Communication is the backbone of a successful business. In order for a company to run successfully, employees must stay in constant communication with each other, so that important tasks aren't forgotten or accidentally completed twice. Fortunately, new technologies have allowed for smoother, faster communication in the workplace. With the proper tools, your employees can stay in touch with each other, clients and with the latest industry news so that your business can run as efficiently as possible.
To begin, the Internet has changed the way people communicate in the workplace. Rather than printing out memos the old fashioned way, email has taken over as the primary form of office communication. A personal information manager, often referred to as a PIM, is a tool that allows employees to organise emails, address books, notes, reminders and calendar events all in one place. By installing PIM software on the company network, employees can organise meetings, send messages and access important folders with very little effort. Certain aspects of a personal information manager, such as the company calendar, allow employees to view upcoming events and plan their work accordingly. This saves times and eliminates the potential for double-booking, missed appointments, etc.
Visual communication tools can also aid workplace communication, as they can help place complicated ideas in an easy-to-understand visual format. For example, someone can explain a technical computer process to clients or fellow employees simply by taking screen shots of the process and featuring them in a slideshow tutorial. Such tutorials can be projected using a computer projector in meetings or training sessions so that multiple individuals can view them at once. Digital whiteboards are also an effective tool for clarifying difficult concepts in a visual manner.
Finally, business telephone systems allow a company to connect employee-to-employee as well as client-to-employee. Telephone systems that are designed for the workplace allow a receptionist to transfer client calls to the specific employee who can best meet the clients' needs. This helps ensure that the client talks to someone who is actually qualified to help them. Also, employees can call each other using the same system. Business telephone systems also feature options for taking multiple calls and for placing certain calls on hold. For calls that are placed on hold, certain telephone systems can play music to entertain the client while they wait on the other end of the line.
Thus, it has never been easier to communicate efficiently in the workplace. There are a wealth of tools available for businesses to ensure their employees stay connected to clients and each other as well.
Fiona Roy writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
