Cisco Webex vs Slack

Comparing Cisco Webex vs Slack is still a massively hot topic.

In fact, it's been a hot topic since Cisco announced Spark was becoming Webex. This seemed the perfect option for Spark users requiring Slack-like functionality.

However, comparing the two doesn’t really solve the problem most of us face today. 

It's one thing moving from Spark to Webex but what about those that already use Slack?

What does picking apart these apps really achieve and what is the alternative?

Webex vs Slack

At Mio, we always have an eye out for content in the Unified Comms and collaboration realm.

Since Cisco announced its decision to turn Spark into Webex, there has been seemingly an unlimited amount of content produced comparing Webex and Slack. 

Naturally, businesses will want to learn what they can get with each product - and what comes within each tier of each product. For example, Slack Enterprise Grid comes packed with features that you don't see in basic Slack. 

As businesses become more curious as to how the two products differ, there will be more and more of these comparison articles.

Slack has also added a new drop-in audio feature, Slack Huddles.

Key factors when comparing Webex vs Slack

Meetings

Meeting solutions scream Cisco Webex.

But...

The requirement to minimize meetings screams Slack.

Both Slack and Webex offer incredibly different types of meeting. Some businesses will prefer one over the other. But, most businesses will still require a mix.

Webex powers 20 million meetings per month. That's before you take into account the UC-One Meet customers Cisco has acquired via their acquisition of BroadSoft last year. As well as all the voice platform seats, no doubt meeting minutes and interoperability were on Cisco's agenda.

Slack doesn’t have a set meeting function but is rather good at getting people together and collaborating.

Sounds like a meeting, right?

Slack promotes what does and doesn’t work when it comes to meetings. Instead of getting people to down tools and login to a meeting space, Slack encourages a 30-minute session to collaborate in a specific channel. Just like in a face to face or Webex meeting, you have a facilitator to run the "meeting." 

If you have both Slack and Webex in your business, you're going to have some cross over.

What happens when you’re a Slack user and you get a Webex meeting invite? Do you have a strategy for this? Maybe you just wing it.

You might as well have a Cisco Webex login anyway - but then how would your colleagues know what to message you on? 

Comparing Webex vs Slack does not solve the problem of meeting collaboration.

Collaboration

Apps like Slack and Cisco Webex should enhance collaboration in business.

However, when both instances occur, we often see the battle to collaborate across departments.

There is no primary runner in collaboration so it's tough for enterprises to dictate which app is best.

Because of this personal preference and functionality battle, we regularly witness both apps having their place.

A rich collaboration stack must be - and is - the core for Slack and Cisco Webex. Without this, it's just another app added to the IT Manager inventory, and productivity dwindles.

With the app inventory growing more and more, research points to enterprises best managing larger amounts of apps.‍

‍"3+ collaboration apps are used in enterprises. The larger the company, the greater the chance of multiple apps in use." - No Jitter.

Perfect collaboration cannot be achieved using one platform.

In this nirvana where you can buy one platform and please everyone on day one, forcing collaboration almost always drives failure and users will always find a new favorite.

Our own research with the Pro Football Hall of Fame highlighted that the regularity of users introducing their own messaging platforms. Chad Reese, Director of IT said:

"We always refer to this challenge as shadow IT. At one point we didn’t offer a lot phone-wise. People didn’t know you could install Microsoft Teams or Glip on your phone. We saw the younger generation start using WhatsApp groups.”

In sum, the debate between Webex and Slack encapsulates the broader challenge of selecting the right tools for collaboration within businesses. As enterprises continue to navigate the complexities of modern communication, embracing flexibility and adaptability in their collaboration tools will be key to fostering a truly connected and productive workforce.