Mobile messages have been shown to have open rates of 90% compared to 20% for emails (see research cited by Rebrandly). On top of that, more than 90% of users read mobile messages within the first three minutes of receiving them according to research by MobileSQUARED cited in a Venturebeat article.

Having a mobile messaging app function in an employee app can not only boost internal communications but also improve retention rates for the app. App retention rates have been observed to drive in-app messaging three times higher.

Key chat features

Some key features to consider when offering in-app messaging in an employee app include:

 - Direct messaging: Employees should be able to communicate with each other directly to simplify and enhance peer-to-peer interaction.

 - Group messaging: Employees should be able to create or be invited to join existing groups of colleagues to exchange information.

  - Supervised group messaging: Administrators should be able to create user group-based chat groups that allow administrators to play an active role in facilitating communication.

   - Chat bots: administrators should be able to set up automatic responses for a wide variety of purposes, such as automatic push notifications, to wish an employee a happy birthday or work anniversary.

How to set up messaging notifications

Chat features in employee apps have to be able to send and receive messages between users. Nevertheless, the user experience of messaging is a persistently decisive factor in retention rates. Chat features need to be user-friendly and easy to use while providing a unique experience.

Here are some ways to offer notifications for messages in an employee app:

- Muted and silent notifications: Conversations between individuals and groups can be set to silent or mute.

- Chat archive option: Users can hide non-current conversations and retain access to them in the future to keep chat flows organized.

- Notifications for chat: Administrators or clients can set up a push notification for incoming chat messages as a mobile or in-app vibration, mirroring many popular communication applications' capabilities.

 - In-app attachments: Users can attach images, videos, documents, and audio files from within the employee app.

What administrators can do to make it better

Administrators will encounter use cases in which they will have to determine if a news channel or group chat is more valuable. In some instances, it will be vital to have a thread (users post on individual items), in which case the most viable option would be a news channel. Convenience has a higher priority in other situations, in which case a team chat is probably more useful.

Build employee app chat features on your terms

To drive user adoption, retention and productivity for your employee app, the chat feature should adapt to your employees' needs – not the other way around. The key is to tailor chat to your unique organization and give your employees a platform to discuss their opinions and easily reach the right colleagues with the right message. Learn how Teamvate helps you build employee app chat features on your terms.

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