5 tools for better communications
It is only by effective and timely communication with customers, clients and colleagues that a business can understand the challenges and opportunities that they are facing and deal with them properly. There are numerous online communications tools that businesses have access to. So, what are some of the best communications tools out there that can help a business to communicate more effectively?
1) Instant Messaging Tools
Instant messaging is a faster, more intuitive method of internal business communication than email and is ideal for quick question and answer sessions between collaborators on a project. It can also help to foster a sense of community between colleagues in a way that formal business email cannot. AIMPro, a business-orientated update of the well-known platform AOL Instant messenger, is one such tool specifically designed for business needs.
2) Twitter
Twitter (www.twitter.com) is the online success story of the last few years. It’s not just a place for members of the public and celebrities to update their friends on the minutiae of their daily lives, it can also be an ideal way for businesses to update interested parties on offers, product developments and breaking news. Businesses can also receive near-instant feedback from customers and potential customers on their views of such developments.
3) Conference Calling Software
Group meetings with colleagues, customers and suppliers are essential for brainstorming, quickly and efficiently communicating ideas within a group, and ensuring that all stakeholders understand their responsibilities and the overall plan. However, with more people taking advantage of home working and many budgets too stretched to casually pay for the travel of remote workers, group meetings are no longer as easily arranged as in the past. Conference calls are a great way to gain all of the benefits of such meetings without forcing people to travel or having to pay those costs. With services such as conferencenow (www.conferencenow.co.uk) businesses need not install extra hardware or pay for expensive software, they simply complete a free registration and pay only the cost of a phone call.
4) Embedded Video
By integrating video into your business communications you can gain all the advantages that visual communication brings to bear. Recipients will feel more engaged and will be more likely to pay attention to the entire message, as opposed to listening while using their eyes for another task, such as reading emails or writing documents. Some tools, such as EyeJot (www.eyejot.com) do not require any special software and allow you to link to a previously recorded video message in an email.
5) Collaborative Document Editing
Liasing with colleagues and clients in different offices, cities, and even countries can be a major headache, especially when you are all working on the same document. The stress of needing to ensure that everyone is working on the same draft and that all changes delivered to you have been incorporated can be draining. Various online tools such as Google Docs (www.docs.google.com) allow you and your team to edit the same document, with all changes being saved in real-time.
Matt Smith – Freelance business, conference calls and technology blogger.