In these days of the internet and software solutions, there is no need for any business not to be able to share the latest data among its employees. Sometimes this information is vital, and though it has been possible to share information within an office, it has not always been possible between departments and with those who are not office based. There have been developments over the last decade that have revolutionized business communication, and here are some of the leading lights that took us out of the dark ages.
Developments that Revolutionized Business Communication
VOIP
Voice Over Internet Protocol was a game changer for many companies. It came with lower running costs and a range of VOIP options that included options for voicemail, call-forwarding and conference calling. It also became a tool to train employees, as the recording function helped trainers understand where staff using telephones were going wrong with customers.
For many people e-mail is now the go to communication system; even before the telephone. Simple to use and available through many suppliers, you can state, simply, what you want, and give information uncluttered by small talk. Perfect for efficient communication.
Smart Phones
Even the development of the first mobile phones was a huge step for businesses, but smart phones took it to a whole new level. It is difficult for a younger generation to understand the difficulties in communication before information sharing via emails and messaging services became so commonplace.
Websites
With internet access, a company can use its own website to relay information to workers. All it takes is a link to a different page (password protected) and you can have access to all the information and files through a website you already have. This will rely on a constant web presence and a web hosting service like bestwebhosting.co.uk,who will maintain and run your website for you. This has proven to be an easy option to share files and new data with a whole organization.
Dropbox
This is one of the original file sharing systems that improved the way a business could share files, and it is still a leader in the field. Companies can upload any files they choose to their Dropbox account, and instantly give access to all of its employees to the files. Dropbox is basically storage that is accessed by the web, so any company using it needs a reliable presence on the web.
Social Media
With smart phone ownership escalating, it was obvious that social media would expand with that ownership. The most popular social media companies like Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin have become vital to a business’s approach to communication, marketing and employment. The future of social media is bound to be bigger and brighter and every company should use it as a tool.
The Cloud
The latest buzz term seems to be “The Cloud”, and it really is taking over communication between businesses and satellite employees and services. This virtual storage now means instant access to everything you wish to share in a flash. Once again, you will need to have a reliable connection or your data will become inaccessible.
As you can see, the internet has revolutionized the way we communicate in business as well as in private. Without it, we could still talk to each other, but could we show files and data that cannot be spoken? No. We would still be waiting for files to be delivered by post, or making an otherwise pointless journey back to the office. Yes, things have come a long way, and we, as business people, should appreciate it. 🙂