Preferred communication channels

Business communication represents any information passed through two or more parties. The methods of business communication are vast, especially with the increasing use of technology. Different methods of business communication include internal and external forms, with some types mixing between these two groups. The communication process is also part of these methods as these channels have several parts. Not all individuals communicate in the same manner; it is often best for an individual to select the channel that suits his or her strengths and creates effective messages for the receiving party.

Internal methods of business communication often have no shortage of types. the most common include face to face, phone calls, and memos in addition to conferences, meetings, or e-mail, among others. The important factors that force a decision among these communication types include the nature of the message and the receiving party. For example, private conversations on a serious topic may not use e-mail as the communication method; a phone call or face-to-face meeting may be best. Messages that pertain to large groups of employees may require the use of a meeting or other large conference in order to disseminate the information in a quick manner.

External communication is typically more formal as messages go from the company to an outside individual or business. Therefore, methods of business communication here include letters and formal meetings, though some other options may exist in certain cases. These methods allow a business to properly inform external stakeholders about certain aspects of the company. Most businesses must be careful when using external communication as legal ramifications may occur if a company improperly discusses sensitive business processes. Poor external communication methods can also lead to confusion about certain business activities, which may result in low consumer opinion.

All methods of business communication go through the communications process, which typically involves several steps. These steps start with source and encoding and move through channel to decoding and receiving, with each step involving part of the communicated message. The source, encoding, and channel typically relate to the individual sending the message. Properly writing the message for ease of understanding and the channel used to deliver the message are very important components because poor choices can distort the message. Decoding and receiving relate to the party who receives the message and how the recipient reads and understands the message sent from the source.

As communication channels continue to grow everyday we start to wonder how to scale that complexity. Many articles suggest that you would be a dinosaur if you decide to promote your fax number nowadays. However, how accurate is that?
As much as we want to believe that the communication continue to evolve and change its form that might be not the case. Based on our observation the physical phone and fax machine will continue to be significant part of business communications for at least 10 years ahead.

According to Chico Harlan, a foreign correspondent for the Washington Post, the fax machine continues to be important means of communications even in the most technology diverse country such as Japan because of its reliability. As cited in his article Toyoko Yoshino, owner of Real Estate company, says that there is no other devices that sends confirmation on success.

The reliability continues to be the number one Factor when it comes to choose among means of business communication. Above all we want to be sure that all the data we are sending/receiving get delivered/received. However the reliability is not the only concern when it comes to business communication. The email, which is probably the closes substitution of fax is getting more and more complex everyday due to the fact that it has to deal with a lot of spam messages. Spam filters become more and more sophisticated to such a degree, that we get surprised when a spam filter catches an important message.

The amount of e-mails that we receive on a daily basis creates another challenge – to find enough time to read all those e-mail, and sometimes even time to sort them by priority. This is the area where fax is much more efficient, because there are not much newsletters, sales letters and other information that we received over fax. So when we receive a fax it usually has a higher priority since we do not have to spend a lot of time sorting it.

Of course some people receive a huge bulk of faxes, which still makes it a challenge to sort them. However the quality of data in most faxes is usually better than in e-mail. The preparation of a fax typically takes longer than preparation of an e-mail. Usually you do not want to send a fax now and another one later. In most cases you try to include everything in one fax unlike the e-mail where you might send a few sentences each hour. In result you are losing concentration reading and responding each email. Since we know how precious and expensive the concentration in business environment is, we come to conclusion that fax would be a better communication in terms of quality. But still we believe that all communication has its own importance. We do not cut corners in terms of reliability and development whether it is e-mail or fax.

But nevertheless, letter writing is still an essential part of business. In spite of telephone, telex and telegraphic communication the writing of letters continues; in fact most telephoned and telegraphed communications have to be confirmed in writing.
The letter is often evidence of an arrangement or a contract, and must therefore be written with care; even the shortest and most usual of letters may have this importance. The need for thought in writing is clear when you realise that in speaking — either face-to-face or by telephone — the reaction to the spoken word can be seen or heard immediately, but reaction to a letter is not known until the answer is received.
When you have written a letter, read it through carefully; see that you have put in everything you intended, and have expressed it well; read it again, trying to put yourself in the place of the receiver, to find out what impression your letter will make.
It is obvious that what has been said in the previous paragraph becomes even more important when you write a letter in a foreign language. Unless you know that particular language very well you are certain to translate some phrases from your own language literally; these phrases may then convey quite a different meaning from that intended. It is in any case impossible to translate all business phrases literally as each language has its own characteristic idiom. With this in mind we have given as large a selection as possible of English phrases in general use.
A question frequently asked is: "How long should a good letter be?" The answer is: "As long as is necessary to say what has to be said”. The manner of interpreting this varies, of course, with the writer, and also very greatly with the nationality of the writer.
Because the aim of the letter is to secure the interest of the reader, and his co-operation, the letter should begin with sentences that will introduce the matter without undue delay, and polite forms to help the introduction must not be too long. The letter should continue with the subject itself and all the necessary information or arguments connected with it, but the wording must carry the reader along smoothly; jerky, over-short or disjointed sentences spoil the impression. The letter should have a suitable ending — one that is not long but makes the reader feel that his point of view is being considered. This is especially necessary when sellers are writing to buyers.
Waste of time in subsequent letters should be avoided by giving all the information likely to be required, unless the writer purposely refrains from going into too much detail until he knows the reaction of his correspondent.
A good vocabulary is necessary, both in your own and foreign languages; repetition should be avoided as much as possible, except where the exact meaning does not allow any change of word.
Everyone has a characteristic way of writing, but it must be remembered that the subject of the routine business letter lacks variety and certain accepted phrases are in general use. This is of great help to the foreigner, who can rely on them to compose a letter that will be understood. Let us say, perhaps, that a routine business letter is like a train, running on a railway track, whereas other letters are like cars that must, of course, keep to the road but are otherwise given greater freedom of movement than a train.
This greater "freedom of movement” applies also to business correspondence dealing with matters of policy, special offers, negotiations, reports and customers' complaints, all of which are matters that demand individual treatment. Here the correspondent must not only make his meaning clear but also try to create in the reader's imagination a true impression of his attitude. This is by no means so difficult as it may seem if the writer will remember that simplicity of word and phrase usually gives the impression of sincerity. Also a style of writing which is natural to the writer carries his personality to the reader.
In foreign trade, with its numerous problems and complications, the use of forms is a necessity: it facilitates the handling of goods at the various stages, indicates that regulations have been complied with, and saves unnecessary correspondence. It is the repetitive nature of many business transactions that makes it possible for the form to do the work of the letter. A study of the wording on forms is therefore advisable, and one or two specimens relating to certain transactions will be found in later chapters.
The growing use of the telephone and telegraph is also reducing correspondence in this age when, as never before, "time is money”. Another factor is the increasing personal contact in international trade. With any one part of the world only a few hours" flying time from any other it is not surprising that many businessmen prefer to make personal visits in order to discuss important matters on the spot.
Other modern conditions and tendencies that have their effect on the nature of correspondence are the establishment of foreign companies by large international organisations, business tie-ups between pairs of firms in different countries, export and import controls and restrictions, currency controls and the financial policies of governments. The really competent correspondent therefore needs to understand something of the principles and practice of modern commerce.

 

PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS