Effective communication is the foundation of business success. Poor communication, on the other hand, costs U.S. businesses a total of $37 billion each year, Inc. reports. Furthermore, companies that prioritize the implementation of effective communication systems were also found to produce a 47% higher return to shareholders over a five-year period. When it comes to the best communication systems out there, new trends are constantly evolving and changing the way we work. It’s up to business owners to adopt the latest communication methods in order to best support employees, improve their company’s productivity, and ultimately stay competitive.
Mass communication and notification systems
Mass communication and notification systems are a reliable and long-standing technology, and they’ll prove to be more important than ever in the new year. As your company continues to grow, business owners need a fast, reliable, and functional communication system in place in case of emergency. A mass communication and notification system can be incorporated into advanced networks or traditional analog phone lines. When necessary, these systems can quickly and automatically contact the proper authorities, communicate instructions clearly, and seamlessly execute emergency procedures.
Cloud-communication services
77% of businesses have at least one application (or one aspect of their computing infrastructure) in the cloud, a recent IDG Cloud Computing survey revealed. And cloud services and apps will only continue to grow in popularity in 2020. For small businesses, there’s plenty of affordable products on the market, which avoid the need for expensive, fully-integrated cloud systems. For example, hosted VoIP (voice over IP) can be used to make phone calls from computers—a simple and effective way for customer-facing employees to utilize client data efficiently and ensure better customer service.
Collaborative digital workspaces
Traditional workspaces are increasingly being replaced with collaborative digital ones, leading to improved communication, workflow, diversity of thought, creativity, and, ultimately, greater business success. Companies and organizations that communicate effectively are 4.5x more likely to retain the best employees. And 86% of executives and employees blame project failure and team problems on no collaboration. Modern digital workspaces make group interaction possible regardless of location and foster a stronger, teamwork-focused environment.
These latest trends are making a massive impact on the way businesses communicate and will continue to do so in the new year. Incorporating one or all of them into your business strategy can improve communication, boost productivity, and keep you ahead of the curve.