Microsoft Kaizala communications tool.

Microsoft’s new mobile-based communication tool is called Kaizala.  What is it? It’s simple and secure to use, only requiring a phone number to set up. It enables companies to communicate with large groups and coordinate workflows across organisations including employees, clients, suppliers and customers, regardless of location. Kaizala has some similarity to WhatsApp, but Kaizala is purposely designed for workplace communication and collaboration. Specific features include:

Chats and groups

Kaizala’s chat function is one of its main features. Users can chat 1 to 1 or within a group, with no limit on the number of people in a group.  Groups can be created outside of contacts, using a 10-digit code, enabling collaboration across multiple teams.

Sharing

Content can be shared in a variety of different formats within chat, including images, video, contact cards and documents. Additionally, users can voice or video call other team members.

Actions

In addition to the chat function, team members can create actions within a chat. These are focused on easing project management and team collaboration.  The following actions are available within the chat function:

Meet: Send quick meeting invites and confirm or decline invitations.

Announcements: Broadcast updates with a team.

Tasks: Assign tasks to team members and track completion. The creator and team members can comment on the task and status.

Checklist: Create to-do lists and track the status of items.

Location: Request current real-time location of a colleague.

Photo Location: Share real-time photos with a group, including GPS coordinates.

Invoices: Capture a photo of an invoice and share it with a team.

Survey: Ask multiple questions with responses available in several formats.

Poll: Gather predefined responses quickly and easily from team members.

Training: Provide short training via embedded documents or video.

Quiz: Return results as a percentage and use with training.

Integration with Office 365 

One of the main business benefits of Kaizala is its ability to integrate with other Office 365 products such as SharePoint, Flow and Excel.

Pros.

• Good for use in Low Bandwidth locations.
• The app is compatible with most devices.
• One tap geo-tagged location sharing.
• Simple communication and collaboration.
• Integration with Office365

Cons.

• Cannot share all types of documents at this time.
• You can only upload 10 photos at a time.
• Some duplication of other Microsoft products.

Do you have any questions? Appetite for Business have an experienced team of Microsoft Office 365 and SharePoint consultants ready to help your business? Contact us for further information.