Communication is often overlooked by managers and their teams until something goes wrong. At which point, whatever has fouled up will likely cause much consternation and inconvenience until it’s fixed. It’s only then that everyone is reminded how valuable reliable communications are to business operations.
Here are three ways different types of communication can boost business performance, regardless of target audience.
Greater Control Through VoIP Services
Moving to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) means switching from a PBX-based phone system to a VoIP one using internet communications.
Companies that’ve made the move gain greater control over their incoming and outgoing phone calls. Not only is useful data available, including call durations, clarification on busy periods vs quieter ones, and other points of interest, but VoIP is frequently less expensive.
For companies with remote employees, the ability to install a VoIP app on the employee’s phones and have them use it to make and receive calls on the company’s lines is invaluable.
Clearly, the business benefits of VoIP are numerous. See the linked article to learn more about them.
Direct, Clear Communication
In an age of employees not always being based at the office or customers choose a variety of methods to get in touch, maintaining clear communication is paramount.
Much is lost through ubiquitous email communication. The same can be said of text chat apps too. Even using smiley graphics to better convey emotions isn’t always clarifying. As a result, it’s all too easy for misunderstandings to occur because of the lack of vocal intonation or visual cues from a phone, video, or in-person conversation.
Companies must aim to quickly step in and resolve any misunderstandings, especially those originating from text-only communications. These are the most troublesome in pursuit of direct, clear communication and apply to employees and customers alike.
Speedier Internet for All Employees
Ponderous internet speeds can slow progress in the office. When websites take longer to load, emails are delayed, or chat, phone, and video communication apps stall, it causes frustration all around.
Employees in the Office
For office-bound employees, upgrading the network cabling if it’s an old type or swapping out old routers for faster ones may fix the issue. Also, upgrading the internet plan to boost fiber-optic speeds will be beneficial too.
It’s also possible that old hardware that hasn’t been upgraded for three years or longer could be the problem. A lagging computer running an old operating system could boot slower, sync less frequently with email services, and cause interruptions to video calls. Know when it’s time to upgrade an employee’s PC for something better.
Work from Home Employees
The WFH team faces different communication challenges to their office-bound colleagues.
They rely on broadband or cable internet supplied to home users but use it to perform business communications. Whilst their regular broadband package may be sufficient for home use, it might need to be upgraded for corporate purposes.
Also, when there are internet speed problems or hardware concerns, companies might consider covering the cost of these upgrades for employees who regularly work at home.
Communication matters. It’s often ignored, but without it, virtually nothing happens in business today. Companies should ensure their communications setup is second to none to get the best results.
