WhatsApp is simple, convenient and popular. Due to this, it is used for official work as well. Whether you like it or not, you have to accept it. Attempts to control it fail miserably. That is where Kaizala comes in. It provides all the convenience of WhatsApp plus all the security and governance you need for managing official work and data. It is a no brainer. But still, let us see WhatsApp vs Kaizala comparison from a business collaboration point of view.
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Cost
WhatsApp is free. There is a business version with APIs which is also available for free (as of now). Kaizala is also free but there is a pro version – which is required to get all the corporate features. It costs INR 100 (USD 1.5) per month per user.
Before we worry about the cost, let us also understand the potential benefits so that you can perform an informed cost-benefit analysis.
WhatsApp vs Kaizala
This is not just a feature comparison. It is more of a need based assessment to show how Kaizala is far better than WhatsApp in corporate context.
| Need | Kaizala | |
| Chat, photos, documents | Yes | Yes |
| Create large groups | 250 limit | No limit |
| Works on mobile, free app | Yes | YesPro version is required for creating actions and integrating with Office 365 and Azure AD. |
| Centrally control groups | NA | Full Control.Office 365 Administrator can control Kaizala groups even if she is not a part of the group. |
| Audit Trail and Archive | NA | Everything is archived and can be retained as per regulatory requirements. eDiscovery, Legal Holds and Alerts are available. |
| Create Hierarchical Groups | NAMultiple groups need to be created. | Available.Allows creation of organizational hierarchy within a group. Simplifies communication. For example, you can communicate with All Company group as well as West Zone or South Zone – all within a single group. |
| Actions | NA | Polls, Surveys, ToDo items, Training programs, etc. can be pushed through Kaizala |
| Block Chat | NA | Only actions allowed. Chat Blocked. This creates an action oriented, business activity focused group and prevents misuse. |
| Capture Live Location | NA | Possible. Can be captured and acted upon with programming. |
| Workflow automation | NA | Out-of-the-box workflow automation with Flow.For example, a Kaizala survey response can be checked by Flow and appropriate action taken automatically. Zero programming. |
| Survey Aggregation and Analysis | NA | Surveys and forms are captured in real-time. Data is automatically captured and stored. Analysis is instantly available using built-in visual reports created in Power BI.Power BI License is not required to view the reports. |
| Compliance with GDPR, ISO 27001, SOC1, HIPPA | ?? | Yes. Fully compliant.Details here. |
| Customization | WhatsApp for Business | Full API provides integration with Office 365 tools as well as any line-of-business application platform. |
Try it out
Kaizala is a credible and compelling corporate chat application. WhatsApp is a personal chat application. The only way to check its practical effectiveness is to try it out.
If Kaizala provides exactly what WhatsApp does, nobody will move away from WhatsApp.
However, what we have here is a WhatsApp +++ with all the disadvantages — (minus).
That is why I find it to be a highly suitable and flexible platform for corporate chat and collaboration needs.
If you have any queries of comments, feel free to post comments here.
6 Responses
Thank you very much Nitin, I am from animal husbandry department from Gujarat, currently we are conducting livestock census in our state as a part of national programme. I have a group of 700 participants on Kaizala. Out of about 2800 enumerators more and more enumerators are joining our group. By looking to the features offered by Kaizala version I am surprised why people are using WhatsApp! ? But I have a little complaint, in some another group when I tried to add a group into some another group, I lost the utility “type a message” and instead a button “tap to get started’ appears. So instead of directly typing, everybody has to post as an Announcement. Inform the same to the developer of Kaizala through email but didn’t get any reply.
Hi
Thanks for the inputs. Can you send me a mail on nitin@maxoffice.co with details of the problem you are facing?
I will help you resolve it along with help from MS.
Doc.
One more feature I like in the app is that it does not disclose our mobile number to other members. So it is good for privacy, other members can call us or can send message through app without disclosing our personal contact number. Good
Yes. Agreed.
Que signifca N/A?