It started as a fun way to chat up your pals. But as developers strive to make instant messaging more attractive to business users, the technology has become increasingly robust, with features geared toward the mobile corporate set.
In search of useful business features, we looked at two popular instant-messaging programs: America Online's AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) and Microsoft's MSN Messenger Service. We also found some complementary services aimed at the office IMer.
AOL Instant Messenger
In its latest attempt to make AIM (download) more useful for on-the-go
business users, AOL recently launched a version that runs on Web-enabled
Phones and provides much of the functionality of PC-based AIM. You
can see which of your contacts are logged on -- be it by phone or PC
-- and tap out an instant message using your phone's keypad. The
program uses T9 Text Input, which makes educated guesses about the
words you want to enter and makes typing on a numeric keypad easier.
Canned phrases such as -Where are you?" also help speed communication.
And privacy preferences let you choose who can send you messages.
Phone-based AIM comes free with Sprint PCS Phones, and service
minutes can apply to voice or text messages.
You may be asking yourself why you wouldn't just make a traditional voice call rather than go through the trouble of typing on a phone keypad. Perhaps you're in a meeting and you want to give a subordinate an assignment, but you don't want to interrupt the proceedings. Or you need to get through to a co-worker while you're on the road, but the line is busy.
File sharing, though not designed for mobile use, is another useful business feature. To pick up a file from another user, highlight that individual's name and select Buddy from the People menu. Then select Get File. AOL points you to the file folders your contact designated as shared for fellow IMers.
To send a file, browse your hard drive, specify the directory path to
the file, and type in a description of what you're sending. The
recipient can then decide whether to accept your download.
AOL Instant Messenger
Price: Free download
Company: AOL
MSN Messenger Service
Microsoft is also focusing on mobile users with its MSN Messenger
Service (download).
If you want contacts to send messages to your pager, mobile phone, or
other mobile device, set up a profile and specify the type of device
(or devices) you have, along with phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
Your contacts will then have access to this information.
File-sending capabilities are also built into MSN Messenger. The
program automatically sets up a folder for receiving files under My
Documents. To send a file, select Send File from the File menu,
highlight the file you want, and click Open. Once your recipient
gets the file, you can continue your discussion.
MSN Messenger Service
Price: Free download
Company: Nine MSN
PresenceWorks
Another interesting offering comes from PresenceWorks (Web site).
Its technology lets you see who's online and ready to conduct
business across four of the largest IM services -- AIM, MSN
Messenger Service, ICQ, and Yahoo Messenger. Companies can build this
information into their Web sites so visitors can conduct business
from your site in real time. A job-search Web site, for instance,
uses PresenceWorks to connect potential freelancers with employers
instantly. If you're in search of a marketing analyst, choose that
category from a drop-down list to obtain names of analysts currently
online waiting to be contacted.
IM programs may still use chatty buzzwords and smiley-faced emoticons, but creative business users can get serious with these handy programs.
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