What to Expect in Professional/Business Walkie Talkie Apps

When looking for a professional walkie talkie app for your business use, your requirements will be quite different than that of a normal user. The feature set in the App you choose, should suit your requirements as closely as possible. There are many “Walkie Talkie” or voice communication apps available but not all are enterprise or business ready. Many features that are important to the enterprise user are rarely found in most consumer walkie talkie apps.

To this end we have a series of posts to elevate your understanding of the requirements of an Enterprise Walkie Talkie System so that you are able to choose the right app during your evaluation.

Here are some Enterprise features that you should expect in a Walkie Talkie System and these have been categorized into the following:

1. Part 1: Walkie Talkie App
2. Part 2: User Management
3. Part 3: Billing and Deployment
4. Part 4: Support & Service
5. Part 5: System Integration

​Part 1: The walkie talkie app
Transmission time of less than 2 seconds
Walkie Talkies needs to be fast and live. The app should operate in an Instant mode where the sender should not need to finish his entire message before the receiver can hear him.
Many consumer walkie talkie apps do not operate in Instant mode and even WhatsApp, the largest messaging app, does not operate in Instant mode. So do check for Instant mode as a basic requirement.
If a walkie talkie app is in instant mode, once the sender starts speaking, a receiver should be able to hear what they say in two seconds or less. There are varying speeds for each app so do test them out to see how they perform.

Group Broadcast of at least 50 people
You will probably need the group broadcast feature. Check that the maximum group size can be at least 50 people and that all 50 people receive the messages at about the same time. The maximum difference should be two seconds.

Private Mode
You will find that migrating from traditional Walkie Talkies to Smart Walkie Talkies is that you have Private mode which allow you to just talk to one person. Private model increase privacy and also keeps the noise from disturbing other people.
Also check how easy it is for you to switch between different channels and modes. Managers or supervisors would most likely be the people who need to speak in multiple conversations.
Use Phone Buttons as PTT

Being able to use one of your phone buttons as the PTT is invaluable as you can use it without needing to touch the screen. It is also very useful when operating in a wet environment or when you have gloves on. You will also be able to operate the PTT without needing to look for the button on the screen.
Headset Support

For event organisers or hotel staff, having headset support is essential. With the use of a headset, you maintain the privacy of your operations and upkeep a professional image.
The basic requirement is to allow PTT via the headset button. Extra features include Bluetooth headset support and being able to change channels via the headset.
Desktop PTT

Not all co-workers will be using a Mobile Phone. Transportation and Logistics companies typically have Operations Support in the office and behind a desk. They would usually already have a desktop or laptop and rely heavily on typing instead of talking. Having a desktop version great enables them to communicate via PTT and also send text and emails from their seat.
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In Part 2, we will explore "User Management". Visit us at www.2waytomobile.com/ to see how VoicePing can benefit your Organization.