Feature Spotlight: Private Instant Messaging

Available in the EIOBoard application, Outlook add-in, and browser interface, EIOBoard chat is a private instant messaging system only accessed by the company or organization. Four main benefits are derived from the Savance IM Feature:

1. Private and secure messaging to get quick answers and information
2. Ability to chat with one or several people at once.
3. Queue a message when a user is offline, send automatically upon return
4. Save chat history for future reference, filter by person and date

When Savance was approached by Jerry Tibor, LAN Manager at the University of Anchorage-Alaska, he needed to find a better way to communicate within his department. The Student Services department depended on instant messaging (IM) to collaborate when assisting students; however, recent legislation required that Tibor reevaluate the university's IM carriers for student privacy reasons. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulated how student information is disseminated, and the information sent via instant messaging fell under this authority. The IM carriers could not guarantee the confidentiality of the information transmitted using its service. For this reason, Tibor needed a way to guarantee students' privacy without hindering the collaborative benefits instant messaging provided. With Savance’s security protocols through the instant messaging feature, we were able to meet all of the University’s requirements and solve a huge issue of theirs through our EIOBoard Electronic In Out Board software and Private IM Feature.