Do you IM? I do. Instant messaging is a superb way for me to get in touch with developers, IT support staff, even customers, quickly and easily. The beauty of IM is multi-faceted - instant access to someone I can see is online, an obvious indicator that the person I want to reach is away from the desk (so a phone call would be more effective), even notice that someone is busy, so I won’t disturb them unless it’s urgent. There are downsides to IM: in most cases it’s not secure, and it can be distracting for the person on the receiving end of the instant message (although making use of the statuses can reduce the interruption).
A recent survey by Siemens Business Group found that 78% of IT workers believe that IM has made them more productive - they send fewer emails, they get quicker responses and they make fewer phone calls.
Do you have employees or contractors who work from home, where you rely on email to give them instructions or get updates? Give instant messaging a try, and see how fast issues can get resolved, questions can be answered and updates can be given.
