Undergraduate Blog / Career Development

Communication: The Method of the Madness

The phrase, “communication is key,” is repeated so often in business courses that it loses its power. In reality, this phrase actually encompasses the most important lesson people must learn in order to run a successful business. The key to growing this success is choosing the right method of communicating. During my time at the internet marketing company called Vision Advertising, I am in constant contact with all of the employees, but their method of communicating is not as traditional as email or simply speaking.

Vision Advertising implements a system of communication based in Skype. At first, I thought this was very strange. I considered Skype mainly a video communication system for keeping in touch with my friends, or perhaps for businesses to utilize to keep in touch with distant clients. The employees do not use it in this manner. They use it to talk with each other about on-going projects. I still thought this was strange as the company is very small and actually operates out of one floor with two rooms and no dividers. I did not fully understand why they would not simply ask out loud. After workings with the company for four weeks, I now understand the reasons the company uses Skype.

The first reason it is used is that with Skype one can send written word. The wording of phrases plays a large role in being a great internet marketing team. People tend to take anything to offense if there is any way to twist a phrase to be offensive. Therefore, team members look to each other to read posts and blogs from a separate perspective to ensure that every specific word they are posting illustrates only the point they are trying to make. It is quicker to send an instant message which immediately pops up over Skype, than to email hope they check it periodically. With Skype, the team can approve specific written word more efficiently.

The second reason Vision Advertising implements Skype use is that it is silent, therefore less disruptive. Many of the team member work on editing videos. Therefore, they wear sound proof headphones. In order to get their attention, one must either yell or walk over and tap them. This takes up time of the person with the question as well as every other person who is distracted by the discussion. Furthermore, the room is kept quitter so everyone can focus by taking out the element of out loud questions.

Communication is important so that every member understand their tasks, as well as what tasks other are completing and which ones still must be done. Communication keeps the work flow on track. It is also important to communicate in the easiest and most effective manner.  The specific details are important in the communication that goes on in a company like Vision Advertising. Therefore, the method must fulfill the needs. Written word is the more effective when it comes to details so that it can be analyzed for a period of time and one cannot forget. The method of communication must also be the most efficient at getting the task done. By utilizing communication which is quick, notifies the recipient, and does not disrupt others, the solution to a question can be found more efficiently and the rest of the team can get their work done faster.