Business Communication Trends

Business Communication Trends Paper
Marlo Catania
Com/285
July 25th 2011

In today’s world there are so many ways to communicate it is unreal. Our society has gone from the average telegraph and postal service to the World Wide Web and Smart Phones. Adding these new communications into an everyday business role has created a highway for expansion and success for business around the world. Although my business does not benefit from much of this as we are off the grid I do see some things that are influenced by the worldly communications.

Well working in a little general store 10 years ago was challenging when it came to hunting and fishing seasons. You would have this terrible process of filling out a large inquisitive paper in order for the customer to receive their license. You would have to look up different codes in a book to fill in and call the National Forest Service Databank to see who drew what tag. It was a time consuming, annoying ordeal for the customers who were waiting in line and the clerk doing all the work. Now there is an internet service that is installed at our location by National Wildlife Fish and Game that is equipped with a training course and takes roughly 10 minutes as every one that is entered into the system is saved for future tags and licenses. So there are no more headaches. This form of communication really has changed our business for the better as people don’t dread getting their tags and licenses. Fish and Game benefit as more people are getting their tags and licenses for fun rather than just the avid hunters and fisherman.

I find that there is a lot of oral business communication at my job. As the manager and bosses run out the door they are yelling to do’s for me to accomplish throughout the day. Oral communication is fine with me, I can interpret the urgency of the to do’s and prioritize as they are giving me instruction. I also can ask questions to confirm what I am doing is correct. With written communication there are several things in this business that can go wrong. I may not understand the note correctly and may need to ask questions, but with the higher ups gone there is really nothing you can do.

We often speak with delivery people over the phone as we cannot order most things online. We also have to drive 40 to 60 miles to pick up deliveries because we are so far in the woods the companies refuse to bring the goods up to us so we cannot go through the products while the delivery guys are still there is there is a problem we have to address it after the fact. The few things we do order online are the chips and cookies. “There is an efficiency doing it this way that there is not with the other distributors.” (Cronic, 2011)We never seem to have a messed up order and they are always good quality.

The trends of the business communication that I have experienced are more in the electronic form. In the past we have used electronic equipment and devices to do ordering. You scan a barcode and enter the amount and there you have it the order is automatically transmitted to the company for distribution. I also have seen in the past companies have an email trend. There are several ways to communicate but not a whole lot of time so email is the easiest way for communication. The people at my previous company sometimes wouldn’t see each other for months but worked in the same facility just different buildings. It became too time consuming to walk across the street to discuss an issue. It was just easier to email and not deal with the emotion my supervisor said. It was robotic and non-confrontational.

I believe that using just email to communicate was really a bad idea. If people interact and show passion it boosts moral but to purposely email to avoid confrontation and emotion can hinder work ethic and productivity. This also made me feel my supervisor was a chicken and had no back bone. He was working with the product and knew the problems that needed to be addressed but chose to be the yes man and not talk about the problems and quality of the product. This message is a business killer in my opinion.

Using oral communication seems to initiate an employer and employee bond. By communicating in person with emotion you can learn to respect the passion shown in different instructions given. By knowing your employee or employer on a personal but non evasive manner it is easier to keep the moral up and feel a part of a business. Work ethic will improve and moral will increase. The message oral communication sends is that we are a team and this is what I need to make it happen.

With written communication there are the good for example; you rear is covered when looking at a discipline aspect. The bad is that again it is very impressionable and if there is a question, more than likely it cannot be answered immediately creating a lag in the timeframe for accomplishment. The message that is sent is here is your job don’t bug me just get it done. This impersonal point can cause confusion and lack of moral.

There are so many different businesses and ways to communicate in this world today that it is seems depending on the company type different types of communication work better than others. I am old fashioned and chose to be a clerk up in the woods despite having a college education because I prefer oral communication. I like to see emotion and see customers happy. I like being a part of a team and being shown respect and giving respect in person rather than using emotion cons or a LOL. This is my trend and what I am comfortable with as a person. But I definitely can adapt to texting rather than calling people in my personal life, it is easier when you have spent all day dealing with people to just shoot a “Hi, I am thinking of you” text to appease a needy family member or friend. If only I had cell reception… LOL!

References:
Cronic, B. (2011, July 25). Manager. (M. Catania, Interviewer)

References: Cronic, B. (2011, July 25). Manager. (M. Catania, Interviewer)