We all know that we need to be better listeners. However, it’s not always easy to listen when someone has a problem or concern about something they experienced. In fact, sometimes you might want to be defensive or embarrassed by what someone has said about you! If we could just hear each other out before responding–and anonymously–then we’d be able to learn from each other’s experiences without any negative feelings getting in the way of good relationships. Here’s where anonymous feedback comes into play.
Anonymous feedback is one of the best ways to improve trust and build relationships
It’s important that you receive feedback from your employees, customers, or partners. When people feel heard and understood, they’re more likely to cooperate with you in the future—and vice versa!
Feedback can come in many forms: face-to-face conversation (via phone calls or video chats), written notes on paper documents (like performance reviews), text messages sent through apps like Slack; even audio recordings made using voice-recognition software are all valid options for receiving feedback from others.
Anonymous feedback has its drawbacks though. Sometimes it feels like no one cares what you have to say because they’re too busy. This kind of situation isn’t ideal. However, there are ways around this problem. And it’s by making sure everyone involved knows exactly what needs addressing before giving any sort of feedback.
Customers and employees can leave feedback, as well as others in your network
It’s important to note that the person providing feedback may or may not have known you before the situation arose. They are likely to hold an opinion about what happened based on their own perception of events rather than their first-hand experience with you. This can be beneficial for both parties involved.
In one case study conducted by researchers at Harvard Business School, participants who received anonymous feedback from a former colleague gave higher ratings for performance than those who received personal feedback from the same person (Stern & Linsky 2008). This indicates that, when employees feel comfortable sharing their opinions about colleagues’ work with others outside of work settings such as via email chains or other communication channels (where people interact directly), they are more likely to provide honest assessments without fear of repercussion or retaliation from superiors.
When we receive feedback, we are able to reflect on and learn from it
We can assess our progress in areas that need improvement. Furthermore, it helps identify strengths and weaknesses and help make adjustments to help us become a better person. This process is beneficial for everyone involved—not just the person receiving feedback but also those who provide it!
Feedback is a good thing because it helps people grow as individuals. It encourages self-reflection and growth by giving them an opportunity to assess their own actions or behaviors from an outside perspective. Receiving regular positive feedback can serve as an important motivator for those who want to improve themselves or their work performance at any given moment in time.
Anonymous feedback allows us to focus more on our relationships with each other rather than their concerns about us
If someone has a problem with you and wants to tell you about it, they may be hesitant because they don’t want their name attached to the issue. Or, they might feel embarrassed by what they say. With anonymous feedback tools like RumbleTalk Polls, they’re able to share their concerns without being identified as the one who made them uncomfortable or who had a negative experience. They can express themselves freely without worrying that their thoughts or feelings will be taken out of context or misunderstood by others in the company.
Using RumbleTalk Polls to get feedback
To ensure anonymity, chat room admins can create polls where users can vote without revealing their identity. This feature enables anonymous responses, making it impossible for members and administrators to know who voted for which option.
To create a poll in the chat room, go to the chat settings and select Create new poll. Simply fill in the question and four possible answers, and then click Send to share it with the group. Once everyone has voted, click Publish to display the results for all to see.
This increased transparency helps improve trust between colleagues because employees know how much value there is in sharing information openly with each other without fear of retribution from management teams (or coworkers).
People appreciate being heard even if they don’t have to be named
One of the easiest ways to improve trust is by encouraging people to be heard. Even if you don’t have to name names, it’s important to know that they’re not being judged or ignored.
Another benefit is that it allows individuals who might not feel comfortable sharing their true feelings in person. For example, new hires are given an opportunity for honest self-expression without fear of reprisal. This can lead them towards greater personal growth and development over time, which will ultimately improve your organization’s culture overall!
As you can see, anonymous feedback can be a powerful tool for improving trust. It allows people to offer their opinions without worrying about being judged or taken down by someone in their network. This makes it easier to speak up and share experiences with others who might have similar goals. In turn, we learn from each other’s perspectives. It may not always be easy at first glance. But once you start seeing how much value anonymity brings into our lives, then it will become easier because we feel more comfortable sharing our thoughts with others around us!
Explore the benefits of providing a safe and confidential space for employees to share their opinions. Send us a message at https://rumbletalk.com/about_us/contact_us/ to schedule a free demo.
Chat rooms seem to be popping up everywhere these days. You may be curious about the reasons behind this phenomenon and why website and app owners find the chat room arena so appealing. The return of chat rooms is an interesting phenomenon, especially in the AI era.
Chat Rooms for Online Communities has evolved from simple text rooms to moderated pre-approve messages (queued messages) to video calls and polls.
Let’s start with the evolution of chat rooms. Chat has become an integral part of our daily work routine. Surprising statistics indicate that, over the past three years, chat communications have accounted for nearly 50% of all digital communication mediums.
Key reasons for chat rooms’ return
In the realm of the digital age, chat rooms initially dominated, but in 2011, a shift towards one-on-one chats, particularly through support chat, emerged. Subsequently, the mobile era facilitated seamless communication through individual chats. Concurrently, team chats and gaming chats began to flourish.
However, we are now witnessing the return of social rooms, commonly referred to as group chat or chat rooms, as both open and closed communities increasingly embrace them.
The main reason for the return of chat rooms post-Corona is the changes in the business community, here are the reasons in a nutshell:
Community Building:
An increasing number of businesses have recognized the importance of leveraging communities to boost sales and foster customer loyalty. Consequently, creating customer communities has emerged as a significant trend. Businesses are utilizing these communities to gather feedback from their customers and facilitate peer-to-peer interactions among customers themselves.
Privacy and Anonymity:
Previously, chat rooms were predominantly associated with niche industries and attracted specific types of individuals. However, in the present day, as chat rooms are widely utilized for diverse purposes, the emphasis on privacy and encryption in communication has instilled a sense of reliability.
Multiple Rooms & API:
The advancement of chat room technology has simplified the process of integrating chat rooms into websites or applications through API calls, such as REST Angular. In today’s era, the Software as a Service (SaaS) industry enables users to create numerous chat rooms using APIs and provides the flexibility to control various aspects of the rooms directly from their servers.
The COVID-19 and world instability:
The Corona pandemic has acclimated us to increased reliance on online communication, with chat platforms becoming an important way of communicating for various interactions, be it group discussions or team collaborations. The return of chat rooms got a huge boost by the Corona period and chat rooms became familiar to most individuals.
Topic-Specific Focus:
Many chat rooms are dedicated to specific interests or niches, allowing users to engage in discussions tailored to their passions, hobbies, or professional fields.
When customers are asked about the reasons behind the widespread use of chat interaction, an overwhelming majority of 79% express a strong preference for its immediate response.
This statistic underscores the growing demand for quick and efficient communication in today’s fast-paced world. Chat interactions offer the convenience of real-time engagement for both customer support and chat rooms, allowing customers to obtain information, resolve issues, and receive in-person support, AI support, or community support without the delays associated with traditional communication channels.
The instant nature of chat provides a sense of immediacy and responsiveness, empowering customers with timely solutions and enhancing their overall experience. As a result, businesses are increasingly adopting chat platforms to meet customer expectations and gain a competitive edge in the market.
Open or members-only chat room?
When it comes to building a community and engaging audiences, businesses have the option of creating a members-only chatroom or utilizing an open chat platform. Each approach offers distinct advantages, and the choice depends on the specific goals and requirements of the business. Let’s explore the key points to consider when making this decision.
Building a Community for Members Only: A members-only chatroom provides businesses with a higher degree of control over the interactions within the community.
By limiting access to registered members, businesses can ensure a more focused and exclusive environment. This exclusivity can foster a sense of belonging among members, creating a stronger bond and encouraging deeper engagement.
Additionally, a members chat room allows users to communicate directly with each other, facilitating networking, collaboration, and the exchange of valuable insights.
Utilizing an Open Community: On the other hand, an open chat platform offers businesses versatility in its usage.
It can be seamlessly integrated into various scenarios, such as live events, alongside broadcasting videos, or during open radio shows.
An open chatroom allows businesses to reach a broader audience, including both members and non-members, maximizing their potential reach and visibility. This accessibility can attract new users, encourage participation from a diverse range of individuals, and provide an opportunity for businesses to showcase their expertise to a wider audience.
Ultimately, the decision between a members-only chatroom and an open chat depends on the specific objectives of the business. If the primary goal is to build an exclusive community with controlled interactions, a members-only chatroom is ideal.
On the other hand, if the aim is to leverage the chatroom in various contexts and engage a broader audience, an open community approach may be more suitable.
Engagement in chat rooms.
One of the main reasons for the return of chat rooms is the fact that technological advancement made chat more robust and feature-rich.
Most chat room platforms offer a range of unique features that can significantly enhance engagement among participants. These features go beyond basic text-based communication, providing interactive elements that foster meaningful interactions. Let’s explore some of the key features that make chat rooms a powerful tool for engagement.
Polls:
One compelling feature of chat rooms is the ability to conduct live polls. This feature allows businesses to gather real-time feedback from their community members, enabling them to make informed decisions based on collective opinions. Polls encourage active participation, spark discussions, and give participants a sense of involvement in shaping the direction of the conversation.
If the message is approved, it is published in the chat room for all participants to see. However, if the admin deems the message inappropriate, it will be rejected and not shown to anyone in the chat room.
Video and Audio Messages:
Incorporating video and audio message capabilities into chat rooms can significantly enhance engagement. Users can express themselves more effectively by sharing visual or auditory content, adding a dynamic and interactive element to the conversation. This feature enables participants to convey emotions, provide visual demonstrations, or share multimedia content, resulting in a more immersive and engaging experience.
Private Chats:
Another valuable feature is the option for private one-on-one conversations within the chat room. Private chats enable users to have more personal and confidential discussions, fostering a deeper level of engagement. This feature is particularly useful for businesses looking to provide personalized support, address individual concerns, or facilitate networking opportunities among community members.
Private Video Calls:
Chat rooms can also facilitate private chat with video calls, allowing users to connect face-to-face in a secure environment. Private video calls are ideal for conducting virtual meetings, providing personalized consultations, or hosting exclusive events within the community. This feature enhances engagement by promoting direct and interactive communication, fostering stronger relationships among participants.
By incorporating these unique features into chat rooms, businesses can create a vibrant and interactive space that promotes engagement. Whether through live polls, private chats, video and audio messages, or private video calls, these features offer diverse ways for participants to connect, collaborate, and actively participate in the conversation.
SaaS chat room platforms
There are many SaaS chat platforms. When you wish to consider the right solution for you, you will need to consider the next points
Stability – this is the most important thing when choosing a platform. Website load – some services might slow down your website. Pricing – is very important especially when many rooms are needed. Features – Check that you have the features you need in the service.
As part of the return of chat rooms overview, you may see below some of the selected SaaS services out there (there are more for sure):
RumbleTalk
RumbleTalk is ideal for any type of website or app. It is equipped with a powerful unique pre-approve messages feature in addition to polls and video calls.
It can be added to any website through an HTML copy-and-paste code or chat APIs.
An interesting option is creating your chat page without having a website using RumbleTalk’s admin panel. The page can be used as a minisite or landing page for a business or offered services.
RumbleTalk’s pricing has 4 tiers: Free, Professional, Business, and Enterprise. The Free plan includes a basic plan where you can try out the features before you proceed with the other 3 tiers.
If you’re holding large-scale events such as international conferences or virtual events, you can talk to Rumbletalk sales to arrange an Enterprise plan.
Cometchat
CometChat offers an array of solutions for developers looking to quickly integrate app chat, video, voice messaging, and moderation tools across a variety of industries. With support for 10 SDKs and pre-built chat plug-ins, CometChat offers flexibility and ease of use.
Their pricing is divided into three tiers: Essentials, Pro, and Custom, with a significant difference in cost until your app starts to scale.
PubNub
Compared to other real-time app development platforms, PubNub offers a lower-level approach that doesn’t include pre-built visual components for the front end. This means that developers will have to invest time and resources to create their own chat experience.
On the pricing front, PubNub offers a Starter plan and for larger-scale projects, there is a custom-priced Enterprise plan that offers volume-based discounts.
Twilio
Twilio’s Conversations API is a versatile tool that enables businesses to interact with their customers via voice, SMS, video, chat, and email. With the API, developers can integrate chat functionality into their apps, and extend the feature-richness of an in-app chat experience to an omnichannel communication and user engagement strategy.
Agora
Agora’s chat platform provides developers with flexible customization, reliable network quality, and ease of implementation to create a high-quality chat experience for their users. With over eight SDKs available, developers can add customized messaging features to real-time video and voice apps.
Stream
Stream’s Edge infrastructure and 99.999% SLA uptime power activity feeds and chat for both enterprise organizations and billions of end-users worldwide.
Stream provides custom UI kits, extensive documentation, and tutorials for its React, React Native, iOS, Android, Flutter, Compose, Unity, and Unreal SDKs. Its easy-to-integrate solution typically takes only a few days to a week to implement, while other chat APIs can take months.
Sendbird
Sendbird is a chat provider that offers APIs, SDKs, and UI kits to enable customers to quickly create a feature-rich messaging experience.
Sendbird’s pricing is divided into four plans: Developer, Starter, Pro, and Enterprise. Each plan is priced based on the predicted number of monthly active users (MAU) and peak concurrent connections for your app.
Price compare
There are two pricing models SaaS chat room services use:
MAU – Monthly active users. In this case, any unique user that opens the chat or the page where the chat was embedded will be considered as 1 unique user.
Concurrent Users – maximum number of users in a chat room at a given moment. In this case, there is no importance in how many users there were in the entire month, but rather how many can be opening the chat in a given moment (concurrently).
Although all the solutions we listed are more cost-effective than developing an in-house chat system, RumbleTalk stands out as the most affordable, supportive, and feature-rich option. The table above compares other chat platforms’ monthly prices per MAU with those of its competitors that have similar features.
It’s worth noting that RumbleTalk’s plans (starting from Professional) include customer support, while CometChat, Agora, PubNub, and Twilio charge separately for this service.
As your MAUs and peak concurrent connections grow, RumbleTalk becomes increasingly cost-effective compared to its competitors if you’re looking for a scalable, enterprise-ready chat solution.
If you’re currently using another provider’s API and want to migrate to RumbleTalk, they’ve got you covered. Learn more about it here.
Stay tuned for the evolution of chat rooms
Chatting in real-time with someone else is fun and addictive. It lets you connect with people from all over the world at no cost. They’re here to stay, but they might be evolving into something new than ever before as we’ve seen with video games or social networks like Facebook (which has its own chat app).
The comeback of chat rooms could be exciting for those who want to build a brand community or just hang out with friends!
This was The Return of Chat Rooms article that tries to explain the evolution and reason for chat rooms coming back. If you want to try it out, send us a demo request and we will be happy to show you how to use it.
In today’s digital age, online communication has become a crucial aspect of many industries. One effective way to engage with an online audience is through live chat platforms like RumbleTalk. This powerful tool not only offers seamless chat features but also provides advanced customization options. In particular, RumbleTalk’s CSS capabilities allow users to fully tailor the chat experience to match their brand’s aesthetic by letting users inject CSS codes.
In this blog post, we’ll explore how you can leverage RumbleTalk’s CSS capabilities to enhance the look and feel of your live chat, creating a more cohesive and engaging experience for your audience.
Injecting CSS codes into your chat room
By injecting custom CSS, you can personalize the appearance of your chat room to fit your brand or website’s design. This feature allows you to make advanced customizations, such as changing the color of the chat room header, altering the size and position of chat messages, or adding custom fonts. Injecting CSS into your chat room is easy to do, and it can help enhance the user experience by creating a more visually appealing and cohesive chat environment.
To add a CSS code, go to your admin panel. Click Advance Design > Advanced CSS Design. Then, choose where you’re going to add the CSS code, i.e., mobile or web browser.
The latest CSS codes you can add to your chat room
1. Customize a user’s message appearance via userid
Configuration for chat bubble color
In this sample, we’re changing the chat bubble color of the admin only.
These are just some of the CSS codes that you can try out. These codes are for the web version of the platform. The CSS codes for mobile browsers differ. For an extensive list of CSS codes, visit our knowledge base.
Go beyond the limits with RumbleTalk’s CSS capabilities
In conclusion, RumbleTalk’s CSS enables users to customize their chat rooms to their liking by injecting their own CSS codes. This allows for a fully personalized chat experience that aligns with the branding and aesthetic of the website or application. With the ability to modify font styles, colors, and layout, RumbleTalk offers a highly versatile chat solution that caters to individual needs and preferences. By providing users with the tools to inject CSS codes, RumbleTalk empowers them to create a unique chat environment that elevates their online communication efforts.
