Keeping the workplace connected and engaged isn't always the simplest task, but a surefire way to help is by managing employees and their peers with an intuitive platform that promotes camaraderie, organization, and increased workflow. . Lark is one of those tools.
Available for desktop and mobile devices, Lark takes a number of familiar apps, like sharing documents, calendars, and mail, and also integrates each and every one of these must-have tools into one cross-platform app. Oh, and it's completely free.
Is the Lark integration process worth it? We tried the tool to find out.
Features
Serving as an intuitive communication and cooperation hub for industries such as tech startups, education, retail, and media, Lark consolidates a number of common business tools into a single, easy-to-use interface. Free for Windows and Mac desktop computers, as well as for iOS, Android and Windows mobile devices, everything you can do on your work computer with Lark, you can also do it on your phone at home or at work.
Whether your company is either new to work suites like Lark or moving from a different platform, Lark does everything it can to look and function like a series of workflow programs and extensions from a basic browser.
On the surface is Lark Messenger, where users can create customizable chat threads with project contributors, management, and other team members. For anyone familiar with Slack or Microsoft Teams, Lark's Messenger tab is going to be quite a match. Lark Messenger lets users monitor interaction history and even lets users adjust message priority settings and track message delivery status.
There's even a chatbot feature that can be customized to post messages in certain threads at predetermined dates and times, which is great for things like town hall reminders and deadlines.
If you join an established team at Lark, the Calendar feature can be easily paired with Google Calendars, making it easy to catch any existing events.
Other cool Lark quirks include:
- Lark Docs to share files in the cloud of Documents and Spreadsheets
- Lark Contacts to add new Lark contacts and emails and create larger working sets
- Lark Meetings to create, join and schedule conferences
- Live screen sharing features that let you share a number of file types already before, during, and after Lark assemblies
And best of all, if you or a colleague doesn't know how to use something at Lark, the company offers 24/7 support from live representatives, email support, frequently asked questions, and a host of great training materials at form of weblogs, in what way- to videos, webinars and documents.
Private life
Lark's desktop and mobile apps take user data very seriously, which is essential for any web-based workflow tool. While Lark does aggregate user data (including messages, files, audio, etc.), it is to provide users with the best possible experience while using the platform. Lark also uses data to handle support requests and to authenticate users.
When it comes to uploading content to the platform, each and every stream is protected by military-grade AES-XNUMX encryption, with a rotating encryption key managed by Key Management Service, an Amazon backup solution.
Pricing
All of Lark's core tools are free for desktop and mobile users. Although there is an Enterprise subscription level for larger organizations (you'll need to contact Lark for costs), most users will be happy with everything included in the free version. This includes:
- Unlimited minutes of video calls for up to three hundred and fifty participants
- Unlimited paging messages
- 200 GB of cloud storage and XNUMX GB of email storage
- Unlimited app downloads, multiple team managers, and customizable workflows
The Enterprise level offers ancillary benefits. For a premium, business users get unlimited cloud storage, a dedicated service client access manager, and 24/5 priority support.
User Experience
We tested the Lark desktop app on a MacBook Pro (1). We appreciate that even before downloading the wizard, Lark asked us if we had a Mac device with an Intel or M1 chip (our test computer uses Apple's proprietary MXNUMX). The initial download was quick, and after dragging the app into our Applications folder and going through the setup wizard, we were ready to try the software.
Right away, we were surprised by how clean the user interface was. When you start the app, the default screen is Lark Messenger. Each and every thread is displayed on the left side of the tab, with the main part of the tab occupied by the chat you are currently writing. Chat history, file management and settings are free on the right side of the tab. screen.
A left-aligned ribbon of helper tabs includes all of Lark's other core tools, with options like Assemblies, Calendar, Documents, Contacts, and a tab for Lark Workplace, an extension portal for adding popular apps like Zoom, Asana, and Trello to your Lark Account.
With each and every one of Lark's many features, it's also amazing how smoothly the desktop app runs with little to no lag when using any part of the platform.
We also tested Lark's mobile interface on an iPhone XNUMX. Honestly, we like the look of the mobile version even more than the cool desktop platform. The left-aligned Tools tab is pushed face down, with the tops of each screen facing away from the tab you're using (Messenger, Calendar, etc.).
From page to page, the iOS app worked flawlessly. We also like the inclusion of a search function (magnifying glass) at the top of the app, which lets you search for anything from documents to contacts to message threads as well.
Competition
Zoho Meeting is a Lark contender that focuses on online meetings, video conferences, and webinars. The free version allows up to 2 session participants and up to ten webinar participants, with unlimited webinars and town halls, screen sharing and many other features.
The Assembly plan starts at €3/month and adds benefits such as cloud storage for video recordings, an administrative portal and audio options (VoIP, phone and toll-free number). The cost of the webinar starts at €XNUMX and also includes live streaming, email personalization and question and answer surveys.
Device Magic is another platform that goes hand in hand with Lark. With a focus on comprehensive communication site data and form collection, Device Magic lets users create, import, and share checklists, audits, inspections, and more. While there is no free tier, the software is only €25/year per device, with free customizable business costs for larger organizations.
final verdict
Lark is a great workplace cooperation suite. The software works seamlessly for desktop and mobile devices, and there are plenty of tools, apps, and extensions to create the kind of workflow environment that works best for you and your team.
Best of all, Lark gives you every single essential (except unlimited cloud storage and certain priority support benefits) for free. If we were starting a new business or would like to migrate an entire team from one workflow communicator to a better one, Lark would be our solution of choice.
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