Slack, a work collaboration app with more than 2.3 million daily active users, is now supporting voice calling for its desktop and Google Chrome’s version. The new feature can already be used by 50 percent of users. The app also supports integration with other voice services such as Skype and Google Hangouts.
Since Thursday, users are able to start private Slack Calls or make conference calls that can be joined by other people with just a click. The app also allows users to send emojis that show up on profile pictures while calls are taking place.
Prior to Slack Calls, the service supported integration with Skype, Google Hangouts, Zoom, and Bluejeans. However, using them was only possible with extra installations. With the new features, people can easily make voice calls that are integrated ino the Slack’s interface.
April Underwood, Slack’s VP of Product, said in a statement that the cloud-based tool wanted to make the working lives of people more simpler, pleasant and more productive. Moreover, she invited customers to provide feedback about their experiences using the beta, since the team wants to add this new feature to the Slack mobile apps in the close future.
“Voice calls are a valuable form of team communication, and so a natural fit for Slack, and why we’re already seeing great usage of third-party apps that offer calling options.” She said in a statement, according to TechCrunch.
To enable Slack Calls, users need to download the latest desktop version of the app and request their team’s admin to activate the new function in the Team Settings. Then, a phone icon will appear at the top threads and channels. After a call is ongoing, people can modify their microphone settings and invite more partners to join it.
To add a Slack’s touch, developers added a “reactions” feature to select an emoji to appear over a profile picture, to send feedback to partners without interrupting them. With this new functions, the app seeks to attract new clients, who might be already paying for voice calls.
Currently, Slack has 2.3 million daily active users, of whom 570,000 are paid subscribers. The messaging app offers free plans for small teams and paid plans that go from $6.67 to $12.50 monthly, when billed annually, for bigger teams that need several extra features.
More efficient workdays
Among its distinctive characteristics, Slack allows work teams to create “Channels of communication” for specific projects, or topics, that can be public for all co-workers or private for selected teams. Also, colleagues can send direct messages and documents between them and communicate through group chats.
According to Slack, its clients see an average 48.6 percent reduction in internal email while using the service. Companies such as BuzzFeed, Dow Jones, eBay, LinkedIn, Samsung, Urban Outfitters and institutions like Harvard University and The Wall Street Journal are subscribed to the messaging service.
Source: Tech Crunch