The workplace intranet is nothing new. For years (decades in fact), companies have used intranet technology to align employees, enhance collaboration, manage projects, and gather data. But Igloo software, a cutting-edge digital workplace solution, wants to reimagine the intranet experience.
Igloo’s platform is custom-built for the new, flexible workplace. It’s designed to align teams, from remote employees and field workers to back-office staff, with more intuitive tools that boost productivity, engagement, and collaboration.
Currently, more than one million office and frontline workers use Igloo software on a daily basis, and the company has won numerous awards for its intuitive software. We put this impressive platform to the test; to find out how well it can support the teams of tomorrow.
Quick Verdict: Pros and Cons
Igloo is an interesting platform that combines the features of a traditional intranet system with intuitive collaboration tools, culture and engagement solutions, knowledge management, and more. It integrates seamlessly with the apps many employees already rely on, like Slack, Google Workspace, Zendesk, and even Microsoft 365.
While the platform doesn’t offer any advanced project management tools, like Trello, Nifty, or Asana, it does help to keep distributed teams aligned and connected throughout projects. Unfortunately, it is missing advanced AI tools that could have given it an edge over competitors like Simpplr.
Pros:
- Excellent culture and engagement tools
- Integrations with dozens of business apps
- Fantastic knowledge management features
- Built-in tools for collaboration and communication
- Excellent customer service and support
Cons:
- No transparent pricing plans
- Limited AI capabilities
Igloo Software Review: Overview and Pricing
Igloo Software is a flexible, all-in-one platform companies can use to build a unique intranet experience that synchronizes teams from all environments. Designed to keep teams connected and engaged, this platform doesn’t just boost productivity and improve knowledge sharing. Igloo helps you keep your finger on the pulse of employee engagement and experience.
Companies can even design unique, personalized digital experiences for every user, giving them an intuitive way to connect to peers, projects, tasks, digital tools, and data. Plus, unlike some competitors, Igloo puts flexibility first.
Business leaders can connect the platform with any apps or software tools they like, and add new components to the intranet whenever they like.
Unfortunately, Igloo isn’t very transparent about how much companies can expect to pay for its software. According to the company’s pricing page, every company pays a custom fee, based on their specific business needs and structure. Usually, that price starts at around $20k per year, which makes Igloo one of the most expensive platforms around.
However, it’s worth remembering that you get a lot of functionality for that hefty price. The full suite combines knowledge management tools, with Igloo analytics, award-winning customer support, extensive integrations, and secure Azure hosting.
Plus, discounts are available for volume licenses, and non-profit organizations. You’ll be able to talk through your budget when you contact the Igloo team.
Igloo Software Review: The Key Features
Before we dive into the key features of the Igloo software platform, we should note this isn’t your standard project management platform, or collaboration app. Igloo gives companies a highly flexible intranet environment that can adapt to their specific needs.
Here’s a closer look at some of the key components you can customize in the Igloo platform.
Igloo Collaboration Tools
As mentioned above, Igloo integrates with a lot of modern collaboration tools like Slack, and Google Workspace, but it’s also a collaboration platform in its own right. Companies can choose from various “digital workplace” solutions pre-built for specific use cases.
For instance, you can use Igloo to design Team Rooms, where departments and employees can share updates, documents, and messages in real-time. These rooms integrate with file sharing apps, and calendars for scheduling meetings and events too.
Companies can also create Request Centers, for team members to instantly submit requests for things like new technology or hardware to administrators. There are project rooms for project management, with the ability to assign specific tasks to individual team members. Plus, you can create deal rooms for salespeople, IT help desks, and board rooms, where business leaders can publish announcements and post meeting agendas.
The integrated company directory makes it easy to design interactive organizational charts, with integrations to popular tools like Active Directory. Plus, companies gain access to a comprehensive management center, where executives and HR teams can post company objectives and goals, compile FAQs, and share policy documents.
Igloo Software: Culture and Engagement
One of the things that really stood out to us when we were testing the Igloo software suite is how much it focuses on improving the employee experience. The “Culture and Engagement” tools built into the platform are great evidence of that. Companies can create cultural stories and share them with the team, and they can design social feeds where staff members can chat, share, or like content.
The “Social Center” even comes with its own calendar so you can publicize and promote upcoming events. There’s also the option to post classified ads in an interactive forum. Teams can even collect feedback with live polls or create their own custom photo walls.
To keep employees motivated, business leaders can create comprehensive reward and recognition programs within Igloo, and share kudos in an instant. The Recognition Center integrates with other employee recognition and reward applications too.
Plus, there’s the option to build a comprehensive onboarding experience for new employees, with access to training resources and FAQs. You can even create a “New Hire Room” to connect new employees with mentors and subject matter experts.
The “Staff Room” feature also gives businesses a convenient way to build a sense of community and offers access to best practice wikis, forums for open discussions, training sessions, and forms. Beyond all that, Igloo comes with access to unique features like a “Health and Wellness” center, where businesses can share access to gym memberships, wellness tips, and more.
Employee Communications in Igloo
We’ve already mentioned a few of the ways teams can communicate in Igloo, such as by sharing picture or text-based updates on social walls, and connecting with colleagues in forums. Beyond that, Igloo offers access to a selection of additional “communication” tools.
For instance, there’s a feedback center where team members can share their insights directly or anonymously and contribute to polls and quizzes. There’s also a handy newsroom where business leaders can share the latest business updates, blog posts (with an automated feed), news reports, and content about market trends.
RSS feeds connect updates and posts from various social media channels into a single environment. Teams can also create a “virtual town hall” environment, perfect for sharing upcoming event information, links to resources, feedback surveys, and announcements.
The biggest downside is that the platform does not include any actual “conferencing” tools. Although team members can schedule meetings using the integrated calendars, they can’t host a video or audio conference within Igloo itself. For that, you’ll need to rely on the Microsoft Teams integration, which also means paying for extra software on top of your Igloo subscription.
Igloo Software: Knowledge Management
Although Igloo does many things well (particularly customization), we really think it excels in knowledge management. With Igloo, you don’t just get a cloud-based platform to store files; you get a comprehensive enterprise search solution.
With integrations, you can connect all of the data, documents, and files your teams might need into a single environment and create new pages and documents within Igloo. There’s also an intelligent search function that can search through thousands of files in an instant to help your employees track down the right data faster.
Plus, the Knowledge Management system in Igloo gives you access to artificial intelligence. AI-powered tools can suggest relevant content to team members based on their needs or workflows. Every aspect of the Knowledge Management experience is intuitive.
You can create pages with templates, automate targeted content delivery to specific groups, manage information groups in custom Wikis, and so much more. If you’ve ever struggled to keep your information aligned in one place, Igloo Software has the solution for you.
Frontline Workspace: Igloo Flex
Igloo Flex is basically the all-in-one solution that brings numerous features of the wider software platform together into a simple app for frontline workers. The Igloo team will help build and customize this app experience for you, ensuring you can give teams on the move access to the capabilities, widgets, and information they need to excel.
This is one of the most impressive frontline workspace solutions we’ve seen on the market. Not only is it highly customizable (each employee can even personalize their own experience), but it’s packed with intelligent tools. The app uses AI and machine learning to learn how staff members use it over time and gradually improve the experience.
Built-in analytical tools give administrators and content creators a behind-the-scenes insight into how they can better support and engage workers. Plus, you can even create dynamic content solutions that automatically adapt to specific roles, devices, or locations.
Igloo Software: Ease of Use and Integrations
Getting started with the Igloo Software platform can be a bit tricky. There are many different things to configure and set up, from your directories to your various “Rooms” and spaces for knowledge-sharing, communication, and collaboration.
The good news is that integrating the platform with the tools you already use is quick and easy – you don’t need any developer or coding knowledge to connect apps and data. Igloo integrates seamlessly with dozens of tools, such as Zapier, Dropbox, Zendesk, ServiceNow, and Microsoft 365.
Even if you need a specialist integration solution, Igloo’s team can step in to help set everything up. Plus, once you have configured everything, Igloo’s software is very user-friendly. The interface is crisp and clean, even when you’re using a mobile device. Plus, individual users can adjust the appearance of their dashboard with a drag-and-drop interface.
There’s even a fantastic search function that allows users to search through multiple apps and repositories at once for the data they need.
Igloo Software: Customer Support
Finally, we wanted to draw attention to Igloo’s incredible approach to customer support. This is a company that really takes customer service seriously. If you have questions about anything – from how you can create a more inclusive workspace, to how to use a specific feature of the platform, you can find tons of great guides, videos, and infographics in the Igloo resource center.
Igloo’s customer service team also provides end-to-end support for every client. Once you become a customer, you get access to personalized training via Igloo University to help your leaders and team members make the most of the software.
You can also turn to the team for help with visual design if you want to brand your intranet software, implementation support, and expert consulting. The Igloo “Digital Workplace Excellence Program” even gives you access to a customer support specialist who constantly offers insights and tips to help you reach your goals faster.
If you want to contact the team directly, you can get in touch over the phone (in North America), or via email. While there doesn’t seem to be an online chat option, there is a great “Customer Care Community hub”, where chat with the team and other Igloo customers.
Igloo Software Review: The Verdict
Overall, the Igloo Software platform is a fantastic solution for any company in search of a state-of-the-art intranet solution built for the future of work. More than just a digital platform for connecting teams, projects, and knowledge, this is an all-in-one toolkit for boosting team engagement and transforming workplace experiences.
It might be a little complicated to understand to start with, and it’s definitely not the cheapest intranet option on the market, but Igloo has many unique benefits. If you’ve got the budget and have struggled to keep your team aligned until now, it’s worth giving Igloo a try.
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