If you’re in search of a Hangouts alternative, you’re in luck. There are many options available that offer a variety of features. Some are better for personal use while others are geared more towards businesses. Here are 8 alternatives to Google Hangouts to explore.
As the zoom boom comes to an end and hybrid working, or returning to the office becomes the new norm, less businesses are reliant on Google Hangouts and shared working apps. There are still several companies continuing the work from home operations and they have tried Zoom, teams, hangouts, shared docs, integrated calendars and all the tools for the work from home set up. Now companies know what they like, what they do not like and who they want to use.
It might be coming to the time for you to change your operations and you might be tired of the Google drive, or it could even be full now, so it could be time for a change, or at least time to review what is working and what could be improved.
Businesses know that they do not need employees in the office in order to get the most out of them, so what tools do you like and what tools do you not like for managing your remote working teams?
Working remotely, even one or 2 days a week, does require better communication and more integrated tools to support the teams and the staff. This is common knowledge now. We have all been rushed into Zoom meetings in the past few years, but now we want something better and different to maintain the work from home set up that we have developed.
We want a software suite that allows for chat, live chat, texts, emails, voice, video, presentations, shared documentation, templates, emojis and internal discussions segmented from external behaviour. We want to use all the tools in one place to coordinate with our teams that could be around the world, or in different time zones.
Google is a big business, one of the biggest in the world, and their software might not be adaptable for your smaller business. They like to be able to support everyone, but we all know that Slack, zoom, teams, hangouts, Whatsapp, Facebook and many other similar systems all have a little something extra that might not be a part of the Google set up.
There are several systems that can be used as an alternative to google hangouts, probably too many to mention in one readable article that will retain your attention and not be too boring. So we must focus on what is important, and what you might have heard of and tried before.
Finding an alternative to google hangouts also depends greatly on what you do with Google Hangouts and why you use it. Some people use it for specific purposes and others seem to use it for everything, like they are sponsored by Google!
Some applications that can be an alternative to google hangouts are:
- ConxHub
- Microsoft Teams
- Slack
- Zoom
- Skype
- GoTo Meetings
- Atlasian
- Facebook, Messenger and WhatsApp
There are obviously several others that you might use or might have heard of. Some countries use Viber for example, a lot more than other countries.
Telegram, Line, Jitsi, or WeChat are also common, but they tend to be more common in specific geographical areas rather than have the international reach and the global acceptance of the platforms above.
We will try to compare different systems for you as an alternative to google hangouts, and since they all have commonalities there are also themes that we can use to make these comparisons.
Why move?
When you are looking for something new, you should always ask yourself why you are moving and what you hope to gain from it.
Businesses move systems when the old one is not working for them, or no longer has the support and the features required. It could be as simple as cost. Some processes are expensive, and then there are add on’s that at first you might not need, or might not have considered, but as your company grows, so does your need for extras. The platform you chose might not have free add ons and you might be facing a huge bill, now that you are tied in to using that platform.
It could be operations. Maybe your operations have changed and what you need now is different from what you needed before. You could ask Google to build something for you, or you could move away from Google and look for an alternative to google hangouts.
It could be direction. At the start of a company, you might have more of a focus on sales, and less on customer support and service. Having a platform that can help to boost sales is vital, but then as sales grow, an alternative to google hangouts is required. You might have regular customers now, and no longer need the sales pitch and the integrations of screen sharing and presentation building that come with Google Hangouts.
It could be borne from frustration. You could be seeking an alternative to google hangouts simply because there are glitches, or bugs that you can not move passed, or it is simply not fit for purpose, and you need to move away before getting frustrated and stressed about an underperforming system.
It could be connectivity. Having a reliance on google often requires constant internet connectivity. Seeing updates on google docs, messaging through hangouts, and keeping diverse teams up to date can be labour intensive, and heavily reliant on constant internet connection. This might not be suitable, or possible in the countries where you operate the most.
Whatever the reason for moving away, there are some key considerations that must be factored into the decision:
What is important to consider when changing systems?
Ease of Use:
As Homer Simpson once said, “If it is too hard, don’t bother”. Another common catchphrase is “If you confuse, you lose”.
So, the ease of use is possibly the most important element of a platform. Can it be easy to use on different devices, in different teams and in different parts of the world? If people are confused about using it or cannot see the benefits of learning to use it, then they will simply not bother, and it will be a waste of time. When choosing an alternative to google hangouts you must communicate with the users of the application to see what they want and what they might have experience of using. Knowing what to expect, and managing that against what you want, is vitally important to managing expectations and gauging the usage from the teams. If it is not going to be used, then why bother changing?
Features:
What do you need as an alternative to google hangouts? Do you need Video, phone, SMS, live chat, presentations, screen sharing, oh my, the list goes on! What are all the features that it offers and which of those do you really need? If you buy something with a thousand features, but you will only use 10 of them, have you wasted time and money on the other 990 features? If it does what you want, and it is simple to use, then you are on the right track. If it does hundreds of things that you do not need, then it could be easy to become confused by it. Don’t be one of these people that say “Well, we might use it in the future, and it is nice to have it there”, because if it Is not a part of your operations now, it is not likely to become part of your operations, unless you specifically change your way of working to match this system.
Quality:
Is Google better than Microsoft? Or are they pretty much the same? Is Slack better than Skype? Or are they both great systems? When you are looking at quality of service, customer support, products and services, the top providers in the market are all going to be on par with each other and there is not going to be much between them. If you are looking to compare apples to lemons, then maybe quality can come into it, but this will also be focused on price and usage. The quality of the support and technical help could be an issue, especially during the training phase, since bigger companies often outsource their training and set up to local companies more able to support and offer guidance.
Price:
Price is always a driving factor when looking for an alternative to google hangouts. When looking at a price, cheapest is often not best, and could break, or simply underperform. Price is an important consideration, especially for start-up companies on budgets, not looking for expensive, on-going or long-term contracts, but it should not be the most important feature. When looking at price, always factor in the longevity, the features and how much time this system might save in better automations and services.
Integrations:
You already have a CRM solution, and possibly a phone solution. You already have operational manuals and ways of working. You have a trained team, and you have a website with products and services and information clearly presented. You need something that can integrate into what you have without changing the wheel or reinventing something that is not needed. There will be integrations required, so how good are the API Documents to support that integration? How long will it take and what is the effort involved in getting the new software into operational use? There will be hidden costs, or additional costs in this process that must be factored in.
Overall Value:
Looking at the bigger picture, do you really need an alternative to google hangouts? There will be training, integration, development, changes in operations, possibly more add-ons bought and integrated. Is the value and the automation available going to save money and time in the long term or is it a change for the sake of a change? If the boat does not need rocking, why rock it?
ConxHub to Simplify Communications
Do you really need to do the video calls and see the whites of their eyes to do business? There are so many employees getting frustrated with video calls, screens freezing, are you still there and internet speeds slowing down. There are several frustrations that can not be improved no matter how good the software is, so let’s really take a good look at it and ask a simple question…. “Is it needed?”.
There are many business owners who say that they hate the video call, and the screen share and they would much prefer either face to face meetings, or a simple phone call. On the phone call one person can have one screen, the other person can have the other screen and as long as there is excellent connection, easy speech, and both parties are engaged in the process, why is there is need for all the added extras?
ConxHub offers omnichannel communications through SMS, email and call, to simplify the communication channels that businesses really use. Focusing on what is important to the relationship between users makes this platform standout among the others.
Calls can be recorded, monitored, and transferred to people when needed, people can have multiple phone numbers to support their busy lives and calls can be made internationally at cheap, local rates. If there is no need for the bells and whistles, why implement them? Some businesses are led by innovation for the sake of the innovation, and not for the purposes of their specific business. Video calls are new and could be helpful, but they are also a pain, they are unnecessary to many aspects of business as long as there is a crystal clear route of communication.
Call centres need call queues, people need to have hunt groups and customers need to be communicated with. That is a vital part of customer service and growing a business, but is there really a need for everything else? For some businesses the answer will be yes, for most businesses the answer will be no. look at what you really need from your communication channels as an alternative to google hangouts and ask yourself if mobile technology could replace the desk top variants and video conferencing tools for a better alternative to google hangouts.
Microsoft Teams
Teams came about during the pandemic but has been a valuable tool for businesses doing online sales activities and is a valid alternative to google hangouts. Teams and google hangouts have been competing for the same section of the market for a long time, and the integrations are one thing that sets them apart. Some businesses like google, others like Microsoft, and it comes down to preference. They both do similar things with more of a sales spin to Google, and it is more established for bigger businesses. Microsoft teams has the same internal chat options, screen sharing possibilities and links, so which works best for you? What do you do for your emails> Outlook is more common for emails than Gmail, especially if your email is linked to your website domain.
If your email is [email protected] then it is common to use Teams, since that integration does not require a Gmail account to be set up. Gmail is necessary and when you are using the Google suite of tools, it is necessary to keep on using them and adding to them, but if you are looking for an alternative to google hangouts then Teams is a clear option.
There are free options within Teams, then there are several tiers for paid services that offer better and increased options for communication. It is a service that is continually getting improved, in the hope of becoming the only alternative to google hangouts.
Slack for Communication
Millennials and Gen Z prefer to text. This is a common understanding of the youth of today. Having solid SMS, and Non-Voice communication is vital for working with younger audiences. Slack offers great internal business non-voice communication. There is a voice channel that can be used, but the primary focus of the application is the non-voice channel segmentation. For teams where messaging is key, this is by far the best platform, but again, do you want the video conferencing and screen sharing capabilities of other services?
It might be free for small teams, but as teams grow you need extra channels and facilities and might have to move up to the PLUS plan which can add around $15 per person using it. If you have big and widely spread teams of employees, this cost can impact the bottom line.
ZOOM BOOM
The Zoom Boom coincided with the pandemic as a video conferencing service to replace the working office and as the fastest growing alternative to google hangouts. It is used for everything video. Meetings, quizzes, web conferencing, team calls, sales pitches, TV Shows, conferences, and seminars. It is simple to use and there is a useful free version, but that only allows a short call, and people on the call are often looking at the clock to make sure that they cover everything within the free period of time allowed.
Pricing for Zoom is based on a per person model, and at $30 per person, teams with several people in them can have high costs for this service. All the business focuses on video. There are additional features that support video, and there have been several famous and well-documented security breaches especially with schools and legal businesses having their meetings hacked or Zoom-Bombed. If you really require video, this is best, but the question must be “Do you really need video?”
Grandfather Skype
Skype is well known and well used. It was one of the first ever video conferencing services allowing for screen sharing and other business uses. It is commonly used for free, with optional add ons that are not necessary and can be accommodated by other services. There are several businesses that make a call on the phone, as well as on Skype for when screen sharing is required. Since it is free, and since ConxHub offers the phone call, the 2 of them could be combined when necessary.
Video and audio recording can be great for training and re-visiting the calls and content. The unprofessional stickers, emojis and gifs can make this platform more fun and engaging, especially for well-established teams and younger users. It is simple to use, often used by younger people and gamers to remain connected to each other.
Since Skype is VoIP there is a need for good internet to use the service. This can be a huge draw back and the phrase, “Are you still there?” is commonly used during all Skype calls. People often drop Skype calls and revert to mobile phone calls due to the connectivity issues experienced.
GoTo Meetings is for meetings.
If you like meetings and have a lot of them during your working day, this is great. It is a one-dimensional tool, set up for meetings. Sending a link, accessing the meeting, and leaving the meeting is a simple process, it is meetings communication simplified. Very few integrations, no need for add-ons, it is a simple tool that does what it says on the tin.
If you need video sharing, integrations, and analytics, then this is not for you, but if you just like having virtual meetings and want a cheap tool to support that, check it out!
Atlasian
Great for developers and project managers wanting a tool to show who is working on what and when and how far through the working ticket people are. Having a work sheet showing tickets raised and keeping virtual teams on point is essential for growing businesses, especially if they have online presence and a website, a CRM and other systems that require people to develop new changes. This has a free option, and a paid version. It is safe and secure, but not great for general voice communication.
For project managers, it is a tool that should be closely considered.
Facebook and WhatsApp
Informal, friendly, popular, and easy to integrate it is a platform that can help to build your team. It is great to be able to chat informally to build team morale, sharing pictures, voice messages, videos, and fun events. Having a free system that everyone can easily download to their phones or computers can be simple and effective. It is not great for communicating with customers and businesses can quickly get blocked on it if they do not meet the requirements of Facebook.
As the movie shows you, it is built for informal networking and communication, which generally means it is not fit for business purposes, but it remains the most popular team building communication tool.
Do you need an alternative to google hangouts
If the answer is still yes, do you need one, or a combination of alternatives? A combination could drive down the price, since you are using the free products of multiple services to get the operational range that you require.
If you want one solution to fit all circumstances, you might be disappointed, or you might get something with so many features that it is too expensive for your needs.
Before finally deciding, make sure that you perform a detailed analysis on what you want, what you expect and what you really need on the fundamental level to perform the communicational operations to support your business.
If you drill down and you figure out that you need a mobile solution for the flexibility, that covers phone calls and makes you available 24hrs a day, no matter where in the world you are, for a cheap price with excellent customer support and informative call notifications, look no further, we have you covered.
