Running a business ranks as one of the toughest tasks yet, and every entrepreneur or business owner will agree with this. On one side, there's the challenge of funding, and keeping the business afloat despite uncertainties surrounding business commercials. On the other side of the coin, they also have to deal with customer satisfaction and contentment, in order to increase retention and boost revenue. Additionally, the management team of the business also has the herculean task of keeping the employees motivated and engaged, so they can perform at the optimum. This is why business communications are very important.

We will define business communications as the sharing of information within a business establishment, both internally between employees, and also externally between the business and customers.

Importance of Business Communications

As rightly mentioned in the introduction, business communications are essential for getting the best out of employees and also retaining customers. Here are the benefits of business communications for each of these groups

For Employees

Business communications in the workplace would help the employees in the following areas:

1. Increase Employee Engagement & Productivity: An engaged workforce is a productive one. Employees, especially the best ones, take engagement in the workplace very seriously. And it ranks as one of the factors that dictate their diligence and satisfaction. One of the best ways to increase employee engagement is by communicating with them regularly and effectively.

2. Increase Employee Retention: Every day, many businesses face the problem of the loss of employees. This can be attributed to various reasons, such as the need to fire an employee due to underperformance, or voluntary exit based on dissatisfaction on the part of the employee. For the latter reason, one way to solve this is through effective business communications. And that is why learning about the forms of communication that work in 2023 is very important.

For Customers

1. Increase Customers Satisfaction: One of the biggest mistakes a business owner can make is having a lot of customers but being unable to keep them satisfied. What makes the difference between massive sales and return sales for your business, and a lack of these is the thin line of satisfaction. Of course, there are different ways to go about satisfying your customer base, but among them, all, building the lines of communication, and doing it effectively ranks highest. Hence, it is important to know what form of business communication is working even now in 2023 and apply them to your business.

2. Increase Customers Retention: Just as good business communications help you internally to retain your employees, so does it help you as well to retain your customers. As the common saying goes: “Out of sight is out of mind”. This stresses the importance of putting yourself in front of your customers, so to speak, at all times, to ensure you remain in their thoughts. The more you communicate with them the right way, the more they remember you and your brand and continue to buy from you.

Forms of Business Communications that Works in 2023

The form of communication that businesses deploy both internally with their employees, and externally with their customers, experienced a huge change in the years 2020 and 2021. This was due to the global covid-19 pandemic. By the year 2022, businesses were beginning to adjust to new forms of business communications, ones that are more effective in fostering business growth.

In the year 2023, as this adjustment gets into full force, here are some of the forms of business communications that would work wonders for a business, both internally, and externally;

1. Use of Collaborative Workspaces: Even though this has been in vogue for quite some time, it’s sad to note that not many businesses have keyed into its use. Collaborative workspaces have been found to enhance business communications in the workplace, as it helps in the management of employees. When these are used, tasks are done quicker, and it is also easier to delegate and follow up. Some of the most popular and effective workspaces are; Google Workspace, Trello, ClickUp, Slack etc.

2. Self-Service Customer Care: One of the most important areas of business management is customer service. However, this is often neglected, or not performed to the optimum, mainly because of other responsibilities saddled on the shoulders of the employees. A form of business communication strategy that you can put in place in 2023 to ensure your customers get the best of service is self-care customer care. This involves the use of AI and chatbots. Before doing this though, it would help to have a list of the top questions or inquiries your customers make, so you can prepare the automated responses that address them. Note though that this doesn’t work in all cases, and as such, you also need to have a dedicated team for customer support, to follow up should there be a need to offer more support. Yes, do not forget the orthodox way.

3. Video Conference Calls: While video conferencing has also been around for quite some time, it really became popular in the middle of the global pandemic. Many businesses and organizations saw the importance of using this medium to keep in touch with team members and ensure no stone is left unturned in their operations. Is this phasing out anytime soon? By no indication. In 2023, video conferencing would still be very much in use, and enhance business communications between management and employees.

4. Infographics & Video Communications: Every passing day, the way people consume information continues to change. At present, a lot of people prefer taking in information through visual aids, such as pictures and videos. While texts still have their place, it would be wise to consider converting text-based information into infographics & videos in 2023. That way, you ensure your business stays on track with others in your industry who would have jumped on this trend of business communications.

5. Cloud-Based Solutions: As remote work becomes a trend, and data security and privacy also take on more importance, many businesses in 2023 would be moving a lot of their resources to the cloud. This of course ensures better team collaboration and efficiency. Some employee management software, and customer relationship management software would be used extensively. Would you be one of those in sync with the most recent technologies? We trust you would.

Takeaways

The way business was done prior to 2020 is not the same way it’s done now. Times have changed, and businesses as well need to evolve and follow the changing trends. Is your business well poised to take advantage of the market opportunities in 2023? A lot depends on your business communication strategies. Implementing the ones suggested in this article can set you on that path.

One of the best communication strategies that would always be in vogue is definitely SMS marketing. This can be used in addition to other strategies herein mentioned, with great results. With a free SMS account, you can manage your employees, and customers, and always make sure you stay in touch with them with well-crafted text messages. You can try it out now with free SMS bonuses.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or need assistance with boosting your business communications in 2023.