Business communication…What do you think of when you hear those words ?It is intended that this article will give an overview on  the mindset that may be neccesary in your business communication. As such this is one article in a series of many that will build on each other.

So what is business communication?

Is it what is said within the business from the CEO to the deputy CEO, or maybe even further down the ladder ?

Maybe it is how and what the business communicates to clients, customers, partners and suppliers ?

It could be about interactions between colleagues and team members or with the team leader.

There are so many different forms of communication in business

Including the electronic variety from computer to computer…. and then from the recipient to accounts perhaps.
There are so many different types of communication in business that for ease of understanding I will divide them broadly into two parts.

I will deal with the second type which is the delivery mechanisms such as hardware and software in future articles.
For now I wish to focus on the human or interpersonal aspect of communication.

The first is what is actually said and the meanings behind it. The meanings can be divided into two basic aspects.

What the sender of the message wanted to convey AND what was understood by the recipient.

You may be noticing a pattern, here which is that every communication has at least two aspects or parties to it. This is similar to contracts and there may well be as much  legal  weight and legal obligation attached to a communication as any other form of contract…

Assuming that you are the sender.

Your message must contain the correct information, formatted in a way that the recipient of your message can easily understand it.Your message should be clear and unambivalent so that there is no room for misinterpretation. All business communication should be carefully considered in the light of any effects on contracts already in place or any ongoing or planned  negotiations.

 Your business communication should also, ideally

contain a mechanism for clarifying anything that the recipient may be unclear on. An example of this is an FAQ ( frequently asked questions ) page on a website. It is not a given that your FAQ page will answer all of the queries that someone may have, so it is advisable to have other mechanisms in place such as a customer support freephone number as well.    

Whoever is on duty on these numbers should be well trained, polite and able to handle what may potentially be, difficult calls. You may wish to have a system in place whereby your customer support can pass calls outside of their expertise to a supervisor or even to a more senior person.

There must also be a system in place

for keeping records of all communications received. This should include times, dates and the names and contact details of all parties involved. It should also include information about who said what and this may also include the use of call recording software that is filed in an accessible system for later retrieval. In most instances this is probably excessive but you never know when an event will be escalated into a full blown dispute. The mindframe is one of ensuring that your business’s interests are protected.

As the sender you are responsible

for providing a clear and unequivocal message that cannot be misinterpreted and the means for clarifying it should there be any doubt. You are also responsible for protecting the interests of your employer, yourself or your company. Where neccesary take appropriate legal advice on the wording of documents or planned conversations as how something is said can drastically change it’s legal meaning or interpretation.

DISCLAIMER:

Please be aware that in no way does anything in this article constitute legal or business advice. You are advised to seek a professional legal opinion from your legal representative.
This article on business communication merely reflects what has worked for me over the last thirty years while running import companies, large construction projects and various other enterprises.

Business Communication is a post from: Top Communication Skills

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Duration : 0:3:23

Business Communications From Cisco Unifies Small Company is a post from: Top Communication Skills

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In a previous article we discussed the importance and applications of marketing in counselling. There was a particular focus on the initiation of a counselling practice. Although marketing has an important, and often overlooked, role in developing a counselling business, there are several other fundamentals that are just as important to build a successful practice.

In this article, we’ll discuss the basic rules of engagement in business: how to effectively start and maintain a counselling practice from legal, ethical and managerial perspectives. If you have the tools, get ready to step into the business world with the right knowledge.

Out of School, Into the Office

It all commences with the mindset. Transiting from a student lifestyle to a working lifestyle (or from a student/working lifestyle to a working lifestyle) requires a change in the person’s mindset. In the case of building a business, it gets even more serious. As a student, the consequences of a bad assignment or being late to a class are engrossed by the student. In a counselling business, bad planning or service delivery will affect the counsellor and the clients: there is more responsibility, thus the need for more accountability.

It is common that recently graduated counsellors are highly motivated to build a successful practice. It is important that such drive and motivation are directed to a precise framework of action. Such a framework will be based on the fundamental needs of a business, along with other particular requirements of the profession.

Legal and Accounting Matters

Before going into practice, whether it is on a full time, part time or voluntary basis, counsellors should seek appropriate accounting and legal advice. There are basic requirements which any business must observe, and they can be vastly different according to each country and respective industry regulations. InAustralia, most cities have Small Business Advisory Groups which are government-sponsored and which are established expressly for this purpose. In many cases the advice given is free or very inexpensive.

There are many questions which need to be asked prior to starting a business. Following are some of them, most applied to the Australian business context:

- Should I register a Business Name and if so, how do I do it?

- Should I form a Trust or a Company and if so, why, when and how?

- Should I register for an Australia Business Number (ABN)? If so, how?

- Should I register for GST (tax) and if so, how do I do it?

- What kind of accounting format do I need?

- Am I required to register under Workplace Health and Safety Regulations?

- Do I need insurance (indemnity or other) and if so, what?

- What if I employ someone. What procedures must be observed?

There are many issues which must be sorted out before going into business. “First-timers” who are completely unaware of most of these requirements should get appropriate advice in order to avoid very problematic outcomes. Such advice, in Australia, can be sought through the Internet on governmental websites such as www.business.gov.au (ABN, GST and PAYG registration) and www.asic.gov.au (company registration). It is imperative the counsellors make use of these services while they are in the planning stages for their practice.

Moving to the accounting side of things, keeping records is a fundamental practice to any business. Keeping appropriate financial and taxation records are just as important as keeping good client records. A visit to an Accountant prior to setting up a practice is essential as he/she can provide advice on such matters as GST, maintaining cash flow records and taxation policies and procedures. The Accountant should also balance Income and Expense Statements on a regular quarterly basis.

Good accounting and financial advice is essential to the success of any business. Whilst arguments which suggest that ‘small business is top heavy with red tape’ may well be valid, we cannot use this as justification for non-compliance. When going into business and providing a service to the public, counsellors take on the responsibility to ensure that their business is operating legally and ethically from all perspectives.

Advertising and Promotion

Advertising in a local newspaper to promote a counselling service is a common practice for counsellors. The previously cited article focused on the marketing aspects of setting-up a counselling practice. Now we shift the focus to effective advertising strategies which are common for local advertising.

The Yellow Pages is a popular place to advertise and a recommended ‘investment’. There will be times when a local newspaper will run “Health and Wellbeing” features or similar supplements. A good strategy is to contact the newspaper for a schedule and advertise in alignment with it for good exposure (and positioning).

Counsellors must advertise in the “professional services” section of the paper, not in “personal” or “entertainment” sections as they may prejudice the image of the business (bad positioning). Finding out about “specials” like three days for the cost of two and effective distribution days can also provide a benefit in cost and delivery.

Finally, if you are going to try Letter Box flyers, it is important that your flyer is professionally designed and presented and is delivered to houses that meet your demographic market.

The Office Setting

Setting up the Professional Rooms correctly is extremely important and must be carefully planned. The room setting will enable one of the most important aspects of a counselling session, which is providing a safe, relaxing and comfortable environment for the client. It will also reflect the professionalism of the counsellors and play a decisive role in the client’s decision-making process in whether to return for another meeting or to look for another practice. So what are the major aspects which need to be observed?

The colours used to paint both the room background and the décor should be modest, comfortable, settling and non-aggressive. Ideal colours would be soft pastel shades including green, blue, lilac or cream. Bright unsettling colours such as lemon and hot, aggressive colours such as red are unsuited to the supportive counselling environment. The décor should be conservative and not include primary colours or items which are attention getting.

There is no need for the counselling room to be either overly large or small. Think in terms of there being three people in the room each needing his or her own “space” and yet allowing for a close comfortable supportive environment. If the room is too large there may be a need to use a partition to create the required area. Seating should be comfortable and arranged in a circular plan. Lounge type chairs are preferable and it is important that the counsellor sits at the same height as the client(s). It is most inappropriate for the therapist to sit higher than those who seek support as this may be interpreted as threatening.

Smoking when with a client is unprofessional and even illegal in some states across Australia and the world. There is no need for the counsellor to offer refreshments (such as tea or coffee) during a session, but it is wise to have a jug of water and glasses handy. People often become dry in the mouth when they are stressed and a glass of water can be very settling (not to mention that it would avoid the need to interrupt the session). Having a box of tissues is handy too.

Finally, seeking counsel is a common practice in counselling. If the counsellor is working with someone and would like a second opinion, he or she should inform the client of such decision. If counsel is obtained, make sure not to disclosure the client’s personal information (such as their name).

Maintenance Tasks and Service Quality

Keeping records of interviews and counselling sessions is not an indispensable activity, but it is recommended for reference and backtracking. If the counsellor decides to keep records, there are some basic rules he or she should follow.

First, the counsellor should always let the client know that he or she wants to use a recorder and if there is any expression of disagreement or displeasure by the client, the counsellor should not go ahead or even try to convince the client that he or she should. With taping however, it is often a better practice if a recorder is used to make notes immediately after the session. It is usually helpful to make brief written notes during the session and then develop these more fully immediately after the client is gone.

Prior to taping, the counsellor must record the verbal permission of the client at the beginning of the first tape. This can be done by simply turning the recorder on and saying ‘we’re ready to start now (name) and as you know we will be recording our sessions so we can later go back and see how much progress we’ve made. Is that ok?’, or something along those lines. Preparing a numbered Tape Register so that the tapes are arranged according to each client is desirable. One way to do this is to use an Alphabetic Card Index System.

Price Point

Finally, we take a look at the counsellor fees. In order to find out how much to charge per session, the counsellor should some local marketing research (e.g. calling other practitioners in the area and ask). Despite where the counsellor works, he or she will discover that the capacity of people to pay will vary greatly, and it could therefore be wise, especially in the developmental stages of a practice, to take some work for whatever fee the client can afford to pay. Many very successful counsellors still give time each week to do volunteer work at Community Centres, Aged Care Homes, Hospitals and the like (good networking as we discussed in last edition’s publication).

Communication and Motivation

Effective communication is fundamental to the success of any business, and in professional counselling its importance is disproportionately high. The basis for effective communication is trust, and it is with this in mind that counsellors proceed and hone this special skill.

Effective communication implies both the ability to speak and listen well. Effective listening (especially in counselling) means listening in a caring way to what is being said, accepting the other person has a point of view, and accepting the right of the other person to have an opinion which may be different from the counsellor. Therapists need to be careful not to judge others for whatever reason and through non-judgement offer the best possible advice.

Last, but not least, the most intrinsic factor of all: motivation. All these guidelines will not be effectively implemented unless the counsellor is willing to build a successful practice. That means a practice which is ethical, legally compliant, supportive to its clients, and with a well defined framework of tasks. In the end, it takes that one extra yard, that motivational boost, that additional drive, to succeed in the world of business. As Henry Ford used to say “if you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t, you’re right”. What you think?

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Pedro Gondim
http://www.articlesbase.com/small-business-articles/building-a-successful-counselling-business-tips-and-guidelines-139874.html

Building a Successful Counselling Business: Tips and Guidelines is a post from: Top Communication Skills

Duration : 0:47:13

Business Communication is a post from: Top Communication Skills

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Many business consultants today are playing the role of a successful business coaches, on account of the increasing demand for the personnel and the limited number of qualified professionals in the coaching industry available. An executive business coach plays a very important part in doubling the performance of the organization and yielding the results desired by the entrepreneur.

In any other business or relationship, success depends on effective communication. It is very important to convey your intentions and thoughts to employees and clientele, in a clear and effective manner. It is essential to employ easy and transparent communication within the business. The frequency of communication with the people involved in the business also plays a key factor in determining your success as a business coach.

Certain basics must be kept in mind while communicating and dealing with people, to earn a reputation in the coaching industry. The factors include location, work schedules and family support, since they are instrumental in influencing the level and frequency of communication. To bridge the communication gap, in case geographical barriers separate you and the client, you need to implement a communication system that is not only convenient, but also effective. If it is not possible to meet on a regular basis to discuss the challenges facing the organization, it would be better to meet at least once within a pre-set time frame.

Todays fast paced technology provides us with numerous alternatives that are both affordable and efficient for communicating with people from all over the world. Communicating through emails, online private forums and telephone or by fax is easy and convenient. If it is possible to meet on a regular basis, you should plan flexible schedules. Fix appointments regularly so that you can exchange your ideas and views with the client. At times, consistent communication demands flexibility to suit specific job schedules and other problems related to work. This situation usually arises due to the hiring of coaches who are college interns or people whose job involves on-call duties, over time or odd hours of work.

To solve the issue you need to work out a flexible solution with the client, for him to be aware of how capable you are of handling such situations. It is essential to understand that a coach with a family will have less time to devote to business issues. In such cases, it is necessary to properly organize time and balance your needs, so that you do not end up neglecting responsibilities or creating unnecessary conflict in your personal life. If such a situation does arise, it is possible to balance family commitment with obligations at work with effective planning and coordination. When working out schedules and appointments, it is necessary to consider other commitments like seminars and company events too. Through effective communication and proper time management, you can arrange for appointments that are convenient.

Working in coordination with other reputed coaches is also a good way to establish a successful coaching business. The right strategy and approach can go a long way in establishing a successful coaching and consulting business.

Kris Koonar
http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/tips-of-a-successful-coachingconsulting-business-82219.html

Tips of a Successful Coaching/Consulting Business is a post from: Top Communication Skills

Here Mark Bowden, elite presentation consultant to Fortune 500 CEOs and G8 world leaders, talks about his new book Winning Body language, the unique system of nonverbal skills used by the most effective leaders in business today.

Its not what you say but how you say it that gets results: whether youre presenting an idea, delivering a speech, managing a team, or negotiating a deal, your body language plays a key role in your overall success. This ingenious step-by-step guide, written by an elite trainer of Fortune 50 CEOs and G8 world leaders, entertainingly unlocks the secrets of nonverbal communication—using a proven system of universal techniques that can give you the ultimate professional advantage. Learn easily how to:

•Successfully master the horizontal TruthPlane around you to win trust now
•Gesture in a way that gains everyones positive attention—even before you speak
•Appeal to our deep psychological needs to gain immediate rapport and influence

These are just a glimpse of the powerful nonverbal techniques in this book for you to discover and use to win people over every time. According to studies, your nonverbal communication is almost entirely responsible for the way people feel about you. This book gives you the tools you need to subtly alter your body language, so you can positively persuade and influence others towards you in every business situation. Youll discover how to sit, stand, and move with confidence; control conversations, command attention and convey positive energy—all without saying a word.

Its the one key to success nobody talks about!

Mark Bowden is a recognized body language expert and creator of TruthPlane, a communication and presentation training program used by Fortune 50 companies and CEOs throughout the world.

Winning Body Language by Mark Bowden published by McGraw Hill can be ordered at http://bit.ly/8573TB .Body language can be a powerful influence in how people see you and more importantly, how they react to you. Body language expert Mark Bowden brings TruthPlane, a unique model of non-verbal communication that professionals can master to give effective, dynamic presentations or memorable one-on-one meetings to their staff, colleagues, management and clients.

Professionals can move up in the business world with the strategic tips and techniques employed by one of the worlds most skilled communicators. Winning Body Language shows how to move to make people believe what you are saying, make them trust you, how to use the area where you are standing, and how to imitate hand motions of influential personalities to inspire confidence, and much more.

Be one of the very first to read Mark Bowden’s great new book… Winning Body Language: Control the Conversation, Command Attention, and Convey the Right Message without Saying a Word. Order it at http://bit.ly/8573TB

Duration : 0:4:19

Winning Body Language—Mark Bowden—Expert in Business Communication and Presentation Skills is a post from: Top Communication Skills

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 Calling all small to medium size businesses! Your choice of business phone system is crucial to keeping up with the competition and can give you that all important business edge. In truth, PBX, private business exchange systems offer the best value to your business and give excellent value for money returns on your set-up investment.

A hosted PBX business phone system that is Internet based is the right choice for your business if your staff, spend most of their working time away from HQ. It also minimizes the set-up cash in favor of ‘pay as you go’. In contrast, a standard business phone system is the logical choice for your firm if the majority of employees are based centrally. This system will allow you to keep the cost of internal calls low. Whichever system you choose, PBX can make a difference to the efficiency and reliability of your communications infrastructure.

In truth, your business phone system is only a quarter of the story when it comes to gaining a competitive edge. The other three quarters are in the people and the way they operate your business phone system. Communication within a company and between a company and its customers and suppliers is a four- part process. There is 1) the sender of the piece of communication, 2) the receiver of the communication, 3) the medium of the communication (business phone system) and 4) of course the content of the message.

An organizations choice of appropriate business phone system will be completely invalidated if the system users use the automated answering service to avoid talking to customers or interact ineffectively when they do speak.

I recently called a well-known Danish manufacturer of vacuum cleaners. I loved my old vacuum cleaner and needed a small component to repair it. It had broken down for the first time after 20 years. The business phone system was programmed to route all calls to a single number that was given on the company website. The young lady who answered very quickly and who I thought would pass me on to at least three other departments was incredibly good. She asked how she could help. I told her about my vacuum cleaner problem. She asked me for the component number and asked me to wait a moment. In less than a minute she was back to tell me that the part was in stock, would cost less than $3, I could pay with my credit card and they would dispatch it to me next day.

No menus or ‘muzak’ or mechanical voices. This stunning and very unusual example of excellent customer service, demonstrates how the human element of business is the key to success. Absolutely the business phone system needs to be right and to support organization aims. But it is only the medium by which communication is achieved. The person doing the communication can make far more impact with the content and nature of their

Lina Smith
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/the-real-competitive-edge-in-business-phone-systems-724843.html

The Real Competitive Edge in Business Phone Systems is a post from: Top Communication Skills

Duration : 0:1:45

Global Business Communication : Virtual Office & Phone Numbers: Global Business Communication Tools is a post from: Top Communication Skills

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The competition is fierce in the modern world and even small businesses must take care to ensure maximum customer satisfaction. Business communication is not only useful for your clients, but also for your employees. When a customer calls your business, you need to have someone to answer the call. Using the classic wired PBX system of the past will help you for standard voice communication, but the need for data communication has also increased. In fact in the future it is expected that business data communication will surpass voice communication. In such cases considering the installation of IP based PBX systems can be useful. These systems provide the facility for data communication without eliminating traditional as well as mobile telephone communication.

It is not possible for an organization to use separate networks for voice and data. IP based PBX systems combine the strengths of each so that you can send data, voice and video using the same network. All types of communication are sent out and received as data packets. The IP PBX system takes care of all packet conversions and makes them transparent to employees and customers alike. Also, if you want to deploy VOIP communication to handle bulk overseas calling, an IP PBX system can be of great assistance. Business telephone system and VOIP services can be perfectly blended and made easy to use by an IP PBX system.

Enhancing and forging business relationships is necessary for any business and the contemporary IP PBX system makes that task simple. Value added services are essential for business phone systems. These services ensure that your business provides all the services that a customer expects from you. High call volumes can be handled with the help of an inexpensive IP PBX system. Mobile phones and other office equipment can be integrated to use the same data network for transferring of all types of data. Scalability is no longer an issue with an IP based system because you can easily install new business telephones without the need to pay for installation or rent of new lines.

Call forwarding is easy and there is no need to provide additional private lines for each extension as IP based system forwards calls easily within the network. Virtual receptionist features make IP based PBX systems the most sought after solution. Also, fax-to-email and voicemail services are provided. When you travel to multiple locations, you can use the IP PBX system to streamline all communications irrespective of your location. Multiple calls can be transferred through the system so all calls are always answered. When a client calls a number, the IP based system switches the call according to the needs of the client. These facilities ensure that your clients feel that you take good care of them and that they can always reach you when they expect to.

An IP based PBX system makes VOIP calls easy to make. It is possible to centralise all the national and international branches of your business under a single roof using an IP based system. However, the facilities offered by the system depend on the service provider that provides the service. You should only buy the system from reputed companies that understand your business and that are sure to be in business for as long as you may need them.

Orb 1
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/ip-based-business-phone-system-735484.html

Ip Based Business Phone System is a post from: Top Communication Skills

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Duration : 0:7:18

Powerful Communication in Business is a post from: Top Communication Skills

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