The Slack developers released recently a collection of new business features, including a new function called "Slack Connect DM", that among other things will allow workers to send messages directly to people from other companies.
The features debuted at the team's chat provider Frontiers virtual event.
Within the comments made in the virtual event, it is mentioned that they will advance Slack's efforts to replace the traditional inbox, while potentially they will also make your platform more attractive for large business clients that contributed more than half of their revenue last quarter.
Slack, whose platform is primarily used for internal communications, expanded its focus to external communications in 2017 with the launch of shared channels.
Shared channels allow workers to connect with people from outside companies, such as a company's suppliers. Slack Connect DM, the messaging capability announced in Frontiers, refines the concept by allowing workers to send messages to external users directly without the hassle of setting up a shared channel.
Slack Connect lets you collaborate with everyone you work with, inside and outside your organization. With Slack Connect direct messages, you can send direct messages to partners in real time, allowing you to start a project faster than engaging in endless email conversations or hosting nearly impossible-to-schedule meetings.
Imagine that you have not yet set up a channel to communicate with a provider, but that you need to coordinate with a member of their team. Share your private invite link so he can send you direct messages from his own Slack workspace.
Function is combined with controls that will allow companies to regulate correspondence with people outside the organization. One of those controls, Managed Connections, Allows you to limit which companies and external users can connect with employees. A companion feature called Verified Organizations will add a check mark to trusted third party profiles.
Slack has long positioned its platform team chat as an alternative to email. However, most companies primarily use Slack as an internal communication tool, which means that it only serves as a partial substitute for the traditional inbox of those companies.
Add more features for external communications makes the platform an alternative stronger email address and thus strengthens a central pillar of your value proposition.
Shared DMs and associated controls are scheduled to launch in 2021.
In Frontier, Slack executives also detailed a number of experimental features in development that are expected to come later.
One of the major projects in the works, Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield told The Verge, is a tool similar to Instagram Stories that would allow users to post short videos alongside chat channels.
In addition to the communication functions for the user, Slack introduced the developer enhancements. The biggest improvement is the implementation of Workflow Builder, an automation tool capable of performing actions such as sending a chat greeting to new employees.
Developers can now code "custom steps" for Workflow Builder that make it possible to automate a wider range of tasks, such as creating employee surveys and submitting support requests to the information technology team.
The big customers targeted by Slack's more advanced features are also a focus of attention for their rivals. Last month, Microsoft Corp. introduced new discounts for companies that purchase Microsoft Teams with an Enterprise Agreement license.
Soon after, he announced an update that expanded the collaboration features in Teams.
Finally if you want to know more about it You can check the details of the new function in the following link.