Business Communication Trends
COM/ 285
January 29, 2012
Jennifer Buchholz

Business Communication Trends
Business communication plays an important role in the success of any organization. It is a vital part of how employees in an organization carrying out their daily activities. Business communication has come a long way, from the days of telegram and mail delivery that took weeks to reach the intended party to the evolution of emails, instant messaging, and video conferencing that is almost instant. In today’s fast pace business world, technology has provided companies with the tools necessary to communicate effectively. “Technology makes communications across the globe seem much closer. Today, office employees are expected to know how to navigate through the Web and to use word processing, e-mail, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software”( Kitty O. Locker, Donna S. Kienzler, 2008, pg 14). There are different forms of communication that are used within an organization. These forms varies from face-to-face or phone conversations, informal meetings, presentations, e-mail messages, letters, memos, reports, blogs, text messaging, and the local intranet.
I am employed at the University of Phoenix as an Enrolment Advisor and communication plays an integral role in how I carry out my job functions. In my day-to-day functions I rely on many forms of communication to receive and provide information. The form of communication that I use depends on whether I am communicating with internal customers (team members, colleagues, managers, etc.) or external customers (current students and prospective students). The main mode of communication that I use at work is my email. I am constantly checking my email inbox so that I am up to date on my messages. This allows me to be responsive to my customers and be productive in carrying out my job functions.
I have found that creating a list of task that I need to do throughout the day in my Microsoft outlook calendar is very helpful. This practice has become a trend in my department and is recommended by my manager so that if any of the team members are absent from work anyone could pick up where the team member left off in assisting students. another popular trend that I have seen at my workplace are the use of instant messaging to communicate with colleges and managers on issue that does not require detail information.
When I think back to my first job and the communication trend that was predominant at the time, it is amazing to see how far we have come today. At my first job out of high school the business communication trend that was predominant at the time was the use of the telephone. I was in the business of advertising. At that time the use of email and faxes where available means of communication but postal mail and the telephone was the majority means of communication. The use of emails as a means of communication where just introduced as an effective means of communication. There were people at the time that were still reluctant to embrace this means of communication and continued to send out office memos and postage mails. Personally, I remember when I started working, and was given my first computer, it was exciting and challenging at the same time. It took a while for to get familiar with it. My first email address was the company email address which was very effective and allowed me to keep in contact with my clients.
Today, the practicality and efficiency of sending emails was accepted and is now a popular trend in business communication. The technology that is available today has provided a variety of means of communication that companies can adapt to create an effective and productive environment for their employees. The popular trend in the business world today is the use of smart phones to access emails messages and send emails. This has allowed individuals to keep in contact with each other no matter where they are throughout the day. Another business communication trend that is popular in most companies is the use of video conferencing to host meetings with participants that are in multiple locations.
In conclusion, communication trends in business has evolved over the years and the advancement in communication technologies have revolutionize the way we communicate with each other on a day-to-day basis. In business communication, it is important that employees and employers recognize the importance of good communication practices. It is said that “good communication is worth every minute and every penny” (Kitty O. Locker, Donna S. Kienzler, 2008, pg 8), and the more effective we communicate with each other the more profitable and productive we are in carrying out our daily tasks.

Reference
Kitty O. Locker, Donna S. Kienzler, 2008. Business and Administrative Communication, Eighth Edition, McGraw-Hill Companies