By Edd K. Usman
Microsoft in the Philippines has launched its new chat app called Kaizala, a?mobile communications platform for all types of organizations, businesses, or government agencies that allow users to reach business executives and CEOs and engage with them personally in real-time.
The Philippines is only the country in Southeast Asia where the chat app has been launched, the second after its introduction in India in July 2017, Microsoft said.
Bertrand Launay, Microsoft Philippines managing director, described the chat app as an easier way for communicating with everyone else.
?Most businesses work with several partners, distributors, and stakeholders who are not on the company’s email address list, so communication can be slow and (not secure). With Microsoft Kaizala, they can better connect and coordinate with the entire team,? he said.
Soon, Microsoft will bring Kaizala to Brazil and other countries. The app has both free and paid versions for download on Android or iOS.
“Kaizala” is apparently a takeoff from “kai zale” which means “what happened” or “what’s up” from India’s Marathi language of the Maharashtra people.
Rajiv Kumar, corporate VP, Office Product Group of Microsoft India, brought the app to the Philippines, saying it was designed for all types of workplaces.
In an interview with Newsbytes.PH, he said “Kaizala is a “simple chat interface app” that everyone and anyone can user.
It “brings the power of getting your work done on a chat interface app and comes with many out-of-the-box action cards that helps” all types of business models get their work completed.
Among the things that can be done in the app include setting up a meeting, getting a survey, connecting with customers, a photo story, a spreadsheet, a quick pool which business can communicate in real-time, he added.
A company can set up a Public Group on which customers can register to become a member, which is different from its Private Group chat set up for its employees.
The Public Group empowers customers to reach and talk with company officials up to the CEO if need be to lodge a complaint, request for new products, or just talk about any issue.
In return, companies can blast messages to thousands of people at the same time about new product or service offerings, discounts, etc., to their customers, again in real-time.
Kumar said he designed Kaizala after two years of meeting with customers around the world. He said he himself developed the chat app.
“We have this for over two years (of development). The inspiration came after meeting all the customers in India, Philippines. I visited 12 countries in the last two years before I developed (Kaizala).”
Microsoft, he recalled, spoke with 1,600 customers from those countries.
“I talked to 1,000 of them and try to understand how (mobile phone) is changing the way work is getting done. I understood what are the pain points with the existing systems, existing applications and I learned in fact a ton from the customers,” Kumar said.
Based on his conversations with the customers he proceeded to developed Kaizala.
Through the app, customers can write one-on-one with company executives, turning the engagement into a very personal one and ups customer experience.
Kumar assured that security for Kaizala from cyber bad guys, or anyone wishing to eavesdrop on conversations.
“I think the best part of this app is designed for businesses; it has all the security, manageability built-in. You want a world-class secure applications for your business, for all the businesses, and this product provides an Office 365 level of security compliance privacy, and world-class security to avoid any kind of hacking.”
