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The way a business communicates — internally or externally — is key to its success. Through communication, you can determine the strengths and weaknesses in your business and its products. You can also work with the necessary parties to improve quality and serve your valued customers better. In this post, we will discuss what business communication entails and how to better enhance it to align with your business’s goals.

Business Communication: Definition

What is business communication? Business communication refers to sharing information internally (within the office and its teams) and externally (between the business and its customers).

Effective communication in a business should be goal-oriented. That is, everyone in the company interacts and works towards a common goal. And this goal should revolve around creating better experiences for customers, thereby improving customer satisfaction and sales.

And so, communication within teams and departments or between management and its employees will generally include:

• Making plans and setting goals
• Presenting new business, marketing, and sales ideas
• Making decisions
• Compromising, as needed
• Meetings with agendas and goals in place, and so on

Good and reliable communication systems can help increase a business’s productivity and organization. Unclear or miscommunication can lead to the core systems failing. Therefore, it is extremely crucial to pay attention to both internal and external business communication.

Different Types of Business Communication

A business communicates in two general ways: internal and external communication.

Internal communication

This type of communication is focused internally within business teams or departments. Internal business communication consists of different types of communication:

• Upward communication — going up the organizational hierarchy such as from a subordinate to a manager.
• Downward communication — going down the organizational hierarchy such as from a manager or supervisor to a subordinate.
• Lateral communication — also known as technical communication refers to cross-departmental interaction between team members or coworkers.

External communication

This type of communication relates to any interaction or communication leaving the office or coming from outside the office. External business communication deals with interacting with customers, business contacts, vendors, etc. Examples:

• Sales and telesales
• Conducting market research
• Obtaining customer feedback
• Managing leads and prospects
• Account management, and so on

Communication Methods: Ways to Communicate for Business

Like any other type of communication, businesses interact internally and externally either verbally or in writing. And so business communication takes place in person or face-to-face, through phone conversations, video conferencing, chat, email and SMS exchanges, etc. In broader terms, businesses generally communicate in-person or remotely.

Choosing what method of communication is best for your company depends on a few factors. For instance, written communication is good for documentation of ideas and actions while verbal allows for instantaneous and collaborative idea formation. Additionally, your communication methods would depend on where your business is located, its hours, how many people are involved, whether you have offices in different time zones (remote offices), and so on. Also, a well-structured process flow diagram enhances communication by visually depicting complex processes, ensuring shared understanding among team members.

So what are some different methods that can be used for effective communication?

1. Written communication — This consists of emails and mail primarily and can also include chat and instant messaging portals. Examples: Gmail, Outlook, Slack, Teamwork, Google Hangouts, etc.)

2. Phone conversations — This consists of communicating via telephones, smartphones, or a cloud phone system where two or more people are actively involved and participating in the conversation.

3. Video conferencing — This takes phone conversations to a visual level where remote teams can work more in sync through video, mimicking in-person meetings.

4. In-person meetings — In-person meetings are every business’s most preferred communication method as they promote clear interaction and decisions more quickly.

5. Web-based communication — This includes virtual communication over web applications or a cloud phone system: email, live chat, virtual phone numbers, messaging apps, video-chat apps, and so on.

6. Official documents — This refers to any essential documentation such as agreements, terms and conditions, medical records, and so on. Such documents reduce confusion, protect against liability and fraud, and provide clarity.

7. Presentations — Presentations through PowerPoint slides or using other tools can come in very handy when presenting ideas, strategies, and even training to a large group.

8. FAQs and content — This type of communication is externally-focused. Having a well-designed website includes providing informational and educational content and FAQs so web-visitors can find what they are looking for and witness your company’s expertise.

9. Surveys and feedback — This refers to internal surveys studying how teams are working and customer surveys to determine how customers can be served better. The ultimate goal is to identify areas of weaknesses and convert them into strengths as well as opening up a communication channel between all levels of the office hierarchy.

10. Customer-related — Covers customer interaction, support, CRM systems, reviews, etc.

Related: 7 Must-Have Global Expansion Tools for Communication

6 Reasons Why Effective Communication is Important

So, why should your business enforce better internal and external communication? Creating an environment for constructive and effective communication lets your business:

1. Align all teams and goals

By communicating consistently with your teams, your business can ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding short-term and long-term goals. Proper business communication encourages teams to collaborate, share ideas and suggestions, and collect feedback. All of this can help the business create a better work environment as well as develop efficient products and services for customers.

2. Improve employee engagement & productivity

Internal communication can enhance employee experience by providing coaching, training, and support. Through this, employees are equipped to improve productivity and stay on top of their work.

3. Encourage inter-departmental communication & collaboration

Sharing ideas and feedback can go a long way in building better experiences and products not only for customers but employees as well. Enabling your teams to work together through collaboration can help your business develop well-rounded products and market them in a way that means something to your customers.

4. Keep in-house and remote teams connected

Business communication is essential to keep all teams connected, whether in-house or remote. Make it easier for employees to connect with each other so that they can work together towards your business’ goals and milestones.

5. Support knowledge-sharing
By establishing an easy-to-use and efficient business communication system, your teams can follow knowledge-sharing best practices. This way, employees can share essential information and knowledge about the industry, field, and products and services. Without such a system, organizational knowledge will suffer.

6. Improve employee and customer satisfaction & retention
Lastly, all of the above reasons lead to the most important impact of business communication: satisfaction and retention. Happy employees make happy customers. And so, your business’ goal should be to retain employees and customers by improving their satisfaction and experience.

How to Communicate Effectively in the Workspace: 8 Useful Tips

Effective business communication best practices have been talked about for years as we continue to find better ways to express ourselves and collaborate with others. Here are some key points to keep in mind so that you communicate well in your place of work:

1. Adopt active listening

Many times, we assume we know what the problem is and what solutions work best. But our experiences differ, and so it is always a good idea to actively listen to what your colleague, supervisor, or customer is telling you. Actively listening to and acknowledging the other person shows them that you actually care about their concern. Treat their issue or concern as new and personal to them. This will help you offer solutions that will work for them instead of general, unattached help.

2. Be empathetic

Empathy is growing more and more important in customer service. However, that is not where it should start and end—practice empathy in all business- and non-business-related communication. Being empathetic and actually trying to understand where the other person is coming from will help you offer better and more tailored responses. And it will create better customer service experiences through genuine interactions and care.

3. Eliminate assumptions and biases

Biases are still very much present in communication. However, people are more aware and have been consciously trying to eliminate their own assumptions and biases when communicating with others. Avoid assumptions by communicating openly and honestly about needs and expectations. And reduce implicit bias in communication by being aware and respectful of the other person. This includes respecting the other persons’ identity — their gender and gender pronouns, race, culture, religion, disabilities,

4. Ask questions

When in doubt, ask questions and be open to receiving help. Asking questions can help clarify confusion, get assistance, and receive feedback. You also show the other person that you are paying attention and listening to what they’re saying. Make sure you ask relevant questions instead of asking about something they’ve already talked about.

5. Be respectful and patient

Working can be tough, especially during high-traffic periods and high-stress situations. Be patient and respectful during these moments. It is easy to get carried away and demand more than a person can accomplish. Communicate effectively to set realistic expectations, clarify confusion, and avoid misunderstandings.

6. Acknowledge and reinforce positive behaviors

Part of good effective business communication is highlighting good and positive behaviors and accomplishments. This helps your employees and colleagues feel validated, heard, and seen. And it will, in turn, reinforce desirable behaviors.

7. Validate feelings and ideas

Finally, validate and acknowledge feelings, ideas, and suggestions when shared. Dismissing how your colleagues feel or ignoring ideas they have for improvements can lead to distrust and indifference towards the company. This will further reduce the amount of investment the employee or customer has in your company leading to high employee turnover and losing valuable customers.

8. Be aware of international phone etiquette

When communicating with business contacts and customers in other countries and regions, it is a good practice to be aware of international phone etiquette. Practicing good phone etiquette demonstrates that you respect their culture by making an attempt to connect with them in ways that matter to them.

Setting Up Business Communications

It is important to find the right business communication system for your company. Ideally, you want systems that you need and will use effectively. When setting up your communication system, keep these steps in mind:

1) Review your current business communication set-up and identify new goals.

Before reinventing your communication system, review the current one to understand its strengths and weaknesses. This will help you determine what to look for in the new system. Consider some common reasons why communication systems need replacement:

• Low employee satisfaction
• Low customer satisfaction or weak caller experience
• Information being lost due to remote work or improper documentation

Then consider what your company’s goals are:

• Low employee turnover rate
• High customer satisfaction rate
• Proper tracking of projects, documents, interactions, tasks, etc.

2) Consider how you want your core groups to communicate with each other.

Next, develop a structure for how your teams will communicate:

• Horizontally (departments)
• Vertically (between teams and managers)
• Externally (between the company and customers, suppliers, partners).

In order to create this structure, consider:

• Which teams need to talk daily.
• Which teams need specific methods of communication. For example, do all teams need access to phones or direct lines? Or, do all teams need a project management system that documents tasks and projects?
• How can managers maintain and report progress in a department? What tools might they need?
• Can a forum or knowledge base be created to reduce meetings/interactions regarding basic elements?

3) Choose methods of communication suitable for your needs.

Based on the above analysis, pick from the communication methods discussed above that would fit well with your core groups. Then consider which methods are absolutely needed and which can be optional.

4) Invest in the right communication tools.

Some businesses start off using the most commonly-used tools such as Gmail, Outlook, Google Drive, Microsoft Office, Slack, Google Hangouts, etc. However, what tools are best suited for your company depends on what you want to achieve through them. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• If you run a small business, use a single tool for email, internal chat, and calendars that can be shared, etc. Using multiple platforms can lead to confusion and slow down important processes.
• For external business communication, create guidelines regarding your brand. For example, editorial notes, tone of voice, etc., and make sure that everyone communicating externally is made aware of your brand’s voice.
• Consider an easy-to-use and reliable VoIP phone system to keep remote teams well-connected.
• You may even consider investing in virtual phone numbers that help you communicate easily with international customers.
• Use cloud storage to secure and keep track of important documents.
• You may even consider using a project management system such as Teamwork or Monday to keep track of projects and tasks as they move within different teams and departments.

How Global Call Forwarding Can Help

We can provide you with essential communication tools to boost internal and external communications. From VoIP to a variety of virtual phone numbers and communication features, we can help you build and set up a high-functioning office phone system that keeps you connected no matter where you or your teams are located. For more information, speak to an expert at 1 (888) 908 6171.

New changes are happening all over the world — from adopting new business processes to nurturing social movements to adjusting to the global pandemic. And the much-talked-about Brexit deal is one of these major changes. Curious about what Brexit means for businesses in the UK and EU? In this article, we look at the different business-related areas that will feel the impacts of the new Brexit deal.

How is Brexit Affecting Business in the EU and UK

Companies and business owners across the EU and UK are worried about Brexit and business continuity. As the transition period comes to an end, many businesses in Britain and Europe are wondering, “how will Brexit affect my business?” From business travel to communication to new customs regulations, there are many ways the Brexit deal can impact your business processes. In this post, we discuss how Brexit will affect:

• Business Travel
• Working and Studying Abroad (Work Visas, Education, and Erasmus)
• Impact on Trade (Customs, Supply Chain, VAT Regime)
• Mobile Roaming and Calling Charges
• Online Services

Let’s get into the different ways that Brexit may affect businesses in the EU and United Kingdom.

1. Business Travel

One of the main areas that the new Brexit deal affects EU and UK companies is in regards to the new restrictions on business travel. Individuals traveling for work from the EU to the UK and vice versa have new regulations to keep in mind.

British travelers will face restrictions on their passports. For example, British travelers will need at least 6 months left on their passports to travel to the EU. While these travelers don’t need a visa to enter the EU, they will need travel authorization. At immigration, they may be questioned about the duration of their stay, returned bookings, financing plans, and so on. Conversely, national ID cards are no longer valid for European travelers entering Britain, except for particular cases. And EU travelers will need to go through customs checks at UK airports.

Other changes:

1. Additionally, duty-free shopping will continue. However, there will be new allowances for the quantity of goods you can bring back to the United Kingdom.
2. There is also a new set of rules and regulations to follow when driving abroad. UK licenses will no longer be recognized as the same as the EU. And British drivers driving in the EU may require an international driving permit.
3. The EU will lose access to professional service providers (doctors, veterinarians, engineers, architects, etc.) from the UK. These professions will not be automatically recognized in Europe. And UK professionals with these qualifications will have to jump through regulations to get recognized.
4. Financial services will also be affected. UK-registered and regulated banks have announced (and started making) plans to close accounts of citizens residing in the EU or EU economic area.

2. Working and Studying Abroad

With the new Brexit deal, working and studying abroad (between the UK and EU) has become more complicated. Since the Four Freedoms of the EU — freedom of movement of goods, capital, persons, and services — no longer apply to British citizens, they do not benefit from visa-less employment and education within the EU.

Work Visas

The UK will issue a new points-based immigration system that treats EU & non-EU citizens the same. With this new system, travelers from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland can travel to the UK for short trips without a visa. However, longer stays and employment will require an application under the new points-based system. As explained in TLDR News’ video on how Brexit will affect work visas, the points-based system requires applicants to accumulate a minimum of 70 points. Out of the 70 points, individuals applying must have a job offer (20 points), demonstrate a high skill level (20 points), and speak English (10 points) — these are mandatory. The remaining 20 points can be achieved through the other criteria as listed by the government.

Education and Erasmus

To study in any of the European countries, British citizens will require a visa from particular EU countries, if their courses run longer than 3 months. Additionally, they will no longer qualify for domestic fees when studying abroad. All of this makes going abroad for education more expensive.

Furthermore, British universities will no longer participate in the Erasmus program. This means that European students won’t be able to study temporarily in the UK through the program. And students who still want to pursue higher education in the UK will have to apply through the new points-based immigration system and deal with higher international fees.

3. Impact on Trade

While Britain was part of the EU, companies could buy and sell goods across EU borders without paying taxes. Additionally, there were no limits on the amount of items that could be traded. However, with the Brexit deal, a few changes come into effect:

Customs/Border Tariffs

Since exiting the EU Customs Union, Great Britain will longer enjoy the benefits of free trade, making the movement of goods across the EU and UK more difficult. Now, British importers and exporters (trading with Europe) are considered non-residents. Because of this, goods moving between the UK and EU now require customs declarations. However, these goods will not be subject to tariffs.

On the other hand, businesses that used to face competition from overseas (EU) companies will enjoy a competitive advantage. This is because UK customers will have to choose between expensive imports and cheaper domestic products.

Supply Chain

Businesses can expect delays in their supply chain, including shipping and deliveries, due to border checks and queues. It is expected that the “EU would immediately implement tough new checks on agri-food products, with no grace period.” This is not good news for perishable goods as they may get caught up in these checks and queues.

VAT Regime

UK will no longer be bound by the EU’s VAT regime. As a result, importers and customers receiving goods from the EU will be subject to VAT for imports. The British government might decide to change the system, including making new goods 0% VAT-rated. However, what exactly will happen in the UK related to the VAT regime is still not concretely decided.

4. Mobile Roaming and Calling Charges

Many are wondering if Brexit will bring roaming charges back to businesses and customers. More specifically, will Brexit mean that phone calls between the EU and UK are considered international?

While part of the EU, British phone carriers were subject to EU phone laws. Through these laws, people could call, text, and use data on the same terms in the United Kingdom and across Europe. In other words, they could use their data at no extra fees, even when within the EU. Unfortunately, these laws no longer apply to UK phone carriers. And carriers are not legally required to offer the same rates as they did before.

As of December 2020, Vodafone confirmed that they had no plans to bring back roaming charges. Other major operators — O2, EE, 3 — haven’t publicly confirmed that they will increase calling rates.

If roaming charges are brought back, businesses in and outside of Britain and the EU can use virtual phone numbers as an alternative. For example, an EU company can get a UK phone number to connect with local customers in the UK without worrying about roaming or international charges.

5. Online Services

Lastly, when within the EU, there was a legal guarantee that the UK would have access to online services. However, this guarantee is no longer valid. Individual providers will need to decide how to make adjustments and amend their provisions.

How Global Call Forwarding Can Help with Brexit

The Brexit deal has led to both victories and uncertainties for people of different sectors in the UK and EU societies. Global Call Forwarding can ease some of these concerns by providing businesses in the UK and EU with European virtual phone numbers to help transition more effectively. You can sign up for a virtual phone number or buy a toll-free UK number on our website. Or, speak with our global specialists at 1 (888) 908 6171 to get a better understanding of how we can support your business during this change.

Dealing with global customers is not always easy. Add to this, cultural differences, language barriers, and cultural nuances, and you have yourself a messy situation. However, you can prepare better so that you navigate these differences professionally and develop valuable relationships. Follow the appropriate international phone etiquette when conducting business interactions with international customers and clients.

What is Proper International Phone Etiquette?

When working with global customers and clients, you will have to have in-person, phone, and video conversations to move forward or close deals. Oftentimes, people are so used to doing business within their country or locally that they may be unaware of international business conventions.

International phone etiquette is the awareness of the differences and subtleties between various countries and regions and how to navigate these differences in order to communicate effectively.

How to Communicate Well with International Customers

So, what factors of international communication do you need to keep in mind when connecting with global customers? Here are some key elements to pay attention to:

1. Respect their Titles
When conducting business interactions, make sure you are aware of local conventions for addressing your attendees. Different countries have different cultural conventions for addressing one another. For example, in the US, using words such as “guys” may be common during business meetings. However, in countries like Japan and Germany, conventions are different: In Japan, it is polite to address someone by their first name, followed by “san.” On the other hand, in Germany, first names are not preferred. Instead, people are addressed by Herr/Frau followed by their last name. Being aware of these nuances can help you develop demonstrate respect and stronger relationships.

2. Listen Carefully and Actively
When dealing with international clients and business partners, a common challenge is understanding and interpreting accents. A second challenge is misunderstanding cultural references. To counter this issue, listen actively and carefully and when needed, ask for clarification. This is an important part of international phone etiquette. Furthermore, be clear in your own pronunciation and diction; speak slowly and clearly. If required, rephrase your sentence for better clarity and to avoid misunderstandings.

3. Don’t Use Slang
Avoid local and cultural slang, colloquialisms, or references as this may not work in an international setting. You will end up leaving your business partners or clients confused and they may see this as a sign of informality. In some cases, you may even offend some one. Awareness is required to identify and steer away from slang terms, phrases, and buzzwords.

4. Avoid Frustrations and Talking Down
Lastly, be careful when toeing the line of speaking clearly and dumbing down your words and sentences. You may run the risk of offending someone and sounding rude and patronizing. Be patient and focus on the common goal of communicating effectively.

Why is it Important to Practice Phone Etiquette?

Being aware of and practicing international phone etiquette can go a long way in securing essential deals and developing significant relationships. For many companies and clients, conducting business via phone and video conversations is a new shift.

In fact, some may still be apprehensive of closing deals without face-to-face interaction. If you do not show respect during phone conversations or are unaware of international business conventions, you may lose a valuable business relationship. And so, practicing phone etiquette can help you ease any discomfort and hesitancy.

The Do’s and Don’t of International Phone Etiquette

Below, we will look at the Do’s and Don’ts of international business phone etiquette for the following countries:

• Australia
• Mexico
• Brazil
• Russia
• China
• South Africa
• France
• Spain
• Germany
• UAE
• India
• UK
• Italy
• USA
• Japan

Invest in the Right Tools for International Communication

Global Call Forwarding can support your international communication efforts with our international toll free numbers. You can sign up online or speak with our global specialists by calling 1 (888) 908 6171.