Everything you need to know about instant messaging: definition, featured apps, and practical tips

The way we interact has changed significantly over the past two decades. Email and phone calls have long been the primary channels of communication; however, with the arrival of smartphones, a new player has emerged: instant messaging.

Nowadays, both in private and work environments, instant messaging has established itself as the preferred communication channel for millions of users due to its speed. For this reason, today we'd like to show you the most useful apps, like Callbell, to allow all businesses to make the most of them in a practical way.

What is instant messaging?

Instant messaging is a type of real-time interaction via text, voice, image, or video messages sent between two or more users via a single app.

Its defining characteristic is speed: messages are delivered instantly. Furthermore, they are available on any device with an internet connection.

The most used messaging apps

There are many messaging apps, and each has its own well-defined characteristics. Globally, the most well-known are undoubtedly:

• WhatsApp: With over 2 billion users, it is the most popular instant messaging app in the world.
• Facebook Messenger: Integrated into the Meta social network, it is primarily used for communication between users and businesses.
• Instagram Direct: In addition to photo and video integration, this tool enables quick conversations and is crucial for interaction between brands and influencers.
• Telegram: Known for its security, it is suitable for large groups and bots.

Each of them has undoubtedly transformed the way we interact, and the best part is how they have become an extremely strategic channel for businesses.

Instant Messaging in the Business World

For all businesses, messaging is no longer a personal means of communication: nowadays, it has become a sales, support, and call center channel. Customers prefer to communicate via WhatsApp or Messenger rather than filling out forms or waiting on the phone.

This creates room for tools that enable teams to manage large numbers of messages quickly and efficiently.

Callbell: An Ally for Business Messaging

Callbell is certainly a prime example of how companies can manage instant messaging professionally. The platform brings together the main communication channels like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct, and Telegram in one place, allowing all teams to collaborate from a unified inbox.

With Callbell, companies can:

• Automatically assign chats to individual agents.
• Use tags and sales funnels to categorize all customers.
• Create chatbots that can answer frequently asked questions.
• Measure team performance with detailed metrics.
• Continue implementing WhatsApp Business thanks to the Coexistence feature, which combines the official API with the mobile app.

This way, companies will be able to maintain direct and rapid communication with all their customers, while maintaining the organization and stability that tools like Callbell offer.

Practical tips for implementing instant messaging in your company

1. Centralize your channels: This prevents each agent from having to answer from their own phone.
2. Reply immediately: Immediacy is one of the parameters every customer expects.
3. Personalize the customer experience: Use the name of the person who contacted you, save their history, and tailor your responses to their needs.
4. Measure and improve: Analyze all metrics, such as response times or the number of chats handled.
5. Train your team: It's not just about learning how to respond to the user, but also offering empathy, resolving doubts or problems, and building trust.

Conclusion

Instant messaging has evolved from a simple personal channel to the heart of business communication, becoming indispensable for both customer service and sales.

allows companies not only to respond to messages but also to convert every interaction into a new business opportunity, while maintaining the speed of WhatsApp and CRM planning.

Would you like to try Callbell free for 7 days? Then, click here.