoom Workplace as its unified solution. The company uses multiple Zoom products, with Zoom Phone serving as their primary cloud-based telephone system that integrates seamlessly with their Salesforce platform, allowing employees to make calls, document conversations, and manage customer information all in one place. 

Along with Zoom Phone, they use Meetings, Team Chat, and Whiteboard to enable real-time collaboration among team members. Zoom’s all-in-one work platform has significantly improved global collaboration, with TOX employees experiencing easier accessibility to colleagues, shorter coordination times, and more efficient meeting planning, especially for teams working across national borders. Read the case study.

Setting up your team on Zoom is straightforward and empowers your group communication right from the start. Explore Zoom Workplace plans and pricing to determine which plan is right for your team and sign up online. If you’re looking for solutions for a large organization, talk to a Zoom expert to discuss your specific needs. 

Zoom offers a range of resources to help you get the most out of our suite of group communication apps. 

• Resource Library: Discover guides, ebooks, reports, and videos to learn collaboration tips and best practices. 
• Zoom Blog: Find out the latest trends, insights, company, and new product updates. 
• Webinars and Events: Sign up for a live webinar or watch one on-demand to get a closer look at our products, features, industry trends, and more.

Real-time communication apps have transformed how teams collaborate, breaking down geographical barriers and enabling immediate feedback. By facilitating instant interactions, Zoom’s seamlessly connected suite of products not only enhances productivity but also fosters a collaborative culture where team members feel more connected and engaged.