Data has become the crux of doing business in the modern world. McKinsey calls it the ''crown jewel'' asset in the world of digital transformation. The interesting thing about data is that it doesn't always have to come from third-party sources or specialized tools.
Sometimes, the most valuable data is collected through everyday tools that operate across more than one operating system, with Slack being a prime example of such a tool. Slack collects information and proves to be a handy resource in this regard by providing a treasure trove of internal communication data from the entire company.
Below, you'll learn how to use Slack data to:
Let's dive right in.
To understand the potential of Slack data, you first need to know which data you can export from the platform. Slack data export options differ across subscriptions.
Irrespective of the subscription tier, all Slack admins and workspace owners can export messages and files from public channels.
Although you can download Slack data on a Free or Pro plan, there are a few limitations. The workspace owner has to undergo a review process in order to avoid data breaches. In this review, they provide the following information:
Workspace owners using a Business+ subscription can use the self-service functionality to export Slack data from both private and public channels.
However, they also have to undergo an application process in which they must ensure the implementation of appropriate corporate policies and employment agreements. They must also show that the data exports are in accordance with applicable laws.
Organization owners in the Enterprise Grid can export data from all workspaces, including:
Again, the same application process and compliance with corporate policies and laws apply. Eligible members in this plan can also use Discovery APIs to export and archive Slack files using a third-party application.
Learn more about Slack data exports here.
Slack data exports can serve various purposes in a business. Let's look at the potential uses of Slack data.
One of the many benefits of Slack is its integration with various third party services. There's a plethora of third party services you can use within Slack, and customer support apps are among them.
One such solution is JustReply, which is particularly crafted for early-stage startups that want to manage their customer support needs within Slack. Since the customer tickets initiated through the chat support widget can be forwarded to Slack channels, the conversations within Slack give you an insight into what customers are saying about your product.
By exporting data (files and messages) from the customer support channels, you can learn the following about your clientele:
Let's say you're a ride-hailing app. You export the Slack messages from the customer support channel and notice the repetition of user complaints about the app's inability to show an estimated arrival time for drivers.
Now, your office workers have something to work on that'll make your product better and your customers happy. Eventually, it will lead to a higher customer retention rate, and that's what we all want as businesses.
Besides consumer sentiment analysis, the JustReply-Slack duo also helps you evaluate your customer service team's performance. It's all in the Slack messages.
For instance, you can check how long messages or tickets take to receive a response from your customer service team, how quickly they resolve issues, and how many tickets are left unresolved.
Don't sleep on the file shares. Slack data exports also include information about them.
It's likely your support agents are sharing files or links to support articles to help customers troubleshoot issues. You can keep an eye on the most shared files and articles to see which ones are the most helpful and which ones need improvement.
While customer analytics are essential, don't forget to take a look at the bigger picture — your entire workspace, particularly employees. The wave of disengaged employees is on the rise, and every company needs to take action before it becomes a statistic.
Speaking of statistics, did you know US employers spend $2.9 million a day finding replacement workers? In a year, that's $1.01 billion!
Don't let your team's productivity and morale plummet because of poor communication. Slack data can show you how well-engaged and active your employees are within the platform. From here, you can take steps to improve communication and keep your team motivated.
Slack tracks a few things through its analytics dashboard that will help you understand employee engagement levels:
Suppose your Slack analytics dashboard shows an alarmingly low percentage of messages being read overall. That means your employees are not actively engaging with each other or the company's content.
With this information, your next step would be to check what's wrong. Are the channels too cluttered? Do people not understand how to use Slack properly? Are important announcements being missed?
Use a survey form or an anonymous questionnaire to gather employee feedback. Whatever comes up, you can then use it to make changes and improve the overall communication within your team.
Over time, both employee engagement and customer satisfaction levels can fluctuate. Does Slack track these changes for you? Yes, Slack data enables you to compare them against your benchmark to understand if there has been any improvement or decline.
For example, if you notice an increase in the number of messages sent and daily active members, it could indicate that communication within the team has improved. Maybe this came from a recent Slack usage training or an internal event. A new manager likely has driven the team to use Slack for all internal communications.
Similarly, suppose you see an increase in Slack huddles initiated. Employees might feel more comfortable having quick and spontaneous conversations rather than attending long meetings. You can direct team managers to initiate more huddles to encourage shorter, more efficient communication instead of long messages.
The point is that whatever trend seems to be gaining traction, notice it and see how it can improve your key performance indicators (KPIs). If you have a Business+ subscription, you can even set up recurring exports. Perhaps set a monthly export schedule for regular trend analysis.
Enterprise Grid members can view individual member analytics to determine the level of engagement of each person in their workspace. Here's the information you can get from the Slack dashboard:
Why would you need to know information about a specific member's engagement? Maybe you want to see which members are the most active and engaged — for instance, when looking for a suitable person to lead a project or represent the team in an important meeting.
Now that you know how to use Slack data, it's time to put that knowledge to good use. Start by creating a Slack data retention policy to ensure you're not holding onto unnecessary data. Free and Pro Slack plans only let you transfer data from the past 90 days, so don't wait too long to export any important data.
Once you have a good grasp of your Slack data, you can use it to:
It's time to use Slack for more than just team communication. Off to the analytics dashboard!
