WebsiteCompass 9 Email is interoperable, while instant messaging apps are proprietary. Two people using two different email providers can still exchange emails, which is why email is classified as interoperable. This is not always possible with instant messaging since most chat tools are proprietary. For example, you can’t chat via Messenger with a Facebook user if you don’t have a Facebook account yourself. Email has a slow pace, while instant messaging offers real-time conversation. With email, hours or even days may go by between someone receiving an email and sending their reply—the expectation for a quick response is often not there. By contrast, instant messaging can replicate the real-time pace of a face-to-face conversation, making it well suited to spontaneous chats that require immediate responses and a free-flowing exchange of information. People are more willing to reply immediately to an instant message. Email is suitable for mass communication, while instant messaging is not. When you need to send a message to 50 or 100 people, email is the way to go. You can create groups of recipients and conveniently send an email to many people. With instant messaging, all participants must hold an account with the application provider, which can make mass communication more challenging. Email allows for archiving, while instantmessaging ismore limited in this capacity. It’s easy to organize and archive emails so you’ll have a searchable record of previous messages, threads, and attachments. This is particularly important for business communications. With instant messaging, you’ll likely have fewer archiving abilities, and it’s more difficult to search for old chats. Email is more like“letter writing,”while instant messaging encourages multi-tasking and team collaboration. Email is the familiar way to send information and attach files. However, the communication options offered by instant messaging are much broader. They include chat, audio/video calls, file exchange, screen sharing, remote access, conferences, and other features that enhance team communication. Here’s the Long and the Short of It Email is generally more appropriate for long messages, and instant messaging for short messages. However, you’ll have to decide which platform makes the most sense for you, depending on the nature of any given communication. Most people end up using a combination of email and instant messaging. In addition to the length of the message, keep these other factors in mind when deciding which platform to use. If you can’t decide between email and instant messaging, you can always make a phone call. Isn’t it great to have options? Email works best when: • The message contains a lot of detailed information. • Critical documents, such as contracts, need to be sent. • The message is solemn or part of a professional exchange. • Archival features are needed for storage and management. • There’s a large group of recipients. Instant messaging works best when: • It’s an urgent or time-sensitive message. • You want the recipient(s) to respond immediately. • Several people need to talk and/or collaborate in real time. • You want to have a casual chat using informal language.
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