The best business communications options in 2020

There’s a school of thought that communication was much simpler only two or three decades ago. There was face-to-face, the telephone, and the art of a well-written letter. And it’s true that there are now far more options to choose from, but as many of these are so wonderfully efficient, doesn’t that, in essence, make things simpler now?

Once you’ve chosen the best options for you, the answer has to be a resounding ‘yes!’ Here are several of the best business communications options around right now.

The social intranet

We won’t talk about social media here, not as most people know it. Whether you use it, dip into it, or are completely against it, we all know it’s there, and what it’s good for. But when it comes to internal business communications, the social intranet is a fantastic tool for reinforcing internal communications within any company. Younger employees will naturally feel completely at home using it, while more experienced colleagues can set the right tone for building an online community specific to the workplace.

Screen to screen

Whether communicating internally, externally, or promotionally, there’s no doubt that video is an absolute essential. With face-to-face meetings often time-consuming and impractical to arrange, a reliable connection for video is paramount. Video is now embraced in everything from hiring to marketing and, as people become accustomed to engaging with short recordings, as opposed to lengthy text, video will only continue to thrive as a medium for business communication.

Robust telephony

Similar to the impact of the desktop computer during the early 1980s, the advance of telephony technology in the last 20 years has transformed the communications landscape, perhaps forever. Capable of letting an employee access everything that’s on their desktop, while on the move, the smartphone, and a robust, business telephony service backing it up, is imperative. Planet Numbers have a range of solutions to suit modern businesses, including advanced VoIP systems and an extensive choice of memorable business phone numbers.

Communicating as one

More commonly known as Unified Communications, the integration of multiple chat, phone, video, messaging, management, and feedback systems is transforming business communications all over the world. Both internally and externally, key stakeholders at all levels can now work collaboratively, in as close to real-time as possible. Also embracing the growing trend of remote-working and management, Unified Communications systems are as close to a no-brainer necessity as you’re likely to find in 2020.

Friendly, informal chats

Finally, there comes the chat facility. Whether communicating with an AI, a virtual chat assistant, or a member of your workforce, many people simply prefer communicating this way, rather than over the phone. There’s no long wait with hold music, the ability to carry on with other things while ‘chatting’, and the added bonus of neither party becoming overly emotional during the conversation. While chat facilities might not seem like the appropriate way to go about your business, the sheer volume of people who prefer to communicate this way should be evidence enough of its effectiveness.