Corporate-Messaging Software

Organizations have moved beyond using simple email for communication. Now a messaging server can also be used for other forms of communication, such as video conferencing and chat. It incorporates groupware functions like collaboration, scheduling, calendaring, online meetings, etc. You can configure a messaging server so that different groups work simultaneously on their projects. The conversations in each are threaded, so you can easily follow the flow of conversation.

You could even build a complete workflow system using messaging software. 

Only three brands have made it to the Users’ Choice Club for corporate messaging software. Microsoft Exchange leads by a narrow margin followed by runner-up Lotus Domino. The second runner-up Novell GroupWise is far behind and barely managed to make it to the Users’ Choice Club. 

Both Exchange and Domino enjoy a high degree of brand loyalty amongst their users, with a very miniscule percentage wanting to shift to the other brand. 

Those who opted for Exchange went for a known brand, good quality, and satisfaction with product after using it. Lotus Domino users on the other hand, prefer the software because they have used it and are satisfied with its performance. Good quality is a secondary reason here. 

Exchange seems to enjoy maximum support in the south and that too from the software sector. 

Domino, on the other hand, is strong in the North and has a stronghold on

BFSI. 

GroupWise has its support base in the West, and has received the highest votes from companies with an IT spend between Rs 25 to 50 lakh, the smaller ones. Exchange received maximum votes from companies with an IT spend between Rs 50 lakh to a crore, while companies with a spend of above Rs one crore opted for Domino. 

What Exchange should find interesting in this market, is that those with other messaging solutions are more likely to move to Exchange and not to

Domino. That much more work for IBM to do! What started off as three parallel tracks, email, groupware and then chat, has now combined together to one

platform. In between it has worn many labels and many roles, including knowledge management. As the work

place becomes more and more digital and more and more connected, it will be interesting to see how this category evolves.