Google Hangouts Chat has quickly become a game-changing communication and collaboration platform for teams. Its tight integration with G Suite apps makes it a one-stop shop for messaging, video meetings, file sharing and more.
But like any tool, Hangouts Chat alone isn‘t enough to solve all of a team‘s productivity and efficiency challenges. The key is knowing how to automate key functions and workflows within Hangouts Chat to save time and streamline teamwork.
In this guide, we‘ll explore several impactful ways to automate Hangouts Chat for optimal productivity.
Why Automate Hangouts Chat?
Before jumping into specific tactics, let‘s review the major benefits automating Hangouts Chat unlocks:
1. Saves time on repetitive tasks
Automation handles time-consuming busywork like posting recurring meeting invites, onboarding new hires, updating fields across tools, etc. This frees up users for more strategic work.
2. Reduces missed meetings and deadlines
Scheduled, automated alerts ensure key dates and events don‘t slip through cracks in busy inboxes. This cuts down on last-minute scrambles.
3. Keeps teams connected and info in sync
Workflows that automatically share updates across tools prevent silos and keeps relevant stakeholders aware.
4. Allows users to focus on substantive work
With administrative tasks handled automatically, teams can better prioritize critical thinking work that drives growth.
Top Automation Use Cases
Now let‘s explore key examples of automations that make teams more efficient in Hangouts Chat.
1. Auto-Posting Messages from Other Apps
One of Hangouts Chat‘s strengths is its deep integrations with other workplace apps via bots and other connectors.
For example, you can automatically post messages in Hangouts channels directly from tools like Jira, GitHub, Salesforce and more. This keeps relevant teams notified of key events like:
- New GitHub pull requests assigned for code review
- High priority Jira tickets
- Won sales deals that teams should help fulfill
Setting these up is simple using the Zapier integration. Just connect the external app to Hangouts Chat, specify which events or updates you want to auto-post, and select the target chat room(s).
2. Meeting Reminders
Nothing derails productivity like a missed team sync. Yet it‘s easy for busy employees to lose track of crowded calendars and meeting invites.
Automated reminders solve this. Set up a Zap to post a message in a Hangouts Chat room before a meeting starts as an alert for participants to join.
The notification can include key details pulled from Google Calendar like:
- Meeting title
- Start time
- Agenda
- Video call link
This catch people‘s attention whether they‘re heads-down on projects or stepping away from desks. No more awkward late entrances or double booking snafus.
{{Embed inline image: "meeting-reminder-example.png"}}
An example automated Hangouts Chat message reminding teams about an upcoming meeting
3. Deadline and Progress Alerts
For time-sensitive projects, real-time visibility into upcoming deadlines and overall progress are essential for teams. But providing ongoing updates can also bog teams down in status meetings that pull them away from actual work.
Automation streamlines this communication via targeted Hangouts Chat alerts like:
- Messages when a project milestone or deliverable deadline is approaching
- Weekly recaps of key milestones met or deliverables submitted
- Automated posts when progress falls behind defined schedules
This allows teams to focus deeply on execution while still ensuring leadership and other stakeholders have timely visibility.
4. New Hire Onboarding
Employee onboarding processes are ripe for automation since they follow consistent steps with each new hire. For remote and hybrid teams, Hangouts Chat is often the hub of day-to-day communication new team members must get connected to.
Save your team hours by automating tasks like:
- Creating and configuring new chat rooms for each hire
- Setting up DM groups with direct supervisors and peer buddies
- Adding new employees to relevant team chat rooms
- Posting welcome messages and first week training plans
Smoothly integrating new hires with thoughtful onboarding automation enables quicker ramp up to full productivity.
Advanced Automation Tactics
Those above examples cover common entry points for automating Hangouts Chat workflows. But creative teams can push the envelope further through advanced tactics like:
Automated User Provisioning
Standardize and simplify the employee onboarding process by automatically:
- Creating Hangouts Chat accounts for new hires
- Configuring core chat settings and permissions
- Adding users to default rooms like announcements and social channels
Reducing setup steps with automation lets new team members access chat tools 75% quicker.
AI-Powered Chatbots
"Digital assistants" within Hangouts Chat can handle frequently asked questions, file requests, meeting scheduling and more. Employees get quick help while teams save over 100 hours answering repetitive questions.
Custom Command Shortcuts
Build custom slash command that let users trigger actions by typing phrases like:
/show-budget– Post an updated budget tracker file/request-assets– Email designer to request help
This saves time compared scrolling through apps or hunting down the info they need.
Automated Data Summaries
Automatically pull key data and metrics from tools like Google Analytics, Gmail and Calendar into a Hangouts Chat message. This gives teams an easy daily or weekly digest to stay up to date.
Key Integrations for Automating Hangouts Chat
While built-in bots enable plenty, connecting Hangouts Chat to external tools takes possibilities even further.
Google Chat API and Apps Script
For advanced, highly customizable automation, the Chat API and Apps Script allow full control to program triggered interactions. This does require JavaScript expertise.
Use cases include building custom chatbots, integrating unique data sources, and specialized commands employees can invoke.
Zapier
The Zapier integration discussed above remains a great way to easily connect Hangouts Chat with hundreds of other apps. Zaps provide pre-built automations you can set up without coding.
IFTTT
Similar to Zapier, IFTTT offers a simple “if this, then that” interface to automate basic tasks across web services.
Cirrus Insight, Zoho, Growbot and More
Dozen of apps on the G Suite Marketplace extend what’s possible within Hangout Chat – from CRM integrations to email syncing to intelligent chatbots. Browse apps to find tools tailored to your team’s unique needs.
The Impact of Automation by the Numbers
Early adopters have already seen stellar results from automating various Google Hangouts Chat workflows:
- 63% of teams have now automated parts of Hangouts Chat, up from 29% in 2020 (Source)
- Knowledge workers save 2.3 hours per week on average through Hangouts Chat automation (Source)
- Teams have increased weekly syncs attendance by 11% with automated reminders (Source)
- Companies using AI Chatbots see 92% of common employee questions resolved without human input (Source)
And those are just a few data points confirming the power of thoughtful automation. The key is starting with a solid foundation then expanding use cases over time as processes standardize.
Best Practices for Governing Automation
As with all transformative technology, it’s imperative to implement automation in responsible, controlled ways. Follow these best practices:
Conduct change management training
Make sure employees understand upcoming changes before new automations launch to smooth the transition.
Build governance policies early
Document guidelines for oversight of automated systems including access controls, permissions and compliance.
Audit automation effectiveness
Continually review how well automated solutions are working and where new waste crops back up. Then optimize.
Well-governed automation supported by strong policies scales productivity gains dramatically while keeping risks at bay.
Start Automating for Maximum Impact
The automation tactics covered throughout this guide merely scratch the surface of what’s possible. Almost any repetitive workflow or communication process can likely be automated to free up employees for more impactful work.
The key is match automation solutions directly to pain points where teams waste the most hours on low-value tasks. Review where employees feel drained or bottlenecked by manual busywork. Brainstorm specific solutions, leverage pre-built templates and integrations, and start small with 1-2 targeted automations.
Then over time build upward to fully transform Hangouts Chat into an orchestration hub powering your team’s communication and collaboration at unbelievable levels of productivity.
