As the digital age comes, online communications gradually play a vital role in business settings. Digital products such as fax machines, cell phones, and the Internet have changed our individual life. Business is not an exception either. With the convenient gadgets, business activities don’t need to be implemented on the spot anymore. Instead, turning on tablet computers and activating video screens can work out part of the business schedule as traditional ways. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t underestimate the power that traditional communications result in since both have positive influence in the business world in different ways.

 

     Initially, Online communication brings lots of conveniences especially for corporations. As the saying goes, “Group strength is more powerful than genius.” No matter how talented CEOs are, a perfect project should be attributed to internal cooperation of different departments. However, brainstorming together is difficult for large companies. What’s worse, various units situated in different places are more difficult to discuss the suitable time for meeting together. In the case, an online meeting not only resolves the problem for commuting, but also saves the prolonged period of time to discuss the available time we can attend the meeting. On the ground of the above, an online meeting will be the best choice!

 

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     Subsequently, online communication provides customers an efficient way to reflect their problems. According to Leanna Zeibak(2017), a growth marketing manager at Tinuiti company, points that 96% of Americans have shop online, which reflects e-comments are more and more important than traditional responses. Online communication such as online surveys, an e-feedback with settled options (as the picture 2), make customers save the time to type the detail under the condition of complicated questions. The spending time to reflect customer’s problems is two third shorter than traditional methods. What’s more, social media have a variety of forms to communicate, such as telecommunicating or leaving messages. These communication modes thus are able to relieve numerous questions from customers at the same time. Customers are able to leave messages after office hour or when
 the line is busy.

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     After this point, building a social relationship with customers should rely on face-to-face conversations. A psychologist and Doctor of philosophy in sociology, Jeanne Segal (2019), suggests that body languages, which refer to nonverbal languages signaling our expressions, are deeply linked with social relationships. Therefore, as socializing with an important customer, they can build friendships via handshaking, touching friendly, or nodding head in order to build stronger bonds. On the contrary, it is impossible to see salesmen interact with guests through tele-communication.

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     And last but not least, communication through social media acts as a positive function in business world, while face-to-face communications can minimize the misunderstanding more than online talking does. Although texting, sending emails or making a phone call seem reliable, people occasionally misunderstand the real meaning that the sender wants to express, which is very dangerous for signing a contract in formal settings. Consequently, people had better negotiate face-to-face when it comes to important contracts or information. Additionally, if customers misunderstand information, managers are able to reply immediately and correct the wrong content.

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          Both face-to-face and social media conversations gain a lots advantages in business settings separately. Those who support conversation through social media think convenience and efficiency brings lots of advantages in business activities. By contrast, in addition to building stronger a relationship, traditional people would prefer face-to-face conversation lest customers mistaken online information. In my opinion, all communications should be used depending on personal needs and different purposes. A business leader must learn which factors affect a lot and then determine the best proposal, which will maximize the benefits for employees in the digital age.