Going digital has many advantages, not least of which is avoiding all the time and effort associated with things like physical communications: how much easier are digital folders to work with and manage compared to hard copy and paper versions. The same can be said of digital communication, with many tools making creating and sending messages fast and convenient, with significant advantages over even verbal communication.
Knowing the best way to communicate effectively is vital for any business in the modern digital world, especially with so many people taking advantage of hybrid and remote working. So, what tools are there that help promote secure and seamless business communication via open digital channels?
In this article, Real Business will look at the many systems available for easy communication in the workplace and the provision of organisational project management tools, with comparisons of each.
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What Digital Communication Tools Are Best For You?
One of the main advantages of digital communication is that it is streamlined and convenient. With a click of a button, you can communicate verbally or face-to-face on digital platforms. Important messages arrive instantly, and you still have the option to create a paper trail of written messages as a record. Embracing these digital tools and channels is the gold standard for staying efficient and relevant in today’s modern business environment.
The information below will help you decide which communication tool is best for your business, and we take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of each digital communication type.
Phone
Phone communication remains a popular method of contacting individuals; it’s instant and cost-effective. Typically, in an office environment, this is reserved for senior management, whose clients or business partners need a direct line to them via their mobile devices. However, plenty of office staff are also equipped with landline phones for customers to call directly into their chosen department.
Advantages:
- Immediate response – Having a direct line for real-time interaction allows for quick resolutions avoiding endless email communications.
- Complex discussions – Through swift verbal communication of ideas, you can not only resolve complex topics but also build rapport and trust with clients and coworkers.
- Attention – Phone calls tend to keep the attention of the other party more effectively than text messages which can result in a delayed response.
Disadvantages:
- No paper trail – Unless recorded contemporaneously, there’s no paper trail – meaning information isn’t retained.
- Interruptive nature – Calls may interrupt otherwise important work, leading to rescheduling which can create delays or even result in tasks being overlooked.
Most people have an email address nowadays, with many website registrations and other services asking for an email to send important information to. Emails are effectively a digital mailbox that reduces the likelihood of losing correspondence.
Advantages:
- Paper trail – Emails provide a permanent record unless you opt to delete them.
- Efficient – Emails do not require recipients to be within the same time zone or available to receive, and you can send a single email to several people at once increasing time efficiency.
- Flexible – Emails can be short and sweet, long with complex information, and formal or informal. It’s one of the most universally recognised digital communication channels available.
Disadvantages:
- Delayed response times – Despite being instantaneous, email is not typically a method that prompts an immediate response.
- Interpretation – As with all forms of written communication, an email’s tone can be misinterpreted.
- Inbox burial – For email addresses that have a lot of incoming traffic, some emails may be lost amid a high volume of traffic. This runs the risk of losing vital communications and businesses failing to respond.
Instant Messaging
Instant messaging has become a very popular method of digital communication in personal settings, and after the 2020 lockdown, this transferred to businesses.
Advantages:
- Real-time instantaneous interaction – With notifications, status updates and checks, it’s easy to see if a person has read the message or not.
- Quick updates – Messaging is one of the few avenues where informality is acceptable if it serves to quickly update a situation, at least amongst coworkers.
- Flexibility – Instant message software can either be one-to-one or involve groups. It also has other features such as video calls, voice assistance etc.
Disadvantages:
- Distractions – IM’ing is disruptive – it’s almost a knee-jerk reaction to want to check if a message comes in.
- Internal use only – There’s no way to utilise instant messages in a professional setting.
- Security risks – There is a lot of potential for security breaches via instant messages, making them less ideal for confidential information in a business context.
Text Messages
Text-based messages are some of the oldest digital communication methods available, around well before the existence of smartphones.
Advantages:
- Widely accessible – Whilst most people have access to the internet, it’s not required for text messages, meaning it’s a very available digital communication channel for organisations with a broad demographic.
- Direct and concise – Text messages are generally short and to the point.
Disadvantages:
- Organisational – Texting provides a paper trail, but one that’s hard to organise, considering any number can contact you and doesn’t come with contact details.
- Lack of confirmation – It’s impossible to accurately verify identity over text, with no confirmation of sender (unlike an email, that has an email address)
- Personal – Texting has a personal feel to it which can mean it’s not suitable for professional settings.
Video Calls And Video Conferencing
A video chat can be done via many desktop or mobile apps and has skyrocketed in popularity since the lockdowns of 2020 when everyone was discovering connectivity with family and friends using Microsoft Teams or Zoom. Even courtrooms are now utilising the technology.
Advantages:
- Face-to-face communication – Video calls allow you to have face-to-face communication with others, so you have the benefit of visual cues as well as audio.
- Remote location – You can attend video conferences and calls from nearly anywhere, eliminating travel logistics and expense.
- Engagement – Virtual meetings promote involvement, keeping people engaged.
Disadvantages:
- Technical issues – The technological advances of video conferencing are impressive, but it still relies heavily on efficient connectivity and sometimes has technical problems which disrupt communications.
- Fatigue – Over time, video conferencing can be fatiguing, with the term “Zoom fatigue” being coined as a result.
- Group limitation – Larger groups tend to find more difficulty being engaged and having worthwhile discussions on video links compared to smaller groups.
Social Media
Social media has emerged as a powerful digital communication channel, enabling personalities and businesses to connect with a vast audience.
Advantages:
- Wide reach – Social media platforms are usually global, and even when they’re not, they reach a massive amount of people, making them the playground of digital marketing efforts.
- Brand building – Companies effectively use social media campaigns to engage users and enhance their marketing strategies, exemplified by Spotify’s Wrapped campaign which encourages users to share personalised content on social media platforms, thus increasing brand visibility and engagement.
- Target audience – You can employ targeted messaging to capture specific demographics, improving your communication’s relevancy and engagement.
Disadvantages:
- Lack of control over message spread—Once you post information, you have no control over how far the message can spread, or even how it can be interpreted.
- Fast-paced – Not necessarily a bad thing, but when new changes can alter the context of your industry at the drop of a hat, it can render even the best-laid digital strategy inefficient.
My Business Needs Digital Communications: Which Digital Tools Should I Use?
What makes digital communication important is the speed and efficiency at which things get done. The following list contains some pointers for what works best as a communication tool, depending on your business needs:
Internal communication channels – Tools for coworkers to communicate with each other, keeping everyone informed and aligned on projects:
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- Slack – An instant messaging tool for real-time communication, which you can also divide into different channels categorised by goals, departments or topics.
- Microsoft Teams – Teams combine chat, video calling and file storage to provide a platform for groups to collaborate and hold discussions.
- Asano or Trello – Project management tools that allow internal communication, keeping tasks and progress transparent to multiple users.
External communication channels – Tools that allow you to open communication channels to clients, partners or external stakeholders, helping maintain relationships and share information.
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- Email – Ideal for formal and documented communication with the ability to send messages and attachments. Email is considered an official communication method.
- CRM Systems – CRM systems such as Salesforce and HubSpot allow you to manage client interactions, important for different team members to stay up to date with issues and enquiries and to respond effectively.
- Social media platforms – Platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook are often used for customer engagement and support – a famous example is Wendy’s which relates to customers by acting less like a corporation, and more like a normal user, using humour.
How To Use Digital Communication Tools To Harness Data-Driven Marketing?
In the digital age, the benefits of digital communication are impossible to ignore. The trick is to identify which digital communication channels will best serve your business communication needs. It’s also vital to have a joined-up strategy so that your digital communication tools are cohesive and seamless.
Here are some key factors to consider:
- Audience identification – Identifying the habits of your customers, segmenting them and creating strategies can boost engagement and sales. For example, using HubSpot, you could segment first-timers and high-spenders into separate categories, and send them different offers that cater to them individually.
- Optimise content via engagement metrics – Using analytical tools to identify frequency and patterns in engagement can help you make more efficient designs, products or services alongside project management tools like Mailchimp to A/B testing which help find solutions.
- Real-time data with social listening – Tools like Sprout Social offer social listening features that can track mentions of brands or topics related to them, or their products. So, if you run a clothing business and a specific garment, like sweaters in winter, begins trending, your team can be notified and act immediately.
Final Thoughts
Overall, using digital communications enables business staff, users, and customers to work more productively together. There are numerous digital tools available, and many with advanced settings that allow specific, specialised actions that could be indispensable to your business. Many businesses take advice from media specialists; it helps make sense of what is a sophisticated and constantly changing field and leaves you free to get on with the day job.
