APIs (application programming interfaces) make our professional life, as developers, much simpler. This feeling is more remarkable when it comes to IT messaging apps. As we built Tok to boost Chatter’s capabilities, we can say APIs were always good allies. Today, we will share how the Salesforce Direct message API is helping us improve communication for our customers.
APIs: What are they for?
Firstly, we want you to picture this: developers are normally running huge projects and need to create brilliant solutions in a short period of time. Therefore, we need to build bridges between different systems that, often, have never been related. In these situations, we need to be strategic and creative to meet our customer’s expectations and enhance the user experience.
This is when APIs become our best friends. They are able to make two or more systems interact with one another. Oxford defines an API as:
“A set of functions and procedures allowing the creation of applications that access the features or data of an operating system, application, or other services.”
This might sound difficult but the fact is, APIs are everywhere. Every time you use your phone, check your social media apps, share data within your company, or chat with your teammates, there are APIs working behind the scenes.
Direct Message API, a whole new messaging experience in Salesforce
Chatter, the Salesforce enterprise collaboration tool, is no exception. Since Chatter is part of Salesforce, there are several Message APIs that make it possible to integrate this product with other solutions.
For those who are not familiar with Chatter, we are talking about the product Salesforce built to provide a collaborative communication platform. All Salesforce employees, partners, and most customers interact, collaborate, and share information from within Salesforce using Chatter. Everything is available to your teammates and securely archived.
At Oktana we are obsessed with Chatter and that’s why we created Tok, our messaging app to boost Chatter capabilities. Tok is 100% integrated with Salesforce and enables real-time conversations in your company. You can maintain your company culture in a secure way, archiving everything in Salesforce to meet compliance requirements.
As Salesforce has improved Chatter, we’ve been able to refactor Tok several times to take advantage of the new APIs. Previously, we used the Private Message API. However, we started testing the new Direct Message API, and let us tell you, the experience is becoming way more flexible and enjoyable.
New improvements for the next Tok version
First, let us talk about Tok Channels. With the Direct Message API, you will be free to add or remove members whenever you need to. In other words, this is surely a better way to manage real-time communication across projects and assignments. If you are a user and you finish your arrangements on a Channel, you can now leave it and focus on your next project.
What about big, long-term projects? They usually require big teams working together. Direct Message API allows us to host up to 16 members in every channel. In addition, Salesforce created the Direct message API to take care of private conversations:
“Imagine a scenario where a customer brings up an issue they have with a product in the community feed. A support agent can share that post and address the customer’s concerns privately in a direct message. Similarly, a channel manager can discuss sensitive sales data with one or more partner users in a partner community.”
Our team of developers is always working to take advantage of most of the Message APIs available within Salesforce. What is more, we are currently working to support 100% of the Direct Message API. We are committed to real-time communication and this drives us to constantly incorporate new resources. We want to provide you with a solution that increases productivity and develops your company culture. So, stay tuned because we are close to releasing an updated version of Tok with these functionalities. If you haven’t tried Tok, stop overthinking and download it now in this link.
