Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems, methods, and computer readable media for allowing users or systems to change the gateway for particular channels of communication in an on-demand fashion, i.e., with the “flick of a switch.” More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this disclosure relates to systems, methods, and computer readable media which, by default, directly interact with each channel of communication and then funnel messages to the appropriate connected clients. Moreover, according to the techniques disclosed herein, each user may choose which device becomes the entry and/or exit point (i.e., gateway) for each communication channel, and that device may instantly become the “master” for those messages arriving via that communication channel. The improved centralized server then knows where to automatically route such messages for each communication channel. Also disclosed herein is a novel “common message object” format for storing and searching through messages in an improved fashion.