4 Reasons Your Small Business Communication is Going Wrong

by: Vanity Numbers , February 7, 2014

Small Business; Small Business Growth; Small Business Communication; Small Business Technology; Toll Free Vanity NumbersYou have assembled the quintessential small business team. You recruited the most talented and savvy team members who are well-versed in leadership, operations, and technology. Your small business should leave the competition in the dust, but you have a small problem to overcome: communication with regular and prospective customers.

While communication seems like such a simple concept, it is often one of the hardest facets of a small business to improve and manage. Like any relationship, whether it is professional or personal, communication between teams and cuwwwstomers is of the utmost importance.

How to Enhance Small Business Communication

Before your team interacts effectively with customers, they must first learn how to communicate with one another. No, they do not need to earn a PhD in Communications to thrive in a small business setting. They just need to follow a few time-honored small business communication tips.

Reach Out to Someone Electronically

We all use email today. In fact, we use email (and even texting in some cases) to reach out to team members, clients, and vendors for various reasons in business. But do we ever really stop and think about how we email? Or our email etiquette? Yes, there is such a thing. It’s so easy to open an email, read it, and respond to it without thinking. But this isn’t always the best practice. It’s incredibly easy to misinterpret someone’s tone or message in an email. Especially if they come across as short, demanding, or even yelling (in cases when team members type in all caps). Small businesses should educate team members in proper etiquette to ensure smooth and open communication throughout the business.

Remember to Have a Sense of Urgency

One of the ways to boost small business growth involves establishing quicker response times. Instead of conducting several meetings to reach a decision, small businesses often grant team members the autonomy to make decisions on the spot, especially when it involves customers. Give your team members access to a piece of mobile technology, whether it is a laptop, tablet, or Smartphone. This will enable them the flexibility and convenience to take their work on the go, which increases productivity and boosts morale. Technology is a big investment for any small business, but it will no doubt have a larger return. An increase in productivity and efficient communication will ultimately lead to happier customers, more leads, and higher sales.

Don’t Forget the Personal Touch

No matter how advanced technology becomes in the workplace, you cannot expect to communicate effectively strictly through electronic channels. Encourage your team members to meet face-to-face as much as possible. Personal interaction fosters the type of trust required to form a cohesive team. Schedule meetings regularly to discuss ongoing projects and express team member concerns. Address customer complaints that you receive via your toll free vanity numbers during personal interaction.

Connect with Your Customers through Toll Free Vanity Numbers

Your long time regular customers do not want to hear a busy signal when they call your small business. Prospective customers shop somewhere else when you do not promptly return their emails. The solution to your small business communication problems lies in establishing multiple toll free vanity numbers. Multiple toll free vanity numbers provide you with instant access to regular and prospective customers. Moreover, vanity numbers enhance your small business name recognition, which leads to new customer business.

 

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