12 Business Communication Platforms That Centralize Conversations for SMBs

Email, phone, social media – you probably use these tools at your business.

But are they connected? Do you have to jump between apps? Or, can you view all your conversations in one neat and organized place?

That’s the beauty of a business communication platform. You get to keep using your favorite tools, but now they’re centralized in one inbox — no switching between apps or remembering lists of passwords. Messages are funneled into a single inbox for you to sort through.

If that sounds like a dream, we reviewed 12 of the best communication platforms for small businesses. Take a look at the prices and features for each and how they can improve your workflow. (Jump to List)

What is centralized communication?

Before we dive in, let’s quickly explain centralized communication. Centralized communication is the practice of funneling conversations into one place. That way, everyone at your business can easily share conversations they’re having with coworkers and customers.

This accessibility makes information sharing easier and helps you track messages coming in from multiple communication channels. It’s much harder to miss an email when every message is forwarded to the same inbox.

Here’s an example of what a centralized communication platform looks like:

Most providers offer tools that respond to messages, real-time chat for internal teams, and integrations with CRMs and payment software.

1. Thryv Command Center

If you feel like you’re fighting to keep up with customers or think you’ve lost them due to poor communication, Thryv Command Center is a versatile solution for small business owners.

It helps you manage calls, emails, and social media chat through an all-in-one inbox. There’s also a TeamChat feature that lets you connect in real-time with coworkers and business partners.

Command Center integrates with payment software like ThryvPay, so you can collect payments through the centralized inbox instead of navigating to another app.

Thryv makes it easy to respond on the go because the mobile app offers all these features. That’s why it’s an ideal solution for small business owners who might not be near a computer during the workday.

Best suited for small business owners, like:

• Construction and Home Services
• Accounting and Financial Services
• Health and Wellness Businesses
• Automotive Businesses
• Real Estate Companies
• Pet Services

Thryv truly gives businesses all the tools they need in one place.

—Danny B.

Features:

• Centralized Inbox: Stop playing tab roulette while checking emails and social media. Thryv’s Command Center combines 12+ customer channels into one spot with a single, easy-to-use inbox. You can easily access previous conversations and reach your customers where they already are.
• Phone & Video Calls: When a situation calls for a face-to-face, hop on a call or connect via video with one click. You’ll get a clear view of the client’s concerns so that you can correct them quickly. The best part is that voice and video calls are held alongside your inbox so that you can stay on top of everything at a glance. You’ll also receive generated voicemail transcripts that make finding and referencing information easy.
• TeamChat: TeamChat lets you send direct messages and set up group chats to keep your staff updated on key information. You can share and markup photos to get a clear view of concerns or action plans. You can also open TeamChat in a separate window to receive real-time notifications and messages without interrupting your workflow.

Price: Free to get started; $20/seat/month for Plus, $30/seat/month for Professional

*Terms and conditions apply. Free plans have limited functionality. Upgraded plans with more functionality are available for a fee. See https://corporate.thryv.com/terms/ for plan and pricing details.

2. Weave

Source

Weave is an all-in-one communication platform equipped with a phone system and a suite of communication tools. For example, a texting feature connects you with customers in two-way conversations. You can text them, and they can text you back.

Weave also has an insurance verification system that streamlines data collection and imports information into your weekly schedule. It’s great for doctors and healthcare providers who regularly deal with this verification process.

Weave’s app will also alert you whenever you have an upcoming appointment. If that appointment goes well, you can use the same app to request customer reviews. Once again, this saves you time from having to switch between platforms.

Best for businesses working in healthcare, like:

• Primary Care Physicians
• Dental Offices
• Home Health Aid Agencies

Features:

• Unified Platform: Every customer conversation is unified on the same platform, so switching between communication apps is unnecessary. Email, phone, and even text are all centralized in one place.
• Text Messaging: Weave’s Bulk Texting feature lets you reach more clients directly on their phones. Rather than sending impersonal messages, you can converse with them in two-way conversations.
• Phones: With Call Pop, businesses can see a client’s information when they call in, which helps create a personalized experience. You don’t have to scramble to find someone’s info while talking to them. Instead, you can see all their past experiences with your business at a glance.

Price: Contact for Pricing

 3. Nextiva

Nextiva is a cloud-based solution with various tools that aid client communication. It brands itself as a “unified customer experience management platform,” and it can help you improve both internal and external communication.

Nextiva is divided into three suites: customer conversations, customer experience, and brand management. The Conversations Suite includes tools like voice calls, business texting, and video meetings — everything you need to have a conversation with a customer or coworker.

The Customer Experience Suite is geared toward customer service. It includes chatbots and AI tools that automate customer interactions.

The Brand Management Suite includes marketing tools like social media managers and customer review software. There’s also an AI-powered live chat feature that you can install on your social media channels.

Best for businesses with high call volumes, like:

• FinTech Firms
• IT Businesses
• Solar Power Companies
• Telecommunications
• Loan Lenders

Features:

• Personalized Phone: Nextiva helps businesses personalize calls to improve conversations with customers. The customer’s last interaction appears on the screen as they call in, making it easier for small business owners to answer questions and meet service needs.
• Social Media: The social media management feature helps businesses monitor their social channels, engage with customers, and analyze platform performance all from one place.
• Contact Center: Nextive is equipped with a contact center that lets businesses see the number of calls in their queue, the number of abandoned calls, the average call time, and more. This feature connects with your phone system and records data automatically.

Price: $19/user/month for Essential, $23/user/month for Professional, $33/user/month for Enterprise

 4. Podium

Podium is a marketing platform that helps you grow and connect with customers while simplifying operations. It has tools for managing customer reviews, like a Facebook review manager, and features for converting traffic on your website, like forms and payment collection software.

Podium is great for businesses with an established website. You can install web chat to have live conversations with customers and collect information throughout a sales or service interaction. It also uses interactive buttons to gather customer insights, which can be saved and used to create a better customer experience.

Best for businesses that rely on online reviews, like:

• Automotive Businesses
• Retail Companies
• Construction and Home Services

Features:

• Customer Reviews: Respond to reviews on Google, Facebook, and any other review site using Podium’s AI-powered response features. These are ideal for managing your reputation and keeping up with your online listings.
• Web Chat: Chat with current and potential customers straight from your website with the Web Chat feature. It helps you collect customer information that you can use for marketing and customer service efforts.
• Surveys: Collect customer feedback with interactive surveys that you can send after each interaction. You can distribute surveys via text, which typically yields faster responses than email.

Price: $399/month for Core, $599 for Pro; Contact sales for Signature pricing

 5. RingCentral

RingCentral is a business phone system that expanded into video calls, text messaging, and virtual events like webinars. It’s great for sales teams that need multiple options for contacting customers, whether in the office or on the go.

RingCentral’s personal AI assistant takes notes during your calls and extracts insights from each meeting and customer interaction. It will even suggest responses to emails and text messages, saving you time when answering routine questions about your business.

RingCentral also has an event management feature to help your business prepare for in-person or virtual events. You can host events and create web pages where attendees can sign up for them.

Best for business owners who want their personal phone numbers back, like:

• Real Estate Professionals
• Repair Businesses
• Nail Technicians

Features:

• Events: With RingCentral, you can host in-person, virtual, or hybrid events with unlimited sessions. You can also create landing pages so that it’s easier to sign up on your website.
• Omnichannel: Omnichannel platforms are systems that connect multiple communication channels into one app. RingCentral can integrate over 20 digital touchpoints for your business.
• Team Messaging: RingCentral has built-in messaging for chatting, sharing files, and managing tasks with your team. That makes it easier to stay in touch with coworkers and update them when important events occur.

Price: $20/user/month for Core, $25/user/month for Advanced, $35/user/month for Ultra

6. DialPad

Dialpad is an AI-powered business communication platform that offers tools for sales teams, customer engagement, and collaboration with coworkers.

One of its tools is an AI sales coach that identifies your sales team’s top performers and looks for opportunities to train other reps based on that success. It can also provide real-time recommendations during sales calls so your team knows exactly what to say if there’s an awkward pause in the conversation.

DialPad’s AI contact center records customer interactions and provides recommendations on how to improve them over time. There’s also an AI chatbot that fields customer inquiries, reducing the number of phone calls and text messages you receive daily. This extra time lets you focus more on projects and time-sensitive issues that require your full expertise.

Best for businesses with sales teams, like:

• Travel and Hospitality Agencies
• Insurance Companies
• Telemarketing Centers

Features:

• AI Meetings: DialPad provides real-time transcriptions and call summaries that you can use to clear up discrepancies when talking with customers. Or, you can use them to get another staff member up to speed when handing over an issue.
• AI Contact Center: DialPad’s AI Contact Center supplies insights into customer behavior and preferences. Use this information to improve customer experiences and create more meaningful interactions at your business.
• AI Scorecards: You can grade conversations using the AI Scorecard feature. Use this information to improve your sales strategies and close more customer deals.

7. Front

Front is a customer operations platform for support, sales, and account management teams. It’s used mostly for customer interactions, but it also has tools to keep your team members connected.

For example, you can use the live chat feature to chat directly with customers. You can also share that conversation with other people at your business. If you don’t have an answer or need help producing a solution, you can tag a teammate in to help.

Front also has automation tools like message routing and categorization. These tools put urgent messages front (pun intended) and center, so you can prioritize them before anything else.

Best for businesses looking to manage internal and external communication, like:

• Transportation Companies
• Insurance Firms
• Property Management Companies

Features:

• Knowledge Base: You can create a comprehensive knowledge base that stores solutions to simple questions about your business. This resource reduces the number of questions and phone calls you receive related to basic customer support.
• Internal Discussion: Team members can create internal discussions around specific topics and projects. For example, you can collaborate on a complex customer support issue or host a team training session.
• Analytics: You can measure how satisfied people are with their customer experience and improve performance over time using Front’s advanced analytics. They’re great for managers who are training team members on different communication skills.

Price: $19/user/month for Starter, $59/user/month for Growth, $99/user/month for Scale, $229/user/month for Premier

8. Trengo

Trengo is a European business communication platform that unifies messaging channels into one view. It connects to email, phone, and apps like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.

One of Trengo’s more unique features is its customer journey tool. It nurtures customer relationships by sending messages to people who interact most with your business. That way, you’re pursuing customers who will actually buy something from you – rather than wasting time on people who aren’t a good fit.

Trengo also hastools to help you monitor customer activity. You can see who’s most satisfied with your business and how much they spend with your company in a given period. Insights like these help you retain your most valuable customers over time.

Best for businesses with peak seasons, like:

• Real Estate Agents
• Financial Services
• Travel Agencies

Features:

• Data Intelligence: Monitor who’s visiting your website and how happy your customers are with Trengo’s data intelligence features. You can also automate tasks based on insights derived from Trengo’s AI assistant.
• Automated Bots: You can install chatbots to handle frequently asked questions, freeing you up to focus on more complex customer inquiries.
• Integrations: Trengo connects with a library of tools, including CRMs and e-commerce platforms. These integrations help you seamlessly close deals without jumping between apps.

Price: €99/5 users/month for Essentials, €149/5 users/month for Boost, €249/5 users/month for Pro

9. Missive

Missive’s business communication platform is similar to a customer support ticketing system. When a new email comes in, a member of your team can assign it to themselves. This action moves the email to their individual inbox and lets coworkers know they’re responsible for handling that issue.

Missive’s platform is also customizable. You can change the theme to dark, light, or a mixed interface. You can also increase and decrease font size so messages are easier to read on smaller devices.

Another advantage of this platform is that it’s very flexible. Missive is compatible with any email provider, even if it falls outside of Microsoft or Google. Missive has plenty of documentation to help connect your accounts and streamline your business’s setup process.

Best for businesses that rely on collaboration and communication, like:

• Marketing Teams
• Digital Advertisers
• Computer Software Providers

Features:

• Message Assignment: Missive lets you assign conversations to individuals or groups of employees. That clarifies who is responsible for what whenever a customer contacts your business.
• Boilerplate Responses: Boilerplate responses are prewritten phrases saved for later use. For example, if you use a phrase often, like “Have a nice day,” you can add it to your emails with the touch of a button.
• Collaborative Writing: With the collaborative writing feature, you can respond to customers as a team. Like a Google Doc, team members can work together on the same interface to write and review an email.

Price: $14/user/month for Starter, $24/user/month for Productive, $36/user/month for Business

10. Bird

Bird is a CRM for marketing and service teams. It also has payment software for collecting payments via email, SMS, and WhatsApp.

Like Nextiva, Bird offers suites or “clouds” of products. There’s a Marketing Cloud, a Service Cloud, a Developer Cloud, and a Payments Cloud. But, unlike Nextiva, Bird charges a flat rate, so you get all these tools and pay based on the number of active contacts in your CRM.

Some key features of Bird include email marketing tools, customer service automation, and expense management reports.

Best for those working internationally, like:

• Computer Software Businesses
• IT Companies
• Financial Services

Features:

• SMS Templates: Bird provides templates for text messages and social media messengers. Through a step-by-step creation process, you can choose what the ads look like and how they’re delivered.
• Localized Phone Numbers: Users can set up localized numbers in over 140 countries. Bird’s ability to anonymize calls keeps customer and employee information private and secure.
• AI-Powered Inbox: Bird’s AI assistant offers quick-reply suggestions and corrections on drafts before you hit the reply button. You’ll send messages quicker while avoiding mistakes that might confuse or upset customers.

Price: $45/month for the first 3,000 contacts

11. Asana

Asana is a business communication platform that offers tons of customization options. In Asana, you design “boards” where tasks are created and organized using columns. You can also switch to a calendar or list view to better understand what your business has to do each week.

Asana can also be used for customer communication. You can create forms that automatically generate tasks once they’re submitted. These are great for answering questions because they give you more time to respond to each message, and you can easily see who reached out to your business first.

The other benefit of this tool is automation. You can set up automatic workflows that create or update tasks based on actions taken in Asana. For example, our blog team has a board to track content production. When a new blog post idea is pitched, a task is automatically added to a column for approval. Once approved, that task is moved into a production column. This process helps me keep track of what I’m writing while also giving my manager insight into what I am doing each week.

Best for businesses to automate tasks:

• Marketing Agencies
• Social Media Teams
• Software Providers

Features:

• Integrations: Asana integrates seamlessly with apps like Google and Slack. It can create tasks based on actions performed in these apps or forward tasks to your other applications. That way, all of your to-do’s are in one place.

• Reporting: You can browse through a series of advanced reports that tell you just how efficient your business is. These reports show how long it takes to complete tasks and where potential roadblocks might hinder your progress.
• Goals: Asana has a “Goals” feature that you can use to track performance over time. You set the overall goal and add tasks to it on the progress bar. Once all the tasks are complete, the bar fills up, and your goal is reached.

Price: Free to get started; $11/user/month for Starter, $25/user/month for Advanced

12. Trello

Trello is similar to Asana. You also set up boards and create tasks where team members can collaborate.

It’s different from Asana because it’s simpler and arguably more user-friendly. It might not have all the same features, but you can customize the interface and change layouts to fit your workflow.

Trello also comes with templates for creating tasks and boards. Rather than designing one from scratch, you can choose from a library of templates, ranging from marketing plans to customer feedback programs.

Best for businesses that want to improve project management:

• Engineering Teams
• Customer Support Teams
• Remote Teams

Features:

• Plugins: Trello offers a series of plugins that you can use to add additional features to your account. For example, there’s a tool that can check how long a task has been in a column and one that will connect your account to Slack.

• Map Views: You can add addresses to tasks to obtain data about a location. That can be useful when closing deals in new places you might need to become more familiar with.
• Automation Tips: Trello’s AI “butler” recognizes repetitive tasks and suggests how to automate them. These changes can be added with just one click.

Price: Free to get started; $5/user/month for Standard, $10/user/month for Premium, $18/user/month for Enterprise

Choosing the Right Platform for Your Business

The best business communication platform fits your workflow and automates tedious or repetitive tasks. It should make your life easier, not harder – and work on whatever device you use most for your business.

Try out some of the options above and consider free demos when possible. Free trials will help you determine which tools work best for your business and make your decision much easier.