Whether you're managing a remote team, providing customer support, or sharing crucial information internally, the way you communicate plays a significant role in achieving your goals.
Messaging within a company is important, but just as important as the message is the communication channel—how are you choosing to communicate with your staff and colleagues? Selecting the proper communication channel can make or break effective communication, so be sure to know when each method is appropriate.
This guide explores communication channels, detailing different types and how to use them effectively.
What Are Communication Channels?
Communication channels are the means by which you interact or communicate with one or more people. In the context of business, it refers to the tools and methods used to share information both internally, between team members, and externally, with customers or clients. These channels range from face-to-face conversations to social media platforms and digital solutions like video conferencing.
Whether you are presenting new information to your entire organization or discussing a task with a single colleague, knowing which type of communication channel is most appropriate will have a major impact on the result.
Types of Communication Channels
Business communication involves a wide range of methods to exchange information effectively, both internally and externally. The use of multiple channels allows businesses to adapt to different communication needs, audiences, and situations.
Here are some of the most common and effective communication channels used by businesses today:
- Face-to-Face
- Phone Calls
- Video Conferencing
- Text Messaging
- Instant Messaging Platforms
- Social Media
- Live Chat
1. Face-to-Face Communication
Face-to-face communication is the oldest and often most effective way of sharing information. Face meetings, in-person interactions, and even body language play significant roles in ensuring that the message is understood. Being able to see facial expressions helps to gauge the other person's reactions and fosters a deeper understanding.
- When to use it: Best used for sensitive discussions, team building, negotiations, and situations where nonverbal communication such as tone of voice or facial expressions matter.
- Benefits: Allows for immediate feedback and builds stronger personal connections. This channel is especially effective in establishing trust, as the participants can read each other's body language and engage more naturally.
- Examples in business: Conducting performance reviews, brainstorming sessions, negotiations with clients, and holding important company meetings are all instances where face-to-face communication can be highly effective.
2. Phone Calls
Phone calls are a classic communication channel that allows for quick, real-time verbal exchanges. They provide a personal touch while being faster than written communication. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calling is a modern alternative to traditional phone calls, allowing businesses to make voice calls over the internet. VoIP offers added flexibility, cost savings, and is often integrated with other digital communication tools.
- When to use it: Ideal for urgent matters, direct questions, or when a more personal touch is required. Examples include sales, support calls, and building customer relationships.
- Benefits: Real-time and personal, providing a level of comfort often missing in text-based interactions. Unlike face-to-face interactions, phone calls are less formal, and participants do not need to be in the same physical space.
- Examples in business: Sales teams often use phone calls to connect with leads, while support teams handle customer issues more effectively by offering a personal voice on the other end.
3. Video Conferencing
Video conferencing allows for real-time communication, combining the benefits of face-to-face interaction with the convenience of meeting from any part of the world. Video conferencing apps often include features like screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, and recording options for easy collaboration.
- When to use it: Great for virtual meetings, remote interviews, cross-location collaboration, and situations where visuals are required.
- Benefits: Provides real-time communication while enabling the use of nonverbal cues such as facial expressions and body language. Video conferencing is an excellent replacement for in-person meetings when participants are located in different regions.
- Examples in business: Video conferencing is often used for board meetings, client presentations, and webinars. Features such as screen sharing and recording capabilities make it convenient for project collaboration and training sessions.
4. Text Messaging
Text mesasging is a quick and direct form of communication which is commonly used for reminders, notifications, and instant updates. It is a convenient option for reaching individuals regardless of their location, as it does not require internet access.
- When to use it: Ideal for sending quick updates, alerts, or reminders to team members or clients. SMS is useful for communicating with people who may not have access to internet-based messaging.
- Benefits: Fast and immediate, especially for urgent messages or personal notifications. Text messages have a high open rate, ensuring that the information reaches its intended audience.
- Examples in business: Appointment reminders, delivery updates, promotional offers, and customer service follow-ups are some use cases for SMS communication.
5. Instant Messaging Platforms
Instant messaging tools are popular for internal communication and quick exchanges. They allow for both asynchronous and real-time conversations among team members, helping facilitate day-to-day communication, project collaboration, and informal discussions.
- When to use it: Best for day-to-day communication, project collaboration, and informal chats. Messaging platforms work well for discussions that do not require formal documentation.
- Benefits: Enables teamwork in real time, with features like integrations and group chats. Messaging platforms also facilitate asynchronous communication, allowing team members to respond at their convenience.
- Examples in business: Instant messaging tools are commonly used for quick questions, project-related discussions, sharing links, files, and task updates. Slack's integrations with tools like Trello and Google Drive further streamline work processes.
6. Social Media
Social media platforms play a key role in external communication with customers and the public. They act as channels for marketing, customer engagement, and brand awareness, allowing businesses to reach a broad audience and interact directly with consumers. Social media also offers opportunities for businesses to gather customer feedback, run targeted advertising campaigns, and establish a unique brand identity.
- When to use it: Suitable for marketing campaigns, customer support, external brand messaging, and building a community around your product or service.
- Benefits: Provides a broad reach and allows for customer interaction. Social media enables businesses to build a brand presence and connect with customers on a personal level. Platforms like LinkedIn are great for networking and professional engagement.
- Examples in business: Social media is used to share blog posts, company updates, customer testimonials, and engage in customer support through direct messages. Running ad campaigns and promoting events are other common uses of social media.
7. Email
Email is a widely used communication channel, especially for formal communication. It is effective for sharing documents, formal announcements, and business messages.
- When to use it: Best for formal exchanges, documentation, and ongoing communications that do not require an immediate response. Emails are ideal for providing detailed information that the recipient can refer to later.
- Benefits: Asynchronous, detailed, and leaves a formal record of communication. Emails can be used for sending important documents, project updates, and information that requires documentation.
- Examples in business: Internal communications like policy updates, client communications regarding contracts, and formal business proposals are some common uses of email. Email marketing is also an important tool for engaging with customers and driving business growth.
8. Live Chat
Live chat is an online communication channel that allows real-time interaction between customers and businesses through a website or app. It provides immediate assistance, which can help improve customer satisfaction and reduce response time.
- When to use it: Ideal for customer support, answering product-related queries, and engaging with website visitors who need quick answers. Live chat is particularly useful in customer service situations where waiting for an email response would take too long.
- Benefits: Provides instant access to support, enhances the customer experience, and reduces wait times. Live chat can also help convert website visitors into customers by offering real-time assistance during their browsing session.
- Examples in business: Companies often use live chat to assist customers with product questions, troubleshoot issues, or provide information on shipping and returns. Service-based companies may also use live chat to schedule appointments or answer frequently asked questions.
Choosing the Best Communication Channel for Your Organization
Choosing the right communication channels for your business can vastly improve internal and external communication. So how exactly do you choose the best channel for your needs? To make the right choice, consider the following when drafting your communication strategy:
- Fit Your Channels to Your Audience: Evaluate whether you need to improve internal, external, or both channels of communication to decide where your gaps are. Is your team not collaborating as effectively as you’d like? Are your customers struggling to receive the service they expect? Also consider whether you are using new communication channels for collaboration, marketing, or customer service to determine how you should deliver your message. Marketing only via email will still yield results, but using more public and static channels like your website or social media might have more long-term success.
- Consider the Drawbacks: Most communication channels have downsides, and they are important to consider when choosing how to communicate with your audience. Using chat and messaging apps might be the fastest way to send on a message or task, but it won’t be tracked and could be buried in the conversation. Knowing when to use each channel based on the downsides will prevent ongoing or future issues.
- Set Goals and KPIs: Once you’ve chosen new channels of communication for your business, set goals and key performance indicators to track their performance and the difference made. If you are finding you often get negative reviews, keep track of how the reviews change as you change or improve your customer service correspondence. Keep track of leads, task completion within your team, and other performance metrics that are directly related to how you communicate with your team.
- Know Your Team: Understand how your team members prefer to communicate. Some may prefer instant messaging over video calls, while others may prefer email for detailed exchanges.
- Consider the Message: The nature of your message matters. Formal communication channels like email are best for official updates, while informal channels work better for casual conversations. For example, if you need to share sensitive or complex information, a face-to-face meeting or video conferencing might be more effective.
- Audience Type: Consider whether you're dealing with internal communication or external communication. Different communication channels are more effective depending on whether the audience is team members, customers, or business partners. For instance, social media is more suitable for external audiences, while Slack is more appropriate for internal teams.
Effective Communication Tools for Business
Businesses must choose effective communication channels that align with their communications strategy. Some tools that help achieve this are:
- Slack: For internal communication, quick chats, and informal exchanges. Slack allows teams to create channels for specific projects or topics, keeping communication organized.
- Zoom: For video conferencing and virtual face-to-face communication. Zoom is often used for large meetings, training sessions, and webinars.
- Microsoft Teams: Useful for both messaging and video calls. Microsoft Teams also integrates well with other Microsoft tools, making it a great option for companies already using Microsoft products.
- Google Meet: Another effective tool for video conferencing, especially for businesses that use Google Workspace. Google Meet allows seamless integration with Google Calendar for scheduling meetings.
How to Implement Communication Channels Into Your Business
The first step of implementing new communication channels is preparing your team and business accordingly. Whether it be training them on new task management software, or referring them to the new social media pages to follow and keep tabs on, preparing your team for the transition is the first step to success.
Next, evaluate the tech and software requirements for any new integrations or features, such as customizing your chatbots or changing the user interface on a live chat box to fit the aesthetic of your website.
Finally, provide feedback to your team and accept feedback from them in return on how the channels are performing. If you choose to communicate more often with video conferencing or messaging apps, make sure your team and clients are receptive to this before continuing down a path that might thwart engagement and success.
All-in-all, the proper communication channels can dramatically improve how your communication is perceived and interacted with. Use the steps and information in our guide to determine what will work best for you, and continue tinkering to master communication internally and externally alike.