All small businesses and organisations need to figure out how to stay afloat and add value to their customers and audiences in these challenging times. For businesses, be they micro, small or large, it has been a difficult time with the cost of running businesses in Nigeria.
It would be recalled that the review in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, was about 300 per cent and inflation as of June 2023 had increased by 22.76 per cent. These staggering figures have caused disruptions to living costs and daily business operating costs.
Businesses cannot continue to operate as usual and there is a need to consider strategies to help cushion the effect of the many consequences of the hikes. Effective business communication is one of the simple strategies to adopt at this time for many reasons.
It entails sharing information between employees within the business and also outside it, which particularly will involve customers and other stakeholders. Communication can entail announcing or sharing alterations to the business, new pricing, adjustments to delivery or operating time, a launch of a new product or service, targeting different market segments and so on.
Effective communication is the key to a resilient business and can help businesses, even households, at this difficult time. Most of the time, effective communication may just take the form of stakeholder engagements and talking to vendors or customers about current realities and mitigating measures, as well as talking to colleagues about key changes in the environment and the surviving strategies with clarity.
More importantly, regardless of the channel, accurate communication is essential. Whether the purpose is to update customers on new products or price differentials or to listen to the yearnings of employees or vendors, good communication is an integral part of effective business management at this time of high uncertainties.
In today’s competitive market and prevailing realities, no matter the size of the business, proper business communication is critical to success and sustainability. It can also enhance organizational survival at this time of high business uncertainties. Effective communication can establish good interpersonal and strong working relationships, no doubt, and facilitate cooperation among the staff of an organsation, which can help to overcome difficulties and difficult times.
Therefore, to be effective in the current business environment with high inflation rate an effective communication process should be adopted and it should be two-way. That is good communication should be complemented with active listening. That said, when communication is open and continuous amongst business stakeholders, customers and employees, it can help to make and maintain business objectives, as well as keep potential workplace conflicts from getting out of hand.
More so, when organisation expectations and issues are regularly discussed and solutions proffered in both formal and informal settings, all stakeholders, including the customers, will have a better understanding of the status of the business and the new objectives. Therefore, do not make assumptions about customer experience or expectations, simply talk to them.
Engage in honest conversations at all times to get meaningful feedback from all stakeholders. It would be wrong to assume that clients/customers already know the economic realities and not communicate changes that are likely to happen within the business settings and also in services rendered. Take the time out to communicate and let them know about the changes the current realities can cause and also the expectations during this new era.
It is important to state that having effective communication can help businesses in many ways. A survey of businesses within Nigeria indicated that effective communication can boost customer loyalty, employee morale, resilience, promote efficiency, sustain revenue growth and increase customer engagement.
In response to the recent survey, business operators also indicated that effective communication can also help to lessen the chances of misunderstandings and potentially reduce grievances and even complaints or litigations in the business. Conversely, a lack of it or ineffective communication is seen to lead to discontent among customers, poor sales, low patronage, employee frustration, lower business productivity and increased employee turnover rate.
It may also increase the chances of misinterpretation, tarnish business goodwill, damage relationships, break trust and increase anger and hostility. Unlike everyday communications, business communication is vital and must be taken seriously by business operators and entrepreneurs at this time.
Essentially, the customer is king and key to the survival of any business. Consequently, establishing a feedback mechanism can help business operators monitor service and product progress with customers, which can help with strategic adjustments to any anticipated change in the market, even with current realities.
Accordingly, developing and encouraging effective communication internally and externally among staff, vendors,and customers/clients is an important skill that all business operators must leverage. In business, therefore, communication can make the difference between success and failure. So, no method of communication in the form of feedback, engagement, interaction, listening and business conversation should be neglected.
In conclusion, communication is a crucial and significant element in any business setup. Therefore, business organisations should have comprehensive policies and strategies for communicating with customers, employees, and stakeholders as well as with the community at large.
A business should leverage technology for integrated communication and every channel of communication should be considered effectively- social media, websites, internet, phone calls, adverts, letter writings, and so on. Software like Zoom, Skype, GoToMeeting and other video/audio conferencing technologies have made it easier for businesses to communicate with customers, employees, vendors, and clients.
Business operators and entrepreneurs should equally adopt a link between communication and the strategic plan of the organization, which can include the organisation’s mission, vision, and values to come up with a communication strategy for the business.
If you are concerned about enhancing or on how to build an effective communication strategy in your business, you may need to urgently reach out to a professional for essential advice.
•Dr Olubiyi is an entrepreneurship and business management expert.
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