The art of business communication

Ritah Namwanje

In today's online world, our professional image depends on our ability to communicate; communication is an essential requirement for any business to operate smoothly. Not only should communication skills be very much enhanced in interactions for interest in a customer's feedback, but also needed to promote productivity in the internal and external work environment to ensure an increase in profit. 

This powerful skill will not only benefit in earning extra revenues but will provide a competitive edge to boost the business. Whether we are communicating by email, text, social media, written reports or presentations, how we use our words often determines how others view us and our businesses as well.

Of late, we can improve our communication levels with clients via a number of platforms in fairly affordable ways which do not require logic to learn, yet it almost accommodates everyone in their capacities. These several platforms are very effective in promoting sales because many people use them hence a niche for customers. Recently, these platforms that is to say; social media, blogs, websites etc have made communication much easier and this has also helped to raise company profits and customer feedback.

With all the benefits of online platforms, they again should not be the only option but, organizations have to induce additional efforts to interact with customers on a personal basis to understand their specific needs and wants. It should be drilled in the mind of every employee of the company that each customer is important!! With thousands of local and international products on the market, customers will not hesitate for a moment to change their decision about a particular product unless communication is effective. Communication with your audience will not only provide good results or reputation, but also helps in getting a one on one interaction with your customers.

It is every business owner or organization's need to "stand out" in whatever they venture in, in a bid to put a lid for monopoly, no matter the market width. Globalization however, has also brought clutter where without effective communication, you may realize just a few profits.

As Multinational organizations spread their roots to many parts of the world through communication, their strategies are to induce new product range periodically; which also wins them customers with less effort. Hence, unless a new business heavily invests in effective communication and marketing with great strategic techniques, it will not be able to capture mass audience hence losing the game!!

The focus and goal of any business should be on getting the competitive advantage.  That possibility becomes high when a company works hard and smart to promote communication internally and externally. Increased communication within a workplace will help in generating better performances, less errors and diversified ideas. The internal impact will result in the product or service that will appeal to the customers to its core.

No one would ever wish to start a business and later see it collapse at his or her retirement. To enhance these skills to the upcoming generation, you need to train them from the beginning that effective communication is vital and it is a need to help get their careers realized both in the businesses they join or they invent.

For a wider benefit to the economy, communication, both written and verbal should be polished in schools as well as homes. The key to success is to interact and understand your goal in depth and that can only happen after understanding the art in business communication.

This is evidently actualised when a person knows when to start a conversation, choice of words, when to probe and when to stop; and that is the baseline for every business. Communicating effectively to your customers, in any business, is as important as the business product itself communicating positively to your client.

Ritah is a member of the Critical Thought Group, and a business economist in Kampala.