Business Communication Unit 3 PDF

Unit-3 Written Communication: A ‘Written Communication’ means the sending of messages, orders or instructions in writing through letters, circulars, manuals, reports, telegrams, office memos, bulletins, etc. It is a formal method of communication and is less flex...

Unit-3 Written Communication: A ‘Written Communication’ means the sending of messages, orders or instructions in writing through letters, circulars, manuals, reports, telegrams, office memos, bulletins, etc. It is a formal method of communication and is less flexible. A written document preserved properly becomes a permanent record for future reference. It can also be used as legal evidence. It is time-consuming, costly, and unsuitable for confidential and emergent communication. Media of Written Communication: 1. Notice- The message is transmitted by writing on paper from sender to receiver in the organization to communicate with many people. 2. Letters- It is the best and most used method to communicate with the employees of the organization. 3. Memorandum(memo)- It is an informal message between members of a company related to routine matters. 4. Telegram- It is used for contacting people at distant places. Advantages of Written Communication: 1. It is open to verification. 2. These messages are easy to understand. 3. It becomes permanent record of the organization and can be used as future reference. 4. Written presentation leaves more lasting impact than oral presentation. 5. It is useful to send and receive messages at distant places where contact maybe not possible through automative sources. Disadvantages of Written communication: 1. It is time consuming. 2. Quick response is not possible. 3. It is more expensive for transmitting short messages. 4. Less chances of amending the inaccuracy in message once it is dispatched. 5. Poorly drafted message can cause misunderstanding and confusion in the mind of receiver. Purpose of Written Communication: 1. Exactness- Written messages are bound to be exact. 2. Precision- Message should be precise, so that they achieve the desired objectives. 3. Wide coverage- They can be prepared anywhere and send out to any part of the world. 4. Personal Presence not needed- Oral comm. specially Face to face conversation requires physical presence of different parties at the same place or different place at the same time, but it is not so in case of written communication. 5. Elimination of physical movement- In any organization we prefer emails which reduce or eliminate physical presence in the office. 6. Ideal means for policies and procedures- Modern business depends on the managerial functions. The functions of preparing messages, plans, targets including policies can be best performed through written communication. Clarity in writing: A good message must be clear. Clarity depends upon proper arrangement of facts. The message writer must proceed systematically for effective writing, he should make his purpose clear, define his sources, state its findings, and finally make necessary recommendations, he should divide the message in short paragraphs, giving them headings and inserts suitable signs to present more clarity. Principles of Effective Communication: 1. Accuracy of facts- The scientific accuracy of facts is very essential to a good report. Since it invariably leads to decision making, inaccurate facts may lead to disastrous decisions. 2. Relevance of facts- The facts presented in a report should be relevant and it should come from reliable source. 3. Conciseness- The report should be brief and concise. 4. Simple and unambiguous language- A good report should be simple and should not create confusion to reader. 5. Grammatical accuracy- The grammatical accuracy of language is of fundamental importance. It is one of the basic requisites of good reports. 6. Reader Orientation- A good report is always reader oriented. While drafting a report it is necessary to keep in mind the person who is going to read it. E-mail: (Electronic mail) E-mail started in 1965, as a way for multiple users to communicate. Email is a widely used application. It is a store and forward method of writing, sending, and receiving, saving messages over electronic communication system. E-mail is the exchange of computer-stored messages by telecommunication. E- mail was one of the first uses of the Internet and is still the most popular use. A large percentage of the total traffic over the Internet is e-mail. Advantages of Email: 1. Email provides faster and easy mean of communication. 2. It is effective and cheap means of communication, because single email can be send multiple times. 3. Emails are not limited to text only, one can send pictures, sound clips, documents, etc. as attachments with it. 4. Can be send at any hour of the day, thus ensures timeliness of message. 5. It is secure and reliable method to deliver the messages. Disadvantages of Email: 1. Can sometimes be the source of virus, capable to harm one’s computer. 2. Sometimes, the spam mails can fill up the inbox and detection of these is a time-consuming process. 3. To use facilities of email user must have access to internet, it will not work without internet. 4. Incapable of expressing emotions, hence the email can be misunderstood at times. Elements of Email: Mail writing either formal or informal has some elements. A basic mail must include these elements for a clear understanding. These elements are: 1. From- This is the place that shows the name of the person sending the mail. 2. To- This shows the name of the recipient. 3. Cc- It stands for Carbon Copy. It is that portion of the mail that is used to send the same mail to other individuals. The email ids of other individuals are visible to all. 4. Bcc- It stands for Blank Carbon Copy. It is that portion of the mail which is used to send the same mail to other individuals without showing their ids.  5. Subject- This shows the title of the mail. It clearly expresses the idea or the reason for mail writing. It should be clear, simple, and short. 6. Greeting / Salutation- Mail writing always starts by greeting the recipient. 7. Main body- It contains the main content of the mail. The main body of the mail must be clear and simple to understand. 8. Closing- It shows the conclusion of the mail writing. It basically shows the suggestions or the need of the action. The closing of the mail shows the expectation of the sender from the recipient. Always end your mail by courteous words like thanking you, warm regards, look forward to hearing from your side etc. 9. Attachments- It is the list of the documents attached with the mail. 10.Signature Line- It includes the signature, name, and designation of the sender. It can also include other details like contact number, address, etc. Writing an Email: For an informal mail writing, one can use any language or style of speech of his or her choice. This is totally dependent on the choice of the writer and the person for which the mail is written. For a formal mail writing, one must focus on the language and other details for a clear and unambiguous mail. The format for writing a mail whether a formal or not must be followed. 1. Use a professional email address- It is highly recommended to use a custom domain-based email address while sending official communication or sending emails to your business contacts. However, if you do not have one, ensure that your email address is professional, with your name or with your business name. 2. Have a simple and clear subject- The Email Subject is the first thing that anyone reads (sees) in any email and is often one of the factors that influence the recipient to open and read the emails. 3. Begin with a positive greeting- Start the email with a positive note. Provide a relevant greeting for the recipient, based on the region they are from, the time of the year they receive this email, or just a simple 'Good Morning..’ 4. State the background- If you are emailing someone for the first time, introduce yourself, and state the background of the email. You need to state how you know the recipient, and why you are emailing the person. 5. Provide the purpose in a crux- This is the main part of the email where you mention the core content or purpose of the email. Ensure that you write the core email content in clear short sentences. Avoid unwanted jargon, or too  technical/industry-specific terms in the very first email, when you are not sure about the recipient's knowledge in those areas. 6. Add closing remarks- Add closing remarks to give that finishing touch to your email. 7. Use professional signatures- Do not forget to add a professional signature to the end of your email. Your signature helps you to establish your authenticity, your role, your brand, along with the required contact information. Ex- Thanks & Regards Aditi Dubey IT Analyst Bob Evans Restaurant SMS: SMS stands for Short Message Service. SMS messages typically have a maximum length of 160 characters and can be sent and received on various mobile networks. SMS is widely used for personal and business communication, providing a quick and convenient way to send concise messages to individuals or groups of people. It has become an essential part of mobile communication and is supported by virtually all mobile devices. Advantages of SMS: 1. Takes less time to communicate, hence fast way of communication. 2. Evident, as the old messages are saved automatically. 3. Cost efficient 4. Using SMS, anyone can leave a message to a person, even if they are not available, receiver can see the message once they are available. Disadvantages of SMS: 1. The SMS size is limited to about 160 characters. This does not permit users to convey very long text messages. 2. There is no way to know whether the recipient has read the message or not. 3. Messages cannot be delivered to DND subscribers. 4. Unwanted SMS are broadcasted for advertising purpose, which often annoys the mobile user.