BS9: Internal and external communication

• Types of business communication

  • Internal
  • External
• Internal communication


  Occurs within the business, e.g. boss to employee, CEO to subordinates in a meeting
• External communication


  Occurs outside of the business, e.g. business to bank, business to customers
• Effective communication


  Information passed between two or more people or groups, with feedback to confirm that the message has been received and understood
• Benefits of effective communication

  • Reduced risk of mistakes
  • Faster decision-making
  • Quicker responses to market changes
  • Improved coordination between departments
  • Improved workforce morale and motivation
  • Improved customer relationships
• Communication methods

  • Oral
  • Written
  • Electronic
  • Visual
• Oral communication


  • Done through spoken word, allows for two-way communication (opportunity for feedback), e.g. telephone, meeting, discussion
• Written communication


  • Provides a permanent record of the message, e.g. letter, memorandum, agenda, minutes of the meeting, job description, purchase order, invoice and company magazine
• Electronic communication


  • Communication that uses electronic devices, such as a desktop or a phone, e.g. email, video-conferencing, text message, telephone
• Visual communication


  • Used to display complex data, such as statistics, in a simpler form, can be used to catch the attention of receivers, e.g. chart, graph, poster, diagram
• Factors to consider when choosing the best communication method

  • The urgency of the message
  • The length and complexity of the message
  • The number of people that are going to receive the message
  • How far away the receiver is from the sender
  • How important it is for all receivers to receive the message at the same time
  • The cost of media
  • How important it is to have a written record of the communication
  • If the message requires discussion
  • The confidentiality of the message
• Types of communication barriers

  • Problems with the channel of communication
  • Problems between senders and receivers
  • Problems with the physical environment
• Problems with the channel of communication


  e.g. wrong method is used, like firing a person through text
• Problems between senders and receivers


  e.g. there is no respect between the sender and the receiver, so they don't listen to each other when using oral communication
• Problems with the physical environment


  e.g. it's too loud in the area they are communicating in, so the receiver cannot hear the sender