Modern communication has been one of the fastest-changing aspects of business as we know it. More specifically, the last 24 months have elicited a need for various modes of communication to continue to run business and ensure business continuity during what has been an unprecedented time of uncertainty and business risk.
One of the main forms of communication that have been trending for business use in recent times has been the humble chat.
The current state of business communication
Recent reports have noted that businesses of all shapes and sizes are losing large amounts of money due to inefficient communication practices. In fact, over a third of US business has lost a customer over poor communication by not responding to queries or having incompatible chat platforms. It is for this reason that communication is seen as one of the key business success factors.
Communication preference styles have adapted to an era in the cloud and one where technological mobile communication development has moved faster than at any other time in the world of business. These communication preferences now reflect how a business is required to interact and engage with its stakeholders.
The most popular forms of business communication.
- Mobile texts and chat
The latest chat apps will surprise you in terms of what can be offered, and it will be critical that you choose the mobile platform that allows you to be in touch with the majority of your stakeholders. I.e., use what they use. Chats are dynamic and can provide an immediate answer to your customers and clients.
- Real time video chat
With specific apps available and front-facing cameras on mobile devices, this has become more popular, allowing video and voice to be shared in real-time. Businesses have used this form of chat and communication extensively over the last 18 months to and ensure business continuity keep in touch during the pandemic.
- Project management tools with built in chat
Applications such as Slack are designed to communicate remotely for project and team management. All the latest software now additionally has a chat room or individual chat options to discuss and keep in touch around the specific project.
- AI customer support chat
Artificial intelligence chatbots and service bots are now increasingly popular and are able to provide a 24/7 customer response system. This can be done for numerous customers at once and without any human intervention. The rick is the manner in which they are programs to maintain a semblance of human conversation and retain their immediacy.
- Remote Online sales and support
This is whereby support is provided via chat or email through online apps to specifically provide customer support and assistance. Such online chats are used for sales as well and can form a major part of your sales team.
The rise of these online communication channels and the myriad of ways you can now be connected to your customers have been a boost for business, but it has also meant that there is more to be monitored and managed.
Where chat is going
The development of technology and associated applications that can be run from mobile devices has changed the way we will communicate forever. Yet this is a fast-changing market, and it is expected that there will be even more changes on the horizon on an ongoing basis. One supposed change is having all your communications integrated into one central app. From Facebook, Google and What’s app, these chats can be controlled and accessed right from the app on your phone. All of these communication platforms and types can now be accessed and controlled from one app. The aim is coordination, and the result is that there is less hardware required.
Any business that wants to stay ahead of the competition and in touch with its customers will thus have to keep abreast of the expected changes in the sector and keep informed to keep in touch. Many will argue that emails serve a similar purpose, and as immediate, the difference is that the email has become overly prolific with over 376 billion sent daily and many ending up in the junk or spam folder and others being lost in an inbox that is overflowing. These then require hours of the day to deal with, while chat is immediate and, for many, is seen as part of the daily routine as the mobile device is always in hand and the responses short and sweet.
Chat has changed how we do business
Whether it is being used to communicate internally amongst workers within the same office working on the same projects, it can also be used to communicate across continents. One of the main reasons chat and the types available have increased as dramatically as they have is that there is now an ever-growing number of remote and off-grid workers. These workers are thus forced to communicate with the office and the team via various chat options. Chat has meant that any internal communication can be carried out immediately, and project teams are in constant communication. Downtime is reduced, and there are likely to be fewer glitches.
On your eCommerce site or on any electronic media platforms, pop-up chats are known to be useful to keep potential customers engaged and assist them in finding what they are looking for. These no longer require a human being at the end of a telephone to be available all the time, in case a customer calls in. The chatbots and tech-savvy means of communication simply need your business to have the right applications and use them appropriately.
For returning customers, a chat can be used to provide the necessary after-sales customer service that can be effectively implemented on a 24/7 basis. Customers now expect this chat on your website or in your online store, and it will thus be important to keep up with the trends and the times and implement.
Chat has changed, and there is no end in sight for where this mode of communication can go. For your business to implement the right chat strategy, it will be vital to understand these changes and know what is available out there. Having the right chat platform that allows you to stay in touch with your customers, your supply chain, and your production team is essential. Lastly, having the right means to manage all the different chat feeds and ensure that responses are implemented quickly will be the next step to consider.
