Business Communication

Communication is key essential for conveying our message to other and receiving the feedback from other it is of two way. Along with many other aspects which are imperative for a successful business, communication is also very crucial. Communication can be verbal, non verbal, one way(no direct feedback) or two way (sending and receiving of message).

Significance of effective communication in the business

Communication in business can be related to food for living, water for an aquatic organism, blood in our veins. Effective business communication is very important for taking your business to great heights. individuals with good communication skills are preferred in almost all spheres of business and are more likely to get the promotion, candidates with good communication skills are also given preference.

Most of the jobs require this skill

Communication is a basic requirement in many jobs like teachers, receptionists, advocate, broadcast journalist, human resource manager, etc. Because while working for a company you may have to deal with others who are not directly linked with the business or to communicate with other firms for having a partnership or something else.

Increases the chances of promotion

Various surveys are being done on this by many American universities and one case reveals that the person who got five promotions in five years accredited his success to being able to communicate properly and to write highly influencing and persuasive letters and making very concise reports. A better way of communication also enables you to have a powerful impact on the other person, adds a plus point to your profile and another reason for your promotion.

Communication itself is a very broad term, a bit difficult to define.

Define Communication

So, possibly what can be the definition of communication? It can be like, “The procedure of conveying and exchanging information, thoughts, point of view, and sentiments between two or more individuals an association which aims to result in a comprehensive response.”

Highlights of this definition:

  • Information: Communication involves the interchanging of information and facts.
  • Thoughts: Ideas are also exchanged during communication.
  • Point of view: Opinions are also conveyed during communication
  • Sentiments: Emotions also deliver messages to the other person, for example: you must have observed someone praising you in a taunting tone, here praise does not matter but the manner it was said matters a lot.

Another easily digestible definition for business students can be the one stated by William Scott: “Administrative communication is a process which involves the transmission and accurate replication of ideas ensured by feedback to elicit actions which will accomplish organizational goals.”

Highlights of this definition:

  • Ideas: Communication involves the communication of ideas.
  • Replication: The idea that is to be transmitted should de exactly be duplicated to the person to whom the ideas are being passed on (receiver). If the transmission is correct and rigorous then there is no adulteration of ideas.
  • Feedback: Transmitter gets to know whether information has been accurately replicated or not by feedback or response.
  • Elicit: The motive of communication is to trigger an action.

Communication situation

When a person that is, the sender( developer or the creator of the message) is anxious to deliver the message and another person who is receiver is there who receives the message, understands it and gives feedback, then a communication situation is there.

Communication situations can not be there without the presence of any one(above mentioned) element.

This can be demonstrated with the help of an example: suppose you met one of your friend Y in the market and you both were very far from each other you greeted him with a smile and he understood and responded with a smile, and then you wave your hand to say him hello and eventually, he gives you feedback by waving his hand.

Let’s take another example: suppose you call a Prussian person in the Russian language, and he could not understand it, consequently, there is no response and communication does not exist here. Although there is a sender desirous of passing on the information but there is no feedback.

Communication Cycle

The communication cycle consists of a sender who transmits the message and the receiver who receives the message and gives feedback.

The fundamentals parts of this cycle are:

  • Input: Information that is to be passed on to the receiver.
  • Channel: The means, by which messages will be transmitted, like a letter, e-mail, fax, phone call, etc.
  • Message: The real message that is transmitted to the receiver.
  • output: What the receiver receives.
  • Feedback: Feedback is the response that the receiver gives you about the message.
  • Breakdown: The probability of misunderstanding at any step. (a kind of adulteration of the message)

Breakdowns occur very often. They may be due to the following reasons:

  1. The formation of the message may be incorrect
  2. The information may be incorrectly stated in the message.
  3. The receiver may incorrectly state the message.

Closing of communication loop:

The communication loop is said to be closed when the information by the sender is accurately transmitted and received and understood by the receiver assured by the feedback.

For example:

Input I want new check book for my personal account in your bank
Message Kindly, issue me a new cheque book of my personal accoount
Output She want a new cheque book for her personal account
Feedback A cheque book will be issued

Here the message has been perfectly transmitted, so the communication loop is said to be closed.

Intrusive communication

It means communication within the association. Intrusive communication is important and especially required in the following cases:

  • Large scale businesses: Some business companies have vast business network they have different branches in the same country bur at different regions like multinational companies have the main center somewhere else and its branches are there in all over the world, so there is strong need to have an effective communication between the branches and the center and its other branches. Internal communication should be there to manage the work and establish the links.
  • Effective communication encourages mutual understanding and collaboration: Effective communication between the employer and the employee results in a healthy working environment. They can easily and comfortably share their ideas and thoughts, so, it is beneficial for the both as employees get to know about, what is expected from them, what kind of work they should do and the employer also get an idea about what his workers expect from him, what should he do. Hence, both parties can modify their work. Consequently, there is mutual trust, understanding and the massive possibility of higher yield.
  • Increasing complexity in businesses: In this contemporary era, business involves the cooperation of different sectors which involves like one for raw material, planning, execution, dispatching(transportation), sales, advertisement, etc. If there is no collaboration between all these sectors then a business may go in loss because each sector depends on the other. The sector which provides raw material has to inform the planning sector to plan accordingly or the planning sector has to inform them about the requirements and so on an active communication is needed between all the sectors, otherwise, it would lead to failures.

Extrinsic Communication

It refers to the communication outside the organization, with externals like government agencies, income tax offices, transporters, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, customers, the general public, etc.

  • Governmental organizations and departments: It is required to deal with foreign trade officer, custom authorities, licensing authority, banks, income tax department. Dealing with these bodies surely involves the need for effective and highly formal communication, sometimes there are situations where there is a call for discussions to reach an agreement.
  • Transporters, courier, post office: For bringing the raw material or dispatching goods for sales transportation is required, thus, contact and communication with the transporters become mandatory. For reviews and other official letters dealing with post services and courier services is also necessary.
  • Consumers, the general public: To communicate via mail or some other means with the consumers and the general public is also important to publicize the product and to know where the customers liked it or not.
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