Business Communcation and

Etiquettes
Answer1:
Communication: Communication is the process by which
information is exchanged between individuals. Communication is
not only significant but also essential for it's very existence and
operation . Communication is always required to get things done.
The importance of effective communication is for the recever to
decode the message effectively, not just ensuring simple delivery.

Use of technology in Communication

Technology-enabled communication, often known as computer

mediated communication or simply mediated communcation,
places technology between the sender and the receiver of a
message. Although this technological process carries a number of
benefits, various details should be kept in mind while using
technology as a communication tool.

Effects of Technology on Communication in an Organisation

Technology has changed business in many ways, but it's effects on

communication is arguably the most significant. However, while
technology has made communication faster and easier, it has also
made communication more distracting and less clear.

Various effects that communication has on technology includes:-

Communcation is faster:
Technology allows us to communicate with anyone at a distant
place very easily. Infact thanks to emails and text messages, we
can send messages to other time zones all across the world,
regardless of language issues.

Expanded communication opportunities:

Technology helps individuals to communicate and carry on a

business relationship without ever meeting face to face,so people
in all parts of the world now have a chance to interact with a
company in a rural part of India. Example: Virtual Assistant.

Deliberacy in planning:

Technology has made planning deliberate communication period

more important. This is important to avoid employees losing
touch and make sure that all are working towards the same goal.

Efficiency:

While using technology as a communication tool, we cal find and

deliver data to our employer and customer anywhere.
Smartphones enables individuals receive the information without
waiting for another person to arrive back at his facility.

Documentation:

Technology has made documentation and archiving of

communication quick and easy. With the use of databases and
inexpensive storage, you can save e-mails and other
commonications and can query them as needed for future use.

Geographic barrier reduction:

Emails reduces geographic and time zone barriers for businesses.
Employees or contractors from around the world can
communicate , regardless of their location. Likewise, customers
can send sales and other queries according to their own
suitabilities.

Lower costs:

Customer service support cost can be reduced by focussing on e-

mail customer support options rather than phone-based services.
This result in significant savings in posting costs, shipping supplies
and employee resources.

Targeted Marketing:

Internet lets businesses market to targeted audiences. Customers

can opt in to receive e-mails about products they want to buy, sell
or do business for.

Communication is essential to successful business operations, and

the technology of the 21st centualry has become completely
integrated in business interaction. Company networks are faster,
the internet has become a powerful force, and wireless
communications have transformed the way the business is
performed. Even the latest technologies, such as cloud
computing, are being used to allow businesses to operate globally
without sacrificing security or limiting user access.

Answer 2.
Communication Audit
The value of quality communication and it's relationship to
organisational efficiency and effectiveness has been widely
recognised.It has been argued that:

"Effective communcation is a vital key ingredient of attempts to

increase participation, secure the widespread ownership of
corporate goals and implement such programmes as Total Quality
Management"

An audit provides a process for aquiring data for analysis and the
analysis relates to communication processes and practices within
the organisation. Functionally a communication audit can tell
organisation:

∙ Who they should communcate with?

∙ Who they actually do communcate with?
∙ What should they be communicating ?
∙ How they should communicate?
∙ How do they actually communicate?

It also assists managers by providing them with knowledge of

what they thought and what is actually happenning at the
communication level. Communication Audit hepls to identify the
following loopholes:

∙ Lack of information
∙ Undue power of the grapevine
∙ Lack of timelines of information
∙ Poor upward communication
 ∙ Faulty channels of communication
∙ Lack of visibility of senior managers
∙ Unproductive meetings

A communication Audit is a systematic research method, which

will identify the strengths and weaknesses of our current internal
and external communications. An effective communication audit
will identify:

1 How past communications were handled?

2 Key audiences; what they currently know about the
business, service, product, need and want to know how they
prefer to be reached.
3 Strength and weaknesses in current communication
programs
4 Utapped opportunities for future communcations.

A comminication Audit requires to ask:

5 What are our current goals and objectives for

communications?
6 How well is the current Communication plan working?
7 Are the messages clear and consistant? Do we have a
coordinated graphic identity?
8 Are we reaching key audiences with our messages and
moving them to actions?
9 What communications have been most effective?
10 What do customers and employees think of our
communications?
11 Do our communcation support our overall strategic plan?
 12 What can make the communication more effective in
future?
13 What communcation opprtunities are we missing?
14 How to acheve the missing communication opportunities
and by what strategies?

Steps of Communication audit

One can either conduct a self assessment or hire a professional to
perform the audit. There are 10 steps that help us complete the
communication audit:

Step 1. Determine the key areas to be audited.

We need to look at both internal and external communications.

This includes the analysis of all aspects of a business strarting
from the standard identity pieces to promotional materials and
news coverage received.

Step 2. Research methods.

There are various research methods available using which the

audit can be conducted. It includes:

∙ One-on-one interviews
∙ Focus Groups
∙ Online or telephone surveys
∙ Media Analysis

Step 3. Collection and evaluation of previous available data

Take time to analyze each communication piece. Ask all the above
mentioned questions. Create a written list of what worked and
what not. Survey a few trusted staff and clients. Then evaluate all
the data on the basis of the complete information collected.

Step 4. Query your Customers.

Take help of your clients in your audit. Ask them questions about
and related to the communication pattern.

Step 5. Query your Community.

Take a broader look at the impact of your communications. What

does the community know and perceive about your organisation
communcation. A formal community survey or informal
interviews will serve the purpose.

Step 6. Query your Internal Audience

Internal audience i.e. staff and volunteers' opinion serves the

most significant purpose in analysing the organisation
communication as they have a closure and clear picture of what is
going on.

Step 7: Media Coverage Analysation

Keep all your press coverage in a media binder. This can include
television and radio tapes or transcipts or web coverage. It must
be spread around a table and must be analised for the frequency
of it's reach, tone and impact.

Step 8. SWOT Analysis

Pull all the data from the previous steps and prepare a simple
SWOT chart, seggregating the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats for effective communication. Analyse
how can we capitalize on strengths, stop weaknesses, maximize
opportunities and defend against threats

Step 9. Bind up the results

Think like a communication consultant go through all the findings

and formulate strategies.

Step 10. Put together a plan for future communication

Use this audit as a starting point for creating a communication

plan for your organisation.

Answer 3.
A.) Impact of Outward Appearance

Outward appearance is the window of your personality to the

world. We dress for ourselves, not just for others. It is important
as it gves the first impression of ours in front of others about our
personality.

It is easier to examine and easier to improve as well. It has more

direct and immidiate effect on one's interaction with others.Being
a corporate woman I will keep in mind few things while choosing
for:

Dress

Decent dressing is the the key to making your 1st impression

memorable and praiseworthy.
Apart from business suit, I have the versatility of choosing
either formal dress pants, a pair of dress slacks or skirt with
a jacket.
 The dress must not be too revealing.
Overpowering perfume is not acceptable. It must be
graceful.
I may also prefer a formal saree or an Indian suit as in
accordance with the occassion.

Accessories

Pearls, white gold, silver and precious will look very elegant
rather than chunky gold jwellery.
A fine bracelet with western dress or bangles that do not
jingle with an Indian attire.
One inch earings, nose pins and studs are acceptable.
Shoes and wallets must be of matching colour.
Good quality of accesories like hand bag, watch, mobile
cover, keychain etc.

Makeup

Makeup should be subtle down to a minimum.

Preferably use lip colours in matt shades. Use a lip liner to
outline before filling up with lipstick.
Colours must be chosen specifically very cautiously.
Lipshades must be in lighter shades to give an elegant look.
Light pinks, light browns and skin tones are appropriate.

B.) Etiquettes and social conduct

There are underwritten