There have been quite a few trends in the realm of business over the years. One of the areas in business that has changed dramatically over the past couple of decades is communication. Less than twenty years ago, landline phones were commonplace. However, now, research indicates that less than half of all American households even have a landline phone at all. This is due to the widespread adoption of mobile phones and the benefits that mobile phones provide.
The development of the Internet has altered communication significantly, as well. There are four recent trends that have affected business communication significantly. Read on to learn more about them.
Businesses Utilize Social Media Much More
One trend that has developed alongside the Internet’s development is the increase in the number of social media platforms and the popularity of these platforms. According to the most recent data, the most popular social media platform in the world is Facebook and it has roughly 2.91 billion users. Naturally, businesses have recognized the importance and potential benefits of using social media platforms. Nearly every major company has at least one social media account and many have several. These accounts allow the company to interact with its customers, resolve issues more quickly, and promote its products for free or at a low cost.
Most Customers Have Mobile Phones
Another trend that you should keep in mind for your business is that the majority of your customers are likely to have mobile phones. As previously mentioned, the data backs this up. Due to this fact, it is best not to call customers via landline phones for surveys or for other purposes. VoIP phones are one alternative to more traditional mobile phones and you can read Ooma’s piece on VoIP phones for more information about them. You should reach out to your customers via email or text since they can easily check both on their mobile phones.
Electronic Bills Are More Common Than Paper Bills
Billing is a central part of business and you do have to make sure that your customers receive their bills in a timely fashion. However, paper bills are less common these days. Many customers prefer to receive their bills electronically, both because it’s more convenient and also because it is more environmentally friendly. It is ideal to offer your customers the option of receiving their bills electronically if possible. You can also benefit from e-billing because you don’t have to spend money on mailing costs, stamps, et cetera.
Chatrooms Let You Interact with Customers in Real-Time
One more business communication trend is the use of chatrooms by businesses. Chatrooms are useful because they allow you to interact with your customers in real-time. This means that you can answer questions or resolve issues more quickly than if you interacted with your customer via another method like email. Another benefit of chatrooms is that they are available 24/7 and you can install a chatroom bot to talk to customers when your customer service representatives are unavailable. Additionally, it is usually quite affordable to run a chatroom, so you save money, too.
GAG Staff