Trends in Business Communication: Text Messages

Trends in Business Communication: Text Messages

Business communication refers to the exchange (sending and receiving) of messages from one business entity to another. It has many goals and purposes. Most organizations provide key guidelines to employees on appropriate and effective business communication. Business Communication can be of two types: Oral and Written.

Business communication has evolved in a big way over the past couple of decades. Earlier, business people used to write memos and letters to their clients, peers and bosses. Face to face meetings were the key to communication in the business world that often ended in a handshake for an agreement. But technology has changed all of this. Electronic communication has taken over the old ways of communication in the business world making things happen much quicker causing everything to become a fast paced race.

Some of the latest devices that are driving the business communications in today's world are emails, video conferencing, text messages, instant messages, satellite comunication etc. These new ways have certainly helped businesses and corporate communicate fast and effectively at the same time still have the communication documented just in an electronic manner.

These new ways of communication has also given rise to more globally networked meetings between representatives of organizations. While formal written communication still takes place via traditional paper documents, electronic communication tools have replaced paper for more informal and efficient communication between two companies and two colleagues. Not just that, the communication tools also help businesses to optimize internal communication.

Text Messaging

Among the latest trends in communication text messages are one of the most popular ones and they are getting equally popular in the business communication space. A researcher pointed out: "With text messaging in the United States finally catching up with the rest of the world, and with more than one trillion messages sent worldwide in 2008, three times more than in 2007 (SMS/Text messaging soars, 2009), it appeared that texting would create a niche to fulfill a need for wireless data services in the business community." (Kiddie, 2009)

Another researcher A. Beaumont observed an increased use of texting in business as preferred way to communicate with staff (Beaumont, 2008). (Naismith, 2007) noted the increased use of text messaging in administrative communication in higher education. Not just that brand like Amazon began pushing its "TextBuyIt" service, and Papa John's boasted an increase in sales following the launch of its text-based ordering system (Ross, 2008). Undoubtedly text messaging is getting popular in business communication for various reasons.

Sending a text message to a client, peer or boss is in no way the same as sending a text to your friends. Text messaging also has its own language, an abbreviated form of speech that has found its way into classrooms and businesses. Texting for either personal or professional reasons during work hours comes with pros and cons as well as safety and privacy concerns.

Pros and cons of Text Messaging in Business Communication

One of the biggest positives of text messaging is that it offers a direct way to contact colleagues when you need an immediate response. This new age communication method also helps to connect with colleagues and bosses in different locations with time pressed for a phone call. Also, compared to full email or a detail phone call the shorthand of texting proves faster and easier And guess what text messaging helps you to maintain a quieter office environment and not disturb your colleagues than talking on the phone.

Well, but the picture about texting in workplace is not all hunky dory. It has its own set of challenges. The abbreviations used