Use of Technology in Business Communication

Introduction to computer based communication tools

Communication is necessary to any business success. Communications that occur via computer-mediated formats like, email, fax, and voice mail teleconferencing etc. More and more enterprises, large and small, are trying to incorporate the latest technology into their operations. Technology plays a vital role in the various functions of organizations. Among this functions, communication serves as the link among people both inside and outside the organization. We now transmit and exchange information by email, fax, voicemails, social and business networking sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook, and Blog, which are sites maintained by individual. We can also use teleconferencing and videoconferencing for conducting meeting with our associates around the world. Executives rarely make a presentation without using presentation software.

Above all, we now extensively use the Internet for collecting information and carrying our research. Computer is the one all organizations are heavily dependent on. The computer is also an important component of almost all communication functions, including preparation and distribution of memos, letter, proposals and reports through internal and external networks.

Advantage and limitation of each of these

Advantage: technology has tremendously changed the way companies, professionals, and institutes operate. It helps small and huge organizations to communicate more closely and frequently within and outside. In today’s technology-driven world, organizations that do embrace technology may not be able to survive.

         There are many organizations in our nation that still follow the traditional way of communicating, not because they do not realize the importance of technology but because they may not have adequate resources to establish technology-oriented communication networks. There are some advantages like,

• Distance is o longer a major barrier. The importance of personal contact between people has been replaced with face-to-face communication. Communication across the country, or even around the world, has become as easy as communication with the office down the hall.
• The organizational structure has become more streamlined as managers have increased direct contact with subordinates. Since this also means fewer intermediaries, the organization itself is more flattered.
• More people in an organization have access to more information. This reduce the ‘information float’ – the rate of flow – and tends to change the traditional role of managers as primary information source.
• The time required to make decision has decreased because managers have access to increased information resources.
• The time lines and quality of information are increasingly important as more people have access to more source of information. The difficulty is that more information does not necessarily mean better information.
• The implementation of projects, particularly those depending on communication or involving strict time schedules, has been enhanced.
• Teamwork in organizations has increased. More people, with a broader range of skills, can provide inputs on projects. In fact, many newer organizational charts are designed around computer links.

Limitation: despite the advantage of the electronic office, technology at work and in communication also creates its own set of barriers – those specifically related to the interaction between people and machines.

• Information overload: the acceleration of change is accompanied by an increase in the information needed to keep up with all these developments. This also leads to psychological, physical, and social problems. A worldwide survey found that two-thirds of managers suffer from increased tension and one-third from ill health because of information overload. Excessive information includes anxiety, poor decision-making, difficulties in memorizing and remembering, and reduced attention span.
• Less time for organizational activities: because of the time spent on checking emails and internet browsing the time requires for decision-making or problems solving is curtailed; this trend may lead to increased problems in future.
• Blurring lines between professional and personal lives: technology-enabled communication has blurred the lines between the professional and personal lives of many people. For example, with the increased use of mobile phones, just as executives can be disturbed by their family members while they are at an impor5tant meeting, they can also be disturbed by their superior or subordinates on a vacation with their family.
• People isolation: prior to the widespread use of the printing press, people had to congregate and verbally interact with each other with person in order to communicate. Innovations in telephone services such as voicemail and caller ID make it possible for people to deliver message without a personal interface at all. Several groups of people whom do not have recent technologies feel isolated from the privileged lot. 

 Word processor

    Word Processing, in computer terminology, refers to typing, editing and formatting of any kind of document, which could be a letter, memorandum, balance sheet, or something similar.  As the term suggests, word processing simply processes words, i.e. textual information. You can use it to print letters, reports, booklets and so forth, in a suitable layout. Word processing is different from conventional typing in many ways.

 

Features Of Word Processing:

• Adjustable page size and margins.
• Printing selected text in superscript or subscript style.
•  Changing the font and the size of letters of the selected text.
•  Right justifying and alignment the paragraphs.
• Adjustable line and characters spacing.
•  Moving selected text to another location within the document or to   another document.
• Facility to define headers and footers.
• Facility to create footnotes and endnotes.
• Facility to create multiple-column text.
• Index and table of contents generation. 
• Spelling and grammar checking.

Telex 

A system of communication in which messages are sent over long distances by using a telephone system and are printed by using a special machine (called a teletypewriter). It is connected by wire through automatic exchanges. Telex is international message-transfer service consisting of a network of teleprinters connected by a system of switched exchanges. Subscribe to a telex service can exchange textual communications and data directly and securely with one another.

Fax

A facsimile (fax) machine scans a printed pages, convert it into a signal, and transmits the signal over a telephone line to a receiving fax machine, which prints out the page. Although the fax facility has been available for many years, until recently it was slow and expensive. A fax can be used when a message containing a handwritten component (such as a document containing a signature) must cross physical distance, when a written record is significant, and when speed is important. It is a device used that is used to send documents electronically over a telephone network

      A fax is the telephonic transmission of scanned-in printed material, usually to a telephone number associated with a printer or other output device. The original document is scanned with a fax machine. In this digital form, the information is transmitted as electrical signals through the telephone system. The receiving fax machine converts the coded image and prints a paper copy of the document.

Email 

One of the most common forms of exchanging digital messages over computer networks across the world, emails has become a long way since its emergence three decades ago. Besides being used extensively by almost all section of the society for communicating routine and important informal and formal messages, emails are also used for marketing. Email marketing is a form of different marketing on the Internet to communicate commercial and fund-raising messages to an audience. The software available for email marketing enables the users to create professionals email newsletters, build and manage unlimited emails lists, create and send online surveys. Email marketing helps companies in cutting the cost on their marketing expenditure and enables them take their business worldwide.

Voice mail

           A telephone cannot only be used to contact those who may be difficult to reach in person, but can even be used to get through to busy people who are nearby. A telephone conversation does lack the visual feedback that often reveals how a message is getting across, although vocal cues – tone, pauses, interruptions, pitch, and rate – can convey the person’s reaction to the message considerably well.

           Voice mail is a high-tech version of the answering machine. Many communications are not very fond of voice mail, often with justification. Some voicemail menus and sub-menus can take forever, and ‘clever’ greeting can be annoying. Voice mail does have its advantages. It allows one to leave a message at any time of the day or night. We can be confident that the recipient will actually receive the message in our voice, just as we spoke it, without the omission and distortions that come when an intermediary transcribes the message.

          Originally, voicemail was developed for telephony as a means to prevent missed calls, and to facilitate call screening. In recent years, voicemail has become integrated with the internet, allowing users to receive incoming messages on traditional computers.

Internet 

         The internet is an international computer network connecting other networks, computers, and servers, and accessible to the public via modern links. It is a ‘network of networks’ that consist of millions of private and public, academic, business, and government networks linked by copper wires, fibre-optic cables, wireless connections, and other technologies.

         The Internet has become an indispensible tool. It can be used at a basic level for email and for research and it can be used at a more comprehensive level as a channel for selling business product and services. A web browser is required to gain access to the Internet. It is a software application that enables a user to display and access information typically located on a webpage at a website. Microsoft internet explorer and Mozilla firefox  are the two leading web browser. The provider may differ in the features they provide, but all will allow one to send and receive emails.

Multimedia 

Multimedia has become an inevitable part of any presentation. It has found a variety of applications right from entertainment to education. The Revolution of internet has also increased the demand for multimedia content.

Multimedia is composed of 2 parts:

Multi(multus):“numerous, multiple”

Media (medium):“middle, center” agent for something.

MULTIMEDIA could be defined as the usage of multiple agent (text, audio, video, graphic & animation) for disseminating and presenting information to audience (target user).

Multimedia is the therefore media that uses multiple forms of information content and information processing (e.g. text, audio, graphics, animation, video, interactivity) to inform or entertain the user. Multimedia also refers to the use of electronic media to store and experience multimedia content.

Teleconferencing

Teleconferencing uses conference calls to bring together clients or colleagues at a moment’s notice, or uses audio streaming to simultaneously reach hundreds of individuals across the globe. Teleconference is just a local, national, or international call away with a telephone network. Teleconferencing does not permit one to see the facial expressions of the other participants, be displeasure or a supportive smile or nod. In voice conferencing, or talnet, five or six people in different locations can hold a conference call using conventional telephone equipment.

 All teleconferencing networks have a time-lapse framework called store-and-forward. This feature is useful if a conference member is unable to attend the call. The advantage of the store-and-forward feature lies in the offers receivers, allowing them to decide when to communicate.

    

Video Conferencing

Video conferencing is an example of a synchronous conferencing system that takes place in real time between individual or groups who are usually separated geographically. It allows the individuals participating in the conference to view each other. Video conference can be achieved by adding software and relatively inexpensive hardware to standard desktop computers.

A video conference is a live, visual connection between two or more people residing in separate locations for the purpose of communication. It also provides transmission of images and text between two locations.

Video conference is useful whenever there is a clear communication need, and the benefits described by those using videoconferencing systems include:

• Reduce travel costs                                               
  Better quality teaching
  Face-to-face rather than telephone meeting 
  Easier collaborative working

Introduction to Email 

            Email stands for electronic mail, is a simply store and forward method of composing, sending, and receiving messages over electronic communication systems. These are digital message that can be sent through an internet connection. It is fast – a message can be sent to as many people as necessary instant. It is inexpressive, as it saves paper and is promoted in most organizations as a green initiative. When dealing with external agencies, especially important clients, it is the most unobtrusive mode of communication, as the recipients can read it at their own leisure and pace, and respond after due reflection.

v  Facility of Email

1. Composing and sending/receiving a message.
2. Storing/forwarding/deleting/replying to a message.
3. Send a single message to many recipients.
4. Send a message that includes text, audio, video or graphics.
5. Send a message to a user on a network outside the Internet.
6.  Send a message to which a computer program response.

v  Features of email

·         One-to-one or one-to-many communications.

·         Instant communications.

·         Physical presence of recipient is not required.

·         Most inexpensive mail services, 24 hours a day and seven days a week

·         Encourages informal communications.

Classification and purpose of Email

1. Convenience:There are no trips to post office and no need to search for stationery and stamps. Sending a memo or short note is easy. A message can be informal or           formal.
2. Speed: E-mail is fast, based on the speed of underlying communication network.
3. Inexpensive: Once you are on-line, the cost of sending a message is small.
4. Printable: A hard copy is easy to obtain. However, since a great deal of correspondence does not need to be printed, using e-mail saves on natural resources.    You can keep an electronic copy of a message for your own records.
5. Reliable: Although messages are occasionally lost, this is rate. Many mail systems will notify the sender if an e-mail message was undeliverables.
6. Global: Ever increasingly, people and business all over the world are using e-mail.
7. Generality: E-mail is not limited to text; it allows the transfer of video, graphics, programs and even sounds.

    E-mail classification is a way of flagging or tagging messages as being of a certain type. For example, a message might be classified as “privileged,” “confidential,” “secret,” “private,” or “business relevant.” In more complicated cases, message classifications may be hierarchical or relevant to only some people in the organization. Messages of different types may be handled differently for retention purposes, routing, or e-discovery. A “business relevant” message may be retained for three years, whereas a “personal” one may be purged after thirty days. A message marked “secret” may be restricted from leaving the organization’s e-mail environment unless it is encrypted. An e-discovery search request may be concerned only with “privileged” messages. There are basically two kinds of e-mail classification: Machine Assisted and User Applied. Here is a break-down of the differences.

  Emails are used for the purpose of communication, such as communicating with instructors and professors, keeping in touch with friends, requesting information from other people or businesses, applying for scholarships, jobs and internships. Even though email is a very valuable communication tool, its wide use in business and academic settings has led to the emergence of new challenges for the users. Emails are the best form of communicating with a person who is hard to get using other forms of communication such as telephone. It is also useful when sending an electronic file to someone, such as a spreadsheet with data. When information needs to be distributed to a large number of people, emails are more convenient than other types of communication.

Structure and layout of Email

v       The header, a set of lines containing information about the message's transportation, such as the sender's address, the recipient's address, or timestamps showing when the message was sent by intermediary servers to the transport agents (MTAs), which act as a mail sorting office. The header begins with a From line and is changed each time it passes through an intermediary server. Using headers, you can see the exact path taken by the email, and how long it took each server to process.

v      The message proper, made up of the two following elements:

v      The header fields, a set of lines describing the message's settings, such as the sender, the recipient, the date, etc.

An email includes at least the three following headers:

• From: The sender's email address
• To: The recipient's email address
• Date: The date when the email was sent

 It may contain the following optional fields:

• Received: Various information about the intermediary servers and the date when the message was processed.
• Reply-To: A reply address.
• Subject: The message's subject
• Message-ID: A unique identification for the message.

v       The message body, containing the message, separated from the header by a line break. 

Style, Content, Etiquettes and effectiveness of Email

When writing an email the first few lines tell the reader what is needed, what is provided or what is needed to be done. We should keep our questions or requests simple by restating compound requests into several single topics. If possible word your request so that your audience can respond with a simple yes or no questions.

Composing e-mail message – email can be informal and casual as a conversation between friends. The formality of an e-mail message depends on the audience and purpose. Be sure to use correct spelling and proper grammar in these electronic message. In business communication, e-mail needs to be clear and clear and easy as it can be understood properly.

E-mail style – email message must be kept briefly, under 200 words. Poor spelling and grammar in e-mail message could lead some readers to question the sender’s competence but generally ignored in some forums. Always take a time to ask yourself who will be reading your message and what affects its tone, style, grammar and spelling may have.

Use smiley faces (emotions) when needed.

E-mail jargons – jargons are the words or expression that are used by a particular profession or a group of people and are difficult for others to understand different e-mail jargons are:

1.     Bounce: a message that was returned to the sender, either because the e-mail address was incorrect or because there was configuration problem on receivers end.

2.    Post: send to a distribution list or use net group

3.    Mailbot: a piece of software that automatically replies to e-mail

Email Etiquette: there are many etiquette guides and different etiquette rules. The rules differ according to the nature of business and corporate culture.

-      Answer swiftly – people send an e-mail because they wish to receive a quick response. Therefore, each e-mail should be replied within at least twenty-four hours, and preferably within the same working day.

-      Do not over use to all – use “reply to all” option only if the message is to be sent to every person who had receiver the original message.

-      Identify yourself and the topic – where possible identify yourself by using your full name rather than just your e-mail address. For example, “Amit Kumar Saxena” ask@vu.edu.in rather than just ask@vu.edu.in .

-      Be concise and to the point – do not make an e-mail larger than it needs to be.

-      Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuations – improper spelling, grammar and punctuation give a bad impression of the company. It is essential for conveying message properly. Like, using ur for your is inappropriate for formal message.

-      Do not write in capitals – IF YOU WRITE IN CAPITALS, IT SEEMS AS IF YOU ARE SHOUTING. Therefore, try not to send any email text in capitals.

-      Avoid ling sentence – try to make the sentence a maximum of 15-20 words. E-mail is meant to be quick medium and required a kind of writing different from letters.

-      Use active voice instead of passive voice – like, “we will process your order toady” sounds better than “your order will be processed today”.

-      Maintain coherence – when you reply to an e-mail you must include the original mail in your reply. Click ‘reply’ instead of ‘new mail’.

-      Take care with abbreviations and emotions – abbreviations like, BTW (by the way) and LOL (laugh out loud). Same in emotions like, such as smiley (:-)). It may happen that the recipient might not be aware of the meaning of abbreviation and emotions so it is better not to use it.

-      Be very careful about including credit card number

-      Do not attach unnecessary files

-      Read the e-mail before you send it

-      Use proper structure and layout

-      Be careful with formatting

-      Do not use email to discuss confidential matters

-      Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT

Effectiveness: some tips for e-mail effectiveness are:

-      Write a meaningful subject line

-      Keep the message focused and readable

-      Use the attachment sparingly

-      Identify yourself carefully

-      Be kind. Do not flame

-      Proof read the content

-      Do not assume the privacy

-      Distinguish between formal and informal situation

-      Respond promptly

-      Show respect and restraint