UNIT 5
Modern Forms of Communicating
1. Technology improves business' communication.
Businesses rely on several aspects of technology for communication like email, Skype, instant messaging, business phones, video conferencing technology, etc. Communication breakdowns can result in disasters for businesses and employees. Technology can assist in ensuring that you simply are prepared for even the most difficult communication obstacles.
2. Technology increases efficiency.
It's no secret that there are some awesome technological advancements in recent years. Advancements like Lifesize's video conferencing technology and Zulty's VOIP phone cloud solution are strategically designed to enhance efficiency and reduce lay time within the office.
3. New innovations protect important assets.
Cyber-attacks are growing at an alarming rate. So too are the amazing cyber-security defenses like Sophos' Deep learning technology. In an age where most important business assets are stored within the cloud or on endpoints, it's imperative that businesses employ security technology to protect those assets.
4. Employees demand it.
The role of technology in business isn't new, but it's expanding. Employees expect their employers to provide them with the latest and greatest technology which can, in turn, help them be successful in fulfilling their job responsibilities. it's hard to compete against businesses that fully employ technology advancements when your own business is lagging in their technology.
5. With technology, there are no limitations.
Client-Map-Update-2017
We know this principle is true from first-hand experience. We are a company that has 20 employees stationed in 10 different locations across the North-western us. If it wasn't for technology, we simply wouldn't achieve success in coordinating all of the workers. Businesses across the state are diverse in needs, culture, and education. Advances in technology can help businesses address these differences unlike ever before. There’s no limit to what are often accomplished by a business that employs a successful technology plan.
6. Technology keeps employees engaged.
Technology keeps employees engaged in many different ways. It allows employees to telecommute to work. It encourages collaboration between coworkers in businesses through tools like file sharing. It improves communication. It reduces stress by allowing you to schedule important deadlines and meetings on your electronic calendar. It also gives employees flexibility to perform work functions on your mobile device.
7. tons of new resources exist which will improve your business.
Technology is growing fast, prices are dropping, and new innovations are being rolled out constantly. If you haven't been consistently looking out for new technology to help you business, chances are that you have missed something. for instance, the Comfort Company implemented video conferencing technology that saved them time and costs while improving relationships and communication. Savage Public Schools discovered the necessity to totally revamp their technology and have since enjoyed an improved school system. There certainly are technology solutions out there which will improve your business.
8. Technology is important to succeed.
Whether you like it or not, technology is important to business success. Employees believe it for day-to-day operations. Outside companies, clients, and prospective clients evaluate you on your use of technology. HR relies on technology to coach and develop employees. Accounting employees rely on technology to complete payroll and execute necessary monetary management functions. Management relies on technology to communicate with those they supervise. Without technology, companies would almost certainly fail to accomplish all that there's to try to to .
9. Technology increases the capacity of businesses.
Technology allows businesses to succeed in more people in less time. for instance, here at Pine Cove, we use a spread of technology mediums to speak with our clients, potential clients, and experts within the industry. We use technology to host monthly webinars, to send e-newsletters, and publish news and blogs. Technology also increases the capacity of businesses to work together through technology like CRM's.
10. Technology saves time and money.
Lastly, technology now performs many of the mundane tasks that employees wont to be expected to perform. This enables employees to focus their time elsewhere on more important duties. This will save money by cutting back on employee expenses and improving productivity.
TYPES OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES
Internet
While the internet makes some aspects of business easier for both the customer and therefore the company, the element of communication can sometimes be more challenging. Granted, email provides customers with the convenience of typing a message and sending it with the click of the mouse. At the same time, the faceless quality of online communication can create hindrances to companies that do much of their business online. As a result, savvy businesses take the time to consider the various areas of Internet communication to ensure that their customers receive the simplest service available.
Any company that does business online has an email address for customers to use, and most companies offered several different addresses that enable customers to send the message to the proper department within the company. The question is often not one of email, but rather of what sort of email to possess. While online providers like Google, Yahoo! and Hotmail offer free email, these sorts of services often leave the user with spam issues. Additionally, a number of these services mistakenly block messages to customers. this means that a company should consider investing during a business email provider that gives stronger filters.
Fax
Due to its increasing utilities, many organizations are going in for fascimile (FAX) transmission facilities. The Fax machine is very useful in transmitting visual material such as diagrams, illustrations or copies of artful work. All that we need for it is the Fax machine with a connected telephone.
As the document to be transmitted is fed through machine, it is electronically scanned and signals are transmitted to the receiving end where an identical copy of the documents is reproduced on a blank sheet of paper by the receiving machine.
Thus, the basic requirement for sending information through Fax is a telephone connection and he Fax machine attached to it. In short, it is a process of electronic transmission of written information. Through FAX, the exact replica of the original document is transmitted at the receiving end, speedily and accurately. In the fax transmission system, there are two separate fax machines, one at the sender's end and other at the receiver's end which are joined by an ordinary telephone line: This mode is useful as it is possible to have a documentary proof of the transactions. It is very useful for traders who can place the requirement order to the other party from a distance and an save a lot of time and botheration.
Both Telex and Fax are very quick means of transmitting information.
Within a fraction of second the person can receive same copy of document that he requires. But in case of telex what is typed at one end is received and typed at other. Thus, it is not as quick as Fax is, So, it does take time to type the required documents. We know that typing takes time and in telex it takes twice the time as typing is done twice, i.e., once from the sending end and other at the receiving end. In Fax the finally prepared document is inserted in the machine and almost same copy of document comes out at the receiving end
Charts, graphs and visuals cannot be sent through telex. As it is merely a typing machine and it is not possible to send some charts or graphs through telex But these visuals can be easily sent through fax. Faxing a document like instantaneous transmission of a photocopy of the document.
If a document is generated through computer, it can be sent directly using fax modem, by passing the need to print the document first.
Video conferencing
Before we go on and discuss what Video Conferencing is all about, it would be worthwhile to understand meaning of conference. Conference is nothing but a meeting of a few persons where the persons discus a particular matter and exchange their views on that matter. This is what a conference is all about.
Video Conferencing is a tool, which uses Video cameras and microphones to capture picture and sound for transmission over networks. This is perhaps the most exciting innovation in the field of communication technology. Using this technology a meeting is conducted using television displays of the participants and with the sound of their voices. Thus, the participants can see one another on television monitor and can hear one another. They exchange their views. Of all the teleconferencing methods, Video Conterencing most
Customer Interaction
The faceless quality of online business means customers cannot receive the in-person communication that even a person at the other end of a telephone can provide. Businesses that function largely online should thus provide a more personal touch and make the interaction between the customer and therefore the company easier. Options include instant messaging services for the customers to have online discussions with company employees or maybe online forums for customers to debate issues with one another or offer tips and service reviews on the company.
Support Options
Customer support is an essential a part of doing business online. Companies should make every effort to show customers that the company takes their concerns seriously. Posting a notice about the turnaround policy for answering customer questions – then following this policy – help inform customers that the company values their questions and comments. Additionally, companies can provide customers with a commonly asked Questions (FAQs) link from the most page of the website. Over time, companies find that customers tend to ask equivalent questions repeatedly. An FAQ page can answer these questions and save the customer time and frustration.
The Personal Touch
While form emails are often essential in companies that do a considerable amount of online business, adding a private touch to emails also shows customers that the company cares about the business that the purchasers provide. Delegating a few people – or maybe a department – to provide personal responses to emails can help customers to ascertain the company as a group of individuals instead of a large and faceless business. Simply personalizing emails with the customers’ names—using a mail merge function—also helps to add a personal touch to the e-mail (even if thousands of people are receiving a uniform message).
Professional Presentation
Although email can seem as if it's an informal means of communication, companies should nevertheless make every effort to make professional email templates for customers to receive. Emails should include some sort of letterhead and professional information about the company, as this lets the customer feel secure about the reliability of the business.
Teleconferencing
High-speed data connections allow for the use of teleconferencing, virtual meetings held over audio and video links. Teleconferencing can save substantial amounts of money otherwise spent on pass by connecting important employees in far-flung branches together to share ideas and information. the use of virtual whiteboards, communal data-sharing platforms where remote users can interact as if round the same table, further increase the chances of the virtual workplace.
Internet :
Internet can be defined as international network of computers, i.e., it is that network which connects the computers all over the globe across International Territories. One can even define Internet as a network of networks, i.e., it can be taken as a network which connects networks across the world. Internet connects all open systems which are unrestricted for connectivity, so that they will be able to inter operate, share data, share resources etc. To be able to communicate with each other and exchange information, these different types of computers need to comply with a set of standard communication rules called protocol.
All computers connected to the internet use IP, Internet Protocol, which controls the break-up of data messages into units called packets, and governs the routing of data from sender to receiver. IP is one of a suite of protocols known as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, or TCP/IP, which was developed by the US Department of Defence to enable communication over different types of networks. The Internet is very popular because a lot of services are available on it.
It is a medium for international communication and the exchange of information. E-mail or electronic mail lets you send letters and other types of files. We can use it to buy things, find out about the latest information in the business, find a job seeker, or course information in different universities for students.
The Internet now has become unavoidable technology, as if you are not networked, you are out of the scene. Internet has become the largest and most important network, which is, on a constant expansion, with more and more businesses, organisations, educational institutions, etc., are becoming part of internet, all over the world, Internet has now become a key platform for an ever-changing information and other services. The internet is almost doubling itself in size every year.
One can look at Internet as a store of documents, audio, video, and other hyper media contents, which give information about anything on the earth which you have an access once you get connected to it.
One can use Internet to carry on business activities easily and collaborate with other organisations. Businesses require a lot of external information in various functions regularly for taking decisions. For this, lot of time is spent in searching and getting information. Internet is a storehouse of information and is able to cater to a very wide range of information needs.
This is possible since users are able to electronically identify common interest groups and share information. It is easy to create databases and make information accessible toother users on the Internet. Users have to only search for information sites, qualify and retrieve useful information.
When business need to make information on their products and services available to others, e.-g., for their clients, Internet provides a very convenient vehicle. Such businesses can set up their own web sites or home pages. When the potential clients and others visit the site or the "home pages", they will have the option to send E-mail immediately indicating their interest or queries.
For a business, such queries are not preliminary but qualified inquiries. It will also be possible to monitor the number of visitors to the "home pages "periodically. Very often, in a marketing situation, a number of preliminary queries are received and they are responded to with brochures and literature. Mostly, such material is sent by ordinary mail because of the amount and quality of material and distances involved, Internet presents an alternative scenario in dealing with such a situation.
Particularly, international queries can be attended to by advising the potential clients to access this information at the web site of the organisation at their convenience. The web site can not only surpass the brochures in presentation quality because of multi-media options, but also be dynamic and give the latest information.
It is easy to update the "home page electronically and regularly. The potential customer can also complete a query form and forward it electronically by clicking a few choices on screen. No one can cause the internet to crash, as no single computer or node controls it. One or more Internet nodes could fail without jeopardizing the
Internet as a whole or preventing communications. However, different parts of the world are not equally well defended against Internet service failure. In more developed countries, the backbone of the Internet usually has redundant intersecting points. f one part fails, data tratīc is quickly rerouted to another. This feature is called Redundancy. The more redundancy the backbone has, he more reliable the Internet service is.