Chat Solution

Wondering what you guys are using for chat inside the business. Ive been using openfire server with the Spark client for awhile but its kinda buggy. Looking to possibly move to something else a bit more stable. I need the ability to monitor all chat/pull logs from an admin console and be able to create groups or conferences.

I imagine most are using Lync but thought I would poll you guys to see what your using or what you recommend. Thanks

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cyberguypr

Used Openfire/Spark three jobs ago and the experience was just as you described it. My last three jobs have been heavily dependent on collaboration and used Lync (on-premise) successfully. There are some cloud solutions such as Hall.com but I am not familiar with those.

seigex

Lync here, which is now Skype for Business. We use Office365 for our office deployments, for which Lync Online (cloud-based) is included. Though an on-site installation of Lync actually had more features, like persistent chat rooms.

Cisco Jabber is another option, and there are several XMPP based servers that can use many different clients, and integrate into Lync/Cisco.

NetworkNewb

seigex wrote: »

Lync here, which is now Skype for Business. We use Office365 for our office deployments, for which Lync Online (cloud-based) is included. Though an on-site installation of Lync actually had more features, like persistent chat rooms.
.

This^^^

networker050184

We switched from Lync to Slack recently. Collaboration has gone up greatly with it I must say. People sit in group chats and discuss things way more than before with Lync. Especially my group where none of us even live in the same state.

markulous

Lync and Lync Group Chat are the two we use. I haven't had any issue with these at all.

For the "fun factor" I did like Sametime better than Lync for the fact you can add your own emoticons and embed images into each IM.

ScrawnyRonnie

Google hangouts. Don't think it can do what you need though.

alias454

https://xmpp.org/xmpp-software/servers/ might be a good place to start.

Qord

Another openfire/spark here. A few of us use pigdin instead of spark, but haven't had any issues to speak of.

We're thinking of transitioning to Lync/Skype for business, but so far we've only got about 10 of the ~200 staff on it.

Nightflier101BL

We're using Cisco Jabber. It takes quite a few steps to configure but not too bad. About half our organization actually uses it.

kohr-ah

We currently use lync but cloud hosted. Not on my favorites list but it does what it does just has a delay some times.

Just installed a Cisco UC solution in our DC and we are testing jabber now.

All previous jobs we used jabber or hangouts (Google hosted our email)

D-boy

Skype for Business.

tstrip007

Checking out Slack. @networker, are yall getting by with the free version?

Reseven

Lync here. Upgrading to Skype for Business over the summer.
I'm actually am using it now so I can get to know it before all the questions start after the upgrade.

dales

Another vote for slack here, its more of a socialcast type of tool but we use it without out department and its proved to be a great success. has IOS and android apps, for both free and paid for accounts (free account is limited to searching the previous 10,000 messages). But its a great tool and really encourages communication.
Whereas we have Lync and found that nobody actually ends up using it.

gc8dc95

Skype for Business, formerly Lync.

networker050184

tstrip007 wrote: »

Checking out Slack. @networker, are yall getting by with the free version?

No my company pays for it. We have some cool slackbots built as well.

JasminLandry

We are currently migrating from Lync/Skype for Business to Slack. As others said, it's great for collaboration. We have a global IT team so when we need to chat on a subject or whatever it's way easier than to create a discussion on Lync or Webex. And +1 for the mobile app as well!

tstrip007

Cool. Your just chatting in the broswer? or are yall using a third party app with Slack? Our users are so used to having a chat client, dunno how they will feel about chatting in a browser.

JasminLandry

tstrip007 wrote: »

Cool. Your just chatting in the broswer? or are yall using a third party app with Slack? Our users are so used to having a chat client, dunno how they will feel about chatting in a browser.

Slack does have a desktop application that can be installed.

rsutton

We used Google chat for a few years, then tried out Lync but found the client to buggy and did not meet our needs. We have been on slack for a few months and so far it does everything we need it to do.

networker050184

tstrip007 wrote: »

Cool. Your just chatting in the broswer? or are yall using a third party app with Slack? Our users are so used to having a chat client, dunno how they will feel about chatting in a browser.

Most users use the desktop client like JasminLandy pointed out. Most advanced users hook up with their preferred chat client and IRC in the groups.

devils_haircut

ScrawnyRonnie wrote: »

Google hangouts.

I work for our managed services team. We used to have Lync. Then our marketing team decided they liked Google Hangouts better. They never used the features in Lync like Presenting or video conferencing. So yeah...lots of unhappy techs and engineers.