Is the act of collaborating with someone outside of your small business unnecessarily complicated? After conquering teamwork within an organization, Slack just introduced Shared Channels so you can seamlessly do the same with people and organizations outside of your company.
Put simply, Shared Channels creates a common space and connects two different organizations so they can work together. In this space, you can use Slack’s communication features and platform integrations to collaborate with another small business no matter where it is located.
For small businesses already using Slack or looking to use it, it means more ways to bring your peers together. You can use audio, video, file sharing, direct messaging and much more under one platform. This translates to a more efficient and cost effective way to work with other teams without having to worry about compatibility issues.
In addressing the importance of the new service, April Underwood, vice president of product at Slack, told Casey Newton of The Verge, “We think of Shared Channels as the most important thing we’ve launched since Slack itself. They’re fundamentally a new way of working.”
How Does Shared Channels Work?
Creating the channel and inviting guests requires admins from both sides. Once a team accepts an invitation, the shared channel is created and they can collaborate with an unlimited number of public and private interactions.
The channel allows members from two parties to use all of the above mentioned features in a single space. Anyone part of the channel will not have to repeat any information when working on projects that involve external partners, log into multiple Slack workspaces, and switch between email and Slack.
If your small business and the other company use different apps, such as Dropbox and Zoom, it will be in the same shared channel. Existing workflows can be streamlined or new processes can be created to work more efficiently together.
How Can You Get It?
Shared Channels is only available through an open beta program for teams on Slack’s Standard and Plus plans. The Standard plan will cost you $6.67 per active user, per month when billed annually, and the Plus plan runs at $12.50 per active user.
If you don’t know what Slack is, this video does a good job of explaining it.
When the beta trial period is over in the coming months, Shared Channels will roll out as a standard feature, the company says.
Images: Slack
This article, “Slack Introduces Shared Channels to Let Outside Clients Work With Your Team” was first published on Small Business Trends