Comm 470 - Analyzing Messages

Analyzing Messages

COMM470

August 13, 2012

Analyzing Messages

Although communication is a common daily activity of most businesses, the effectiveness of the message is sometimes mislaid and fails to fulfill its intended purpose. According to Pearlson and Saunders (2006), communication is defined as the imparting or interchange of thoughts or information through text, images, or speech. The subject matter for this paper includes three business-related messages as analyzed using the communication process. A response to one of the selected messages will be included and a brief explanation how the content, media, and technology of the response were appropriate for the purpose and the audience.

The first message for analysis is an e-mail sent from Mandy Clark, an assistant dispatch operator for Vickers Distribution and Transfer (VKDT) in Memphis, Tennessee. She was inquiring about opportunities for advancement within the company and a possible shift change. She expressed to me that my position as a driver manager seemed appealing and wanted to know how she could approach it. At this point I was trying to figure out if she expected a punch list of requirements or if she were willing to pursue the position. Because the messaging was via e-mail, identifying body language was not a factor, but she was specific in asking about my position. Even with punctuation and grammatical clues, it is difficult to assess the seriousness of her inquiry and my interpretation may be incorrect. Although I had not been an assistant dispatch operator before, I can understand how the pay increase for a driver manager position would be attractive.

The use of e-mail in this case was the most efficient way of making this inquiry because of the sensitive nature of the questions asked and the opposing work shifts. Although the information could have been asked of the human resources department, it may have been interpreted as Mandy wanting to make changes not conducive to company needs. The fear factor of retaining a person's employment likely led to her choosing to contact me. Because of the media channel, there was also psychological noise the secret nature of the inquiry was established.

The second message is also in the form of an inter-office e-mail and is from a driver, Carlton Shields, at Vickers in the regional division. Carlton was inquiring about the process necessary for him to participate in the hazardous materials training and receive the endorsement credit. The driver must complete the pre-test phase of the training before consideration for the credit is assigned, and this must be done before a certain date. He expressed that he wanted to get the training and endorsement for the advancement in pay scale and bonus incentive. My concern was if he wanted to use the endorsement for employment opportunities at other companies. I informed Carlton that I was not in charge of the training and gave him the contact information of the appropriate person. If Carlton had telephoned me or came to my office in person instead of e-mailing, I may have been able to get him the contact information for the correct department so that he could have meet the time limits and obtain information about the credit and pay scale changes.

The third message was an e-mail forwarded to by my operations manager regarding a customer question about VKDT's driver tracking program. The logistics manager, Robin Taylor, at Warehouse Distributors was requesting information on how drivers making deliveries were tracked and located. VKDT had been using the People Net system for several years and many of the customers were given instructions for inputting and retrieving data within the system. Because I had helped many customers with the initial implementation of the system, my manager asked if I could look into this situation. I needed to discover what information was needed and how much information they were required to input. As a third party to the initial contact, this channel of messaging proved to work against progress of implementation. I believe that had Robin come in person, we could have shared with her specific issues, requirements, and on-site training. People Net can be difficult to implement and using e-mails and telephone only succeeded in making the process longer and more difficult.

Effective business communication is used to inform others, request or persuade others, and to promote goodwill and build trust (Locker & Kienzler, 2008). Poor communication can lead to a loss in production, employee turnover, wasted time and effort, loss of goodwill, and possible legal woes. In response to the email sent by Mandy Clark, I explained to her that as of the date of her e-mail there were no vacancies in driver management to be filled. In lieu of having no positions available, I provided her with the specific prerequisites listed by the human resources department including the pay scales. Considering my personal experiences, I advised her on the daily routines and expectations of the position. A core stage of communication perception, interpret and evaluate, was difficult to address directly but I forwarded the information requested.

Good business and administrative communication meets five basic criteria: it is clear, complete, and correct; it saves the audience's time; and it builds goodwill (Locker & Kienzler, 2008). Because of the interaction between Mandy and me via e-mail, the message and feedback utilized the best suited form of technology for the purpose of the interaction. E-mail made it easier for her to access information about the position, and she can refer to the response before making a decision about the pursuit of a drive manager position. By addressing this inquiry through this channel, the parties involved could keep their schedules and examine the information informally in a timely and most efficient manner.

Although not all communication problems can be solved by following criteria, principle, and elements, the messages can