Business Communications 1

The Importance of Business Communications

Ashley Walters

University of Phoenix

Deb Loppnow

July 19, 2010

Business Communications 2

The Importance of Business Communications

Communication is the heart of any business. Whether it is internal communication within

the different departments of a business or externally to customers, suppliers, or stockholders the

art of communication plays a large role in the success and peer image of the company. Being

able to communicate effectively will increase the various opportunities for the company to

promote itself.

Employees will communicate with one another consistently on a day-to-day basis

whether it is verbally or nonverbally. Verbal communication can include sales calls, direction

meetings, personal phone communication, or public speaking. Nonverbal communication

includes written forms of communication through e-mails, instant messaging, reports, manuals,

or policies as well as through online social networking sites such as Facebook or professional

sites like Linkedin. Nonverbal communication can also include the appearance of a person’s

body language while listening during a meeting or even presenting. The smallest gestures can

often be overlooked by the person doing it; however, the audience or others in the room pick up

on this information and analyze the behavior to determine how interested the person is in the

topic or if the person is completely off in space.

Positive business communication will save the company unnecessary financial expenses

and increase employee engagement. Ineffective communication can lead to costly mistakes, legal

issues as well as miscommunication between departments, which can lead to delays. By

providing exceptional communication not only within the company, but also externally as well,

the company will create more opportunities to promote itself and create a goodwill image.

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Knowing exactly who the audience is that is being communicated to will help to alter the way

the information should be presented. Another strong point is to make sure the writer or speaker

knows what the purpose of the communication is: whether the purpose is to persuade or make a

certain request, to inform, or simply to build goodwill (Locker & Kienzler, 2008).

New trends are emerging through business communication such as advancements in

technology: checking e-mails from cell phones, using social networking sites to promote

business on Facebook or Myspace, having the ability to post media footage on uTube instantly

for the world to access. A trend in customer service has emerged recently as one of the largest

tools in customer satisfaction. This has regard to all aspects of business from sales to

maintenance, information technology to support, or from planning to production. Providing

customers with exceptional customer service is a positive way to ensure the customer is cared

about and taken care of throughout the relationship of the business and customer.

Entrepreneurship is a growing trend in business allowing more and more people to become self-

employed and control the logistics of their own company. This gives the control over

communication to one person, the owner. Hopefully, this will create fewer instances for

miscommunication and errors that can be costly. New trends for families trying to balance the

work life alongside with keeping an active family life can be exhausting and stressful to manage.

In my work experience I see several trends displayed daily. First and foremost, customer

service is my highest priority. As a server, I am responsible to cater to the needs of each

customer and anticipate the needs they will have during the rest of the meal. By staying one step

ahead of the customer, I can anticipate the timing and needs of the customer and provide each

guest with exceptional customer service. Another trend growing in the restaurant industry is the

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advancements in technology allowing employees to take a send orders through touch screen

computer systems. This prevents simple errors in reading others writing styles as well as lost

tickets. It is essential for a restaurant’s employees to focus on teamwork to boost the workload

and increase overall moral of the store. When each employee is doing his or her part to

contribute to the necessary tasks during a shift, the store will run more effectively and efficiently.

One of the longest trends I have seen in the restaurant business is job flexibility along with

adapting to the needs of the guests, similar to rate of change. Employees of the restaurant

industry must accept that menu items, customers, hours, and work schedules are constantly

changing. The rate of change in a restaurant runs high, and without being adaptable to different

situations, servers such as myself, would not make a dependable living.

The most crucial aspect of being a server is to focus on customer service and be able to

anticipate the needs of the customer ahead of time. Observing body language is one of the easiest

characteristics to point out, by watching how the customers react and respond to any form of

communication I give them will give me a greater understanding of what kind of customer they

will be. For example, friendly chatty people like to be checked on frequently; whereas the silent

type that does not engage in eye contact, will more likely prefer to be left alone. Observing these

small messages is a crucial communication trend in my life.

Employees in different career fields participate in several forms of communication

whether it is indirectly through emails, or written messages, or directly through oral meetings

and conversations. Being able to identify different communication styles, audiences, and

purposes of writing is a crucial necessity for a successful company. Good communication takes

practice and effort to efficiently and effectively communicate the direct point to get across.

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References

Locker, K. O. & Kienzier, D.S. (2008). Business and administrative communication (8th ed.).

Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.