e-skills UK Guide

Online discussions

How can I have real time discussions online?

This Guide is designed to assist you understand the benefits of Instant Messaging to your business and take the steps to implement a solution.

Online discussions enable two or more people to engage in a keyboard discussion over the internet. As using email is like sending a letter, having an online discussion is like making a telephone call. The software that is used to implement online discussions is called instant messaging, often abbreviated to IM.

Email is used almost universally in businesses as a means to communicate with staff, customers, partners and suppliers. It is useful as you can send a message that can be acted upon later. Telephones demand more instant response as when they ring the call needs to be taken or diverted to an answer phone. Instant messaging is designed to fill the gap between a phone call and an email message.

Instant messaging has the additional benefit of something called presence information.

Presence refers to the status of an IM user. You may be away from your keyboard, you may be at your keyboard but busy or your computer may be switched off. All of these situations are reflected in your IM presence information so other users can see whether you are available for a discussion or should not be interrupted.

Most instant messaging software comes with an address book, again similar to an address book in email applications, that enables you to quickly look up a contact and “call them”. Instant message data and messages can also be stored for later use if need be, providing a simple audit trail and record of discussions.

The benefits of online discussions

Communication is key in every business. Most communication will happen via the phone or email but there may be instances when a quick question can be resolved then and there by having an instant messaging conversation.

For example imagine that you operate a telephone based business, maybe for outbound sales calls or technical support. Instant messaging can be used whilst staff are on the phone to a customer to get the answer to a question, rather than put the customer on hold and risk losing that important business.

Large businesses that have implemented instant messaging are reporting a saving on telephone bills as a result of staff using IM rather than the telephone. These savings are not likely to be significant for a small business but never the less can help justify an IM solution.

Some businesses do not allow the use of instant messaging as it can be seen as more a social tool rather than a business tool. Certainly many people use instant messaging to keep in touch with friends and family around the world so this is a consideration you will have to take and weigh up the pros and cons for your specific environment.

Choosing the right Instant Messaging solution

For a small business with only a few users the impact of using an IM solution on your internal computer systems should be minimal. Do bear in mind that excessive use of IM may start to slow your network down if not managed properly.

 There are a number of instant messaging solutions available for businesses, including;

• NET Messenger Service and Windows Live Messenger 
• AOL Instant Messenger
• Google Talk 
• ICQ  
• Skype 
• Yahoo! Messenger 

Most of these services are free or very low cost. Setting up a service is often as simple as connecting to the providers web site, registering and then downloading the software. Advice on setting up an IM system can be obtained from an IT consultancy, at a cost. These solutions will typically take a few hours to setup and understand.

Security and Legal Considerations of Instant Messaging

Some IM solutions provide a better level of security than others. You will need to accept that some confidential data will be communicated via IM, therefore the solution you implement must have a level of built in security.

IM messages can also carry viruses or malware, so your business may be at risk of infection unless you implement a good anti-virus solution.

It is also important that you are able to log messages that are sent as this may help if a dispute arises following an exchange of messages.

 

Commercial suppliers

We do not recommend specific products or suppliers; instead we provide you with a representative sample which covers the range of suppliers/products available. You may choose to look at these suppliers or products but this is entirely at your discretion.