The goal of business communication is to inform employees, shareholders, departments and customers about a company's goals, financial status and products, respectively. Thus, the goal of business communication varies depending on whether it is transferred inside or outside the company. Additionally, communication goals can be transferred via email, reports, oral communication or advertising. The proper channel of communication is important for ensuring the effectiveness of communication.
One internal goal of communication is to train employees. Most companies have training manuals or policy guides that teach employees what is expected of them on their jobs. Additionally, some training programs include classroom instruction from professional trainers. Managers of a restaurant, for example, may meet for a week to learn about company management strategies. Experienced employees may communicate with new employees on how to work various equipment. For example, a shift manager may teach a new retail store cashier how to operate the store's cash register.
Supervisors use both written and oral communication to manage, instruct and assign tasks and projects to employees. For example, executives dictate letters to secretaries or ask them to set up meetings. Communication between supervisors and employees is often frequent. Supervisors must keep their employees on schedule with various tasks so they can meet project deadlines. Many supervisors use project logs, or lists of projects and due dates, to keep employees apprised of the status of projects. Supervisors also use communication to reprimand employees of inappropriate activity or behavior.
Various departments communicate with each other to keep their companies operating as a unit. For example, marketing departments keep finance departments apprised of projects for budgetary purposes. Similarly, business development or engineering departments seek input from marketing departments on product features that customers desire. Companies that introduce new products often work in teams. For example, a consumer products company may have brand, finance, advertising and production managers working together to introduce a new soap product to the market. Inter-departmental communication keeps all managers and employees working toward the same goals. Otherwise, departments may pursue divergent goals, which could be costly to their company. For example, the advertising and marketing research departments of a small restaurant company may both track the company's advertising, which wastes resources.
Companies must advertise their products and services to attract the interest of customers. External communications can include newspaper and magazine advertisements, direct mail, radio and television commercials or email marketing. Companies often use the AIDA (attention, interest, desire, action) formula when advertising their products, according to marketing expert Dave Dolak. In addition to attracting attention, advertisements are designed to build the consumers' interest and desire until they are compelled to act or buy products. Companies must also communicate information to suppliers and government agencies when necessary.
