Instant messaging
Instant messages are ‘live’ like a phone call but where you use a keyboard rather than talk. Like a phone call, they are private and cannot be read by anyone else. You can, however, invite others (assuming they are online and signed in) into the ‘conversation’ thus making the exchange more like a conference phone call.
Not a great advantage over a local phone call, you might think, but since they are free (if you are on broadband), instant messaging can provide big cost savings in connecting with staff or volunteers from different regions.
They are not quite as immediate as a voice-to-voice exchange (unless you are very fast on a keyboard) but are better than email if you want a fast, continuing exchange of views.
See more on instant messages.