Unit 2. Types of business communication

1. Работая в парах или небольших группах, объясните, как вы понимаете следующие термины.

Заполните диаграмму. Прочитайте текст и проверьте правильность заполнения диаграммы. Озаглавьте текст.

TEXT

In the business world, communication is the oil that keeps corporate machines running. It is the glue that holds small businesses together. Business is all about building and maintaining relationships with partners, employees, or customers. Everything from employee satisfaction to productivity and efficiency relies on good communication. In business there is hardly any room for errors in communication. A miscommunication at high levels of a company can make a huge loss. That is why it is important for everyone from top management to the lowliest employee to understand how to communicate his or her ideas, instructions and expressions with the utmost clarity. There are some types of communication that are used in business.

Oral communication is probably the most important form of communication in business. Information is passed on, feedback is received and relationships are formed using spoken words. Spoken communication often combines verbal communication and non-verbal communication, such as tone of voice, body language, etc. Sometimes the meaning of what someone says can change completely when a different tone of voice is adopted. In customer relations, especially, it is important to be aware that tone of voice, intonation, and body language play an important part in communicating. In customer service, the words must be accurate, clear, leaving no room for ambiguity and the tone of voice, body language, and intonation need to communicate confidence and understanding. Oral communication is divided into face-to-face communication and communication by phone.

According to the survey conducted among business professional face-to-face communication is considered to be the most important and essential type of communication in business. Face-to-face meetings build stronger, more meaningful business relationships. It is also easier to read body language and facial expressions and interpret non-verbal communication signals. Respondents agreed that face-to-face communication is best for persuasion, engagement, inspiration, decision-making, and reaching a consensus.

When face-to face communication is impossible the easiest and the most convenient way to contact your business partner is by phone. But as telephone communication lacks the visual element present in face-to-face communication, the auditory element becomes the principal conveyor of meaning. For this reason, effective telephone use requires greater attention to speaking clearly and listening attentively than in case of face-to-face communication.

Business writing is a critical aspect of how people can share information with each other in an efficient, professional manner. Formality is an important element of how business writing is conducted today. In fact, each document is considered to be a legal document, which you can always refer to. There are a few types of business writing that people may come across at work: emails, letters sent by post, faxes, memos, minutes, taken at the meetings, summaries, etc. People use business writing to ask for a job, to make inquiries, to order some goods, to make complaints, etc. The main feature of business writing that unites all forms (memos, emails, letters, documents, etc.) together is the style. No matter what kinds of documents you are writing, you have to be concise, clear, and to convey information in an effective way.