Bachelor of Commerce

B.Com

CHOICE BASED CREDIT SYSTEM

BCOLA -138: BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

ASSIGNMENT
2021-2022

Fourth Semester

School of Management Studies

Indira Gandhi National Open University
Maidan Garhi, New Delhi -110068
 BACHELOR OF COMMERCE
CHOICE BASED CREDIT SYSTEM
BCOLA -138: BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

ASSIGNMENT: 2021-22

Dear Students,

As explained in the Programme Guide, you have to do one Tutor Marked Assignment in this
Course. The assignment has been divided into three sections. Section-A Consists of long answer
questions for 10 marks each, Section-B consists of medium answer questions for 6 marks each and
Section-C consists of short answer questions for10 marks each.

Assignment is given 30% weightage in the final assessment. To be eligible to appear in the Term-end
examination, it is compulsory for you to submit the assignment as per the schedule. Before attempting the
assignments, you should carefully read the instructions given in the Programme Guide.

1. Those students who are appearing in June 2021 Term End Examination they have to submit latest by
in 15th March 2021.
2. Those students who are appearing in December 2021 exams. They should download the new
assignment and submit the same latest by 15th October 2021.

You have to submit the assignment of all the courses to the Coordinator of your Study Centre.
 TUTOR MARKED ASSIGNMENT

PROGRAMME CODE : B.COM

COURSE CODE : BCOLA -138
SEMESTER : FOURTH
COURSE TITLE : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
ASSIGNMENT CODE : BCOLA -138/TMA/2021-22
COVERAGE : ALL BLOCKS
Maximum Marks: 100

Note: Attempt all the questions.

Section – A

Q.1 Explain basic elements and characteristics of business communication. (10)

Introduction
Communication is an essential element in the success of any business. The process of
transferring information from one person to another, within and outside the business
environment, is termed as ‘Business Communication.’ The term ‘Business Communication’
is derived from general communication which is associated with business activities. In other
terms, communication between business parties or people for business-related tasks is
considered as ‘Business Communication.’
Definitions
Different scholars have given different definitions of Business Communication. Few of them
are mentioned below:

According to Ricks and Gow defined Business Communication as a system that is

responsible to affect change throughout the whole organization.
According to W.H. Business Communication is exchanging business-related different views,
ideas, and news within the related parties.
Prof. J. Haste stated that when the communication occurs between either two or more than
two business people for the purpose of effective organization and administration of business
then it is considered as Business Communication.
Effective business communication is the way employees and management communicate to
achieve organizational goals. The objective is to improve organizational efficiency by
reducing mistakes. Business Communication includes different aspects like marketing,
public relations, customer relations, corporate and interpersonal communication, etc.
Basic elements of Business communication:
▪ Sender
▪ Business information
▪ Receiver
▪ Feedback
The above elements indicate business communication as a process in which information or
news related to business is exchanged between different business parties like customers,
suppliers, business clients, employees, etc. for the purpose of effective administration of the
business.

Moreover, it involves a regular flow of information and feedback is considered as a crucial

and important aspect of business communication. Due to different levels of hierarchy and
involvement of a huge number of people, business communication plays an important role
in different management functions i.e. planning, coordinating, organizing, directing, and
controlling.

Characteristics

Characteristics of business communication in an organization can be seen in the below

points:

1. Helps in increasing productivity: Effective business communication increases the

productivity of staff by boosting up teamwork. It creates a trustworthy and understanding
environment among employers and employees. Effective communication is related to
cooperating with employees and understanding their needs and desires. By doing so,
employees are able to accomplish their tasks more effectively and efficiently. Also, the scope
of doing mistakes or errors during their work minimizes due to effective communication.
2. Helps in increasing customers: Customers are an important part of any business and
effective business communication can facilitate in attracting new customers and retain the
current customers. A well-defined marketing strategy and public relations campaign run by
an organization generates the interest of customers in its goods or services and helps in
building the corporate image in customers.
3. Enhances business partnerships: Business Communication also improves partnerships
in business. It plays a significant role in dealing with external business clients or vendors.
Vendors may be required to communicate on products regularly for improvements. Also, an
effective and harmonious relationship with other businesses determines the further success
of an organization. A business unit that has developed its image as an entity for easy
partnership through its effective communication can attract other business units for
forming business relationships with them.
4. Facilitates innovations in business: Effective business communication helps in business
innovations as well as it facilitates employees to convey their ideas and suggestions openly.
Similarly, at the time of launching any new product in the market, effective communication
ensures the performance of the sales team, market acceptance of the product, fast delivery
of products in the market, etc.
5. Information exchange: Business communication is required by an organization for
exchanging information with internal and external stakeholders. This helps in achieving its
goals effectively.
6. Preparation of plans and policies: Through effective business communication,
organizations can make their plans and policies properly. Relevant information is required
for preparing these plans and policies. Through communication, different managers source
information through reliable channels.
7. Execution or implementation of plans and policies: To implement or execute the
prepared policies and plans in a timely manner, managers are supposed to communicate
these throughout the organization. Through effective communication, they are able to
disseminate plans and policies to the internal and external stakeholders.
8. Boost the efficiency of employees: Effective business communication plays a key role in
increasing the efficiency of staff. Through communication, different plans and policies,
critical issues, goals of an organization, etc. are described to employees that enhance their
knowledge and make them efficient to do their tasks effectively.
9. Goals achievement: Through effective business communication employees become
attentive and productive in doing their jobs that result in the timely accomplishment of their
tasks and easy goals attainment.
10. Helps in solving problems or issues: Through different communication channels,
managers get information about different routine and non-routine issues and based upon
that they can take required actions to sort out those issues.
11. Facilitates decision-making: Effective decisions require up-to-date information. Using
effective communication, managers can acquire information from different sources and can
utilize it for making correct decisions.
12. Improves worker-management industrial relations: In the workplace, workers and
management have an industrial relation. The success of any business depends upon the
healthy industrial relation. Business communication plays a significant role in maintaining
harmony in this.
13. Helps in brand and product/service promotions: In today’s competitive business
environment, lots of companies offer similar kinds of products or services. To sell their
products in a good manner, businesses need better communication to promote products
and services in an effective way.
14. Reduces chances of conflicts: Through effective communication different business
parties can exchange information in a smooth way. This results in fewer conflicts,
controversies, arguments between them.
15. Increases employee satisfaction level:
Effective communication which is fair and smooth creates better mutual bonding and the
understanding between employees and management. This helps in increasing the
satisfaction level among employees who put their maximum efforts to achieve the goals.

16. Increases employee loyalty: Through effective business communication, employees are
well informed about their performance from time to time. Also, employees get appreciation,
rewards in both monetary and non-monetary terms for their better performance. This
enhances their loyalty towards the organization.
17. Enhances efficiency of managers and leads to effective leadership: Effective business
communication leads to an increase in the operational efficiency of managers. With the help
of fair communication, managers can perform different managerial functions like planning,
directing, organizing, controlling, etc. smoothly. Moreover, if communication is effective
then only effective leadership can be taken place. For qualitative leadership activities, a
proper and smooth system of communication in business is essential.
18. Proper functioning of different departments: If information is shared smoothly and
effectively in inter-departments and intra-departments then different departments of any
business like accounts, finance, purchase, operations, HR, IT, and production, etc. can do
their tasks more accurately and timely.

Q.2 Differentiate between verbal and non-verbal communications. What are the advantagesand
disadvantages of verbal communications?

Advantages of Verbal Communication

 Following are the advantages of Verbal Communication:
➨It saves time in communication.
➨It is quick in obtaining feedback once delivered.
➨It provides complete understanding of communication delivered and there is
chance to make it more clear in case of doubts in interpretation of words or ideas.
➨It is more reliable method of communication.
➨It is flexible and effective for all.
➨It is powerful means of persuation and control.
➨It is cheaper way of communication and hence saves money.

Disadvantages of Verbal Communication

Following are the disadvantages of Verbal Communication:

➨Emotions are visible and hence leads to trouble in certain cases.
➨It has no legal validity and hence will lead to problems in certain situations.
➨It does not provide permanent record unless it is recorded with modern means of
storage.
➨It has issues when communicating with distant people.
➨It is difficult for certain people to understand speech due to various speech tones
used in verbal communication.
➨This form of communication is not suitable for lengthy message.

Q.3 Highlight the importance of public relations in an organization. Describe different types (10)
of publicity materials.

Public relation is an important element in the promotion mix. In the era of

globalization, the most of the multinational companies make concrete efforts
to manage and maintain its relationships with its customers. Most of the
multinational companies have its public relation department that makes all
effort to monitor the attitude and perceptions of customers.
It is used to distribute and communicate all the necessary information to
build up good reputation in the mind of the public. An efficient and good
public relation department use to adopt positive programs for this purpose
and always emphasize to eliminate negative publicity arises due to
questionable practices.

Different types of publicity materials. ---

i. Press Releases:
The press release is the basic building block of a publicity program concerned with
story placement. This is where the important information about the product or
service is summarized in a way that will catch the media’s attention. Just as the
marketer would customize the advertising message for each target, he needs to
customize press releases for the various media he contacts.
ii. Fact Sheets:
A press release should be written so it can be used without any editing. That means
all the relevant information must be included. Of course, there may be additional
important information that doesn’t really fit into the press release. That’s where
the fact sheet comes in. Fact sheets include more detailed information on the
product; its origins, and its particular features. By providing fact sheets, it is easier
for the media to write a story about the product because the fact sheet can help to
clear up misperceptions and answer reporters’ questions, saving them a phone call
or e-mail query.
iii. Press Kits:
The press kit pulls together all the press releases, fact sheets, and accompanying
photographs about the product into one neat package. A comprehensive folder can
serve as an attention-getter and keep the provided materials organized.
iv. Video News Releases:
The video news release (VNR) is the video equivalent of a press release. Prepared
for use by television stations, the typical VNR runs about ninety seconds and can
be used to highlight some important features of the product.
v. Employee/Member Relation:
An organization’s employees are an extremely important internal public.
Corporate public relations people often spend a great deal of time developing
employee communication programs, including regular newsletters, informational
bulletin boards, and internet postings. In service organizations in particular, these
kinds of activities can be used to help support brand communication efforts, for
example, using the company newsletter to remind employees about the
importance of prompt and polite customer service.
vi. Community Relations:
It is critical that companies maintain the role of good community citizen within the
markets where they have offices and manufacturing facilities. Many companies
actively encourage their employees to take part in community organizations, and
local corporations are often major sponsors of community events and activities
such as arts presentations, blood donation drives, and educational activities.
vii. Financial Relations:
Because so many major brand marketing organizations are publicly held
companies, financial relations has become a key aspect of public relations activity
Downturns in company earnings quickly lead to declines in stock prices, and,
frequently, to top executives losing their jobs. Financial relations people are
responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with the investment
community, including industry analysts, stockbrokers, and journalists specializing
in financial reporting.
The financial relations specialist has the job of getting maximum press coverage
for a company’s financial successes and putting the best face possible on any
financial losses. Financial relations personnel write the company’s annual report
as well as any other communications directed to stockholders.
viii. Industry Relations:
The primary public that industry relations specialists deal with is other businesses
operating within the same industry, as well as trade associations. The recent
travails of the tobacco companies of the U.S. help to underscore the importance of
industry relations – while the various companies are not in agreement on all
issues, they have banded together in many instances to try to influence policy and
legislation, with the thinking that there should be strength in numbers.
ix. Development/Fund-Raising:
This is particularly important area for not-for-profit organizations such as arts
organizations, educational institutions, and community service programs. These
types of companies often rely on donations from the public, government, and other
organizations to make up all or part of their operating budgets. Development
specialists identify likely prospects for giving, prepare proposals to present to
those prospects, and work to nurture ongoing relationships.
x. Special Events:
Event marketing is rapidly gaining popularity. The International Events Group
estimates that more than 5,200 companies spent $6-8 billion on event
sponsorships in 1998. Of that, about 65 percent goes to sporting event
sponsorships, followed by 11 percent to entertainment tours (such as concerts and
theater performances), and 9 percent to fairs and festivals. Besides linking their
brands to existing events, marketers are also creating events of their own designed
to reach specialized targets.
The event itself can serve as a compelling news angle for related publicity efforts,
can be promoted through advertising, and can serve as a distribution point for
sales promotion incentives. With a little creativity, events can serve as an
important point of differentiation from competitors.

Q.4 Describe basic essentials of a business letter. (10)

Essential Qualities of Business Letter

A person should always maintain the quality of the business letter. The qualities of a business letter
make it presentable. It becomes easy for a person or an organization to imprint an impression onto the
others. The qualities of a business letter can be classified as

• Inner Quality
• Outer Quality
Let us discuss each of them in detail.

I. Inner Quality
It refers to the quality of language used and the presentation of a business letter. They are

1. Clear
The language used in the business letter must be clear. It helps the receiver to understand the message
immediately, easily, and clearly. Any ambiguity will lead to the misinterpretation of the message
stated.

2. Simple
The language used in the business letter must be simple and easy. One must not write a business letter
in difficult and fancy words.

3. Concise
The message written in the letter must be concise and to the point.

4. Concrete
The message is written must be concrete and specific. By using concrete language, a reader will have
a clear picture of the message.

5. Accuracy
One must always check for the accuracy of the business letter. Accuracy generally means no error in
grammar, spelling, punctuations etc. Correct personnel should be targeted for communication.

6. Coherent
The language used in the business letter must be coherent. The message must be in a logical way for
the clear understanding of the message. The flow of the message must be consistent.
7. Complete
One must write a complete message. It helps the reader to know about the issue and the solution to be
taken. It should provide all the necessary information. One must also keep in mind that the message
should be concise and short along with the complete details.

8. Relevance
The letter should only contain important information. Irrelevant information should not be included
and avoided in any business communication.

9. Courteous
The language used in the business letter must be courteous. A writer must always use open, friendly,
and honest wording in his letter. It does not mean that one must use slang and abusive words. One
must always add the words like please, thank you etc.

10. Neatness
A business letter must be neatly typed or handwritten. Proper spacing, indention, and use of paragraph
should be used.

II. Outer Quality

The outer quality of a business letter means the quality of its outer appearance. The outer look of the
letter must be catchy and impressive. Some of the outer qualities are
1. Size of the Paper
The standard size of paper should be used. An A4 paper is the most used paper for writing a business
letter.

2. Quality of the Paper

The quality of the paper used must be good. It is not always possible for a firm to use the costly paper.
One must use good quality paper for original copy and ordinary copy for the duplicate copy.

3. The Color of the Paper

Sometimes it is very useful to use the different color of paper for different types of letter. The receiver
can clearly understand the intention and the purpose of the letter by its color.

4. Folding of Letter
One must fold the letter properly and uniformly. The folding must be done to fit the letter in the
envelope. It is noticeable that one must not over fold the letter. It will have a bad impression on the
reader’s mind.

5. Envelope
The envelope used must be of good quality. Special attention must be given to the size of the envelope
for fitting the letter.

Q.5 What is meant by a conference call? Describe different preparations to be made before
arranging a conference call.

A conference call is a telephone call in which someone talks to several people at the same time.
The conference call may be designed to allow the called party to participate during the call or set up
so that the called party merely listens into the call and cannot speak.

Before the conference call

1. Organize and prepare. This step is crucial to accomplishing the items on your agenda and keeping
participants engaged throughout the meeting. Create an agenda or an outline of the topics you want to
discuss. Also, prepare as much material beforehand as possible so you don't waste time on irrelevant
topics.
2. Send calendar invites. Many conference call platforms come with built-in integrations to Google
Calendar and Outlook. Depending on which platform your company uses, create and send an
 invitation to your meeting participants on your calendar platform. It's awkward and frustrating to
attend a meeting and the one person who is most crucial to the call is missing or, worse, to find
out that you missed a meeting you were supposed to be in. Send calendar invites so no one
misses out on your meetings.

3. Encourage participation. Create an environment conducive to sharing ideas and strategies. If

you are hosting or managing the conference call, ask participants questions. Let them know that
you value their opinions. Letting others participate in the phone call is key. People who aren't
involved easily tune out and will not provide the feedback or the help you may be seeking. If
you're struggling to encourage participation, your conference call company may have some
features that can help. These features may include polling, surveying and Q&A capabilities.

4. Be punctual. Just like any other business meeting, it is important that you arrive early. Dial in to
the call a few minutes early. If you wait until the last minute, you may encounter technical issues
that take time to fix. You may also find that you have the wrong dial-in number or passcode to
access the phone meeting.

5. Be aware of your location. Your location is critical during a conference call. If you're in your
office's conference room and you use a microphone or speakerphone, make sure you are close
enough to the device that it picks up your voice but far enough that it won't pick up every little
sound you make. Ideally, when you are conducting a conference call, you should be in a quiet
place. That's not always possible, though. If you are away from the office and need to conduct a
conference call, find a somewhat secluded place. Otherwise, if you're in an open area with lots
of people, you may have a difficult time hearing the conversation over the phone line, or you
may be easily distracted and won't conduct the call very well.

Section – B

Q.6 Explain intrapersonal barriers to communication. (6)

In the communication process, when the sender transmits the message and it reaches in an
unchanged and undistorted form to the receiver and the receiver responds to it, then the process of
communication is supposed to have been perfect.

However, this process of perfect communication is often unattainable due to a number of factors, which
stand in its way as barriers.

1. Lack of planning

Every message is composed with a purpose in mind. Planning a message means you must
contemplate on purpose of message, hence, you will be able to select the appropriate form of
message. In oral communication, words are comparable to arrows—once released, they do not
return.
 Apart from considering one’s own abilities to express the message well, one should also analyze the
limitation of the receiverOpens in new window, as there can be no two receivers alike.

Senders should consider how a particular receiver thinks and feels, in general and with respect to
the situation about which the communication is based. A message communicated without adequate
planning may not obtain the desired result.

2. Lack of trust

A slight lack of trust or understanding between the sender and the receiver of a message
may cause a communication barrier.

The relationship between the sender and the receiver plays an important role in a communication
situation. Transfer of information is meant to have a reciprocal effect on both.

Distrust and suspicion between a superior and subordinate can serve only to increase
defensiveness and decrease the frequency of open expression, thereby making communication
ineffective. One or both parties may have to put their prejudices aside to be able to communicating
effectively.

3. Ambiguity

Ambiguity refers to the difficulty of understanding or explaining a message because of its

capacity to exhibits different meanings. Therefore, it is quite possible that the receiver does not
correctly understand the meaning intended by the sender.

Ambiguity is one of numerous causes for lack of and precision in messages. Words with ambiguous
meanings are chiefly useful to enable the sophist to mislead his hearers. But it is a barrier to
effective communication or even to clear thinking.

4. Distortions

Distortion refers to twists or changes in facts or ideas in a message such that they are no
longer correct or true. A message may lose its originality and become distorted when it is
transmitted through translations, interpretations, explanations and simplifications.

Much of communication does not succeed because the receiver distorts the sender’s original ideas
to suit own convenience. While the sender believes that the message has been delivered correctly
and the desired action will follow, the truth is that the receiver has not taken it in its original form. A
communication that passes through the grapevine has higher tendency to get distorted.

5. Implied meanings
 If the socio-economic and cultural backgrounds of the sender and the receiver are not
similar, then it is possible that the receiver does not uncover the implied meaning.

Messages may not always convey a meaning in a straightforward manner. For example, a reference
to the weather in the middle of a conversation on another topic is often indicative of the sender’s
desire to change the topic of discussion. But not everyone on the receiving end would uncover the
implied meaning.

To guard against this communication barrier, senders should always use specific language, and
receivers should clarify meaning by asking questions.

6. Drawing inference

What we directly see, hear, feel, taste, smell or can immediately verify and confirm constitutes
a fact. However, statements that are conclusions based on facts, but not themselves facts, are
called inferences.

Experts in specialized fields (advertisers, architects, engineers, etc) all draw inferences. Being
expert in their own fields, their inferences are often sound enough to be relied on. However, when
non-experts draw inferences without trying to verify facts, they tend to make errors causing further
communication problems.

Q.7 What are the essential factors that one should follow to be effective in oral
communication?

Factors of Effective Oral communication:

1. Think before you speak
By organizing your thoughts in advance, you can eliminate many of the awkward
pauses that occur when speaking. It will also help you relay your information more
concisely.

While writing down your thoughts is not always possible in impromptu discussions,
it is still effective to take a minute to organize your thoughts in your mind before
you begin to speak.

2. Speak with confidence

Speaking in a confident manner will help you build trust and command the respect
of your audience. There are several factors which can impact your ability to speak
confidently, including your command of the subject matter, your word choice, the
tone of your voice, your body language, and your ability to make direct eye contact
with your audience.

3. Be clear and concise

The most effective way to get your point across is to make it in a clear and concise
manner. Avoid using complex, convoluted sentences, and try to state
your argument in direct language. Before speaking, ask yourself, “What is the
clearest way I can make my point?”

4. Be aware of your non-verbal communication cues

Your body language significantly impacts the way others interpret what you say. Pay
attention to the gestures you make, your facial expressions, and your body language
to ensure they align with the message you are trying to get across.

5. Be a good listener
Being a good listener is as important as being a good speaker, and it will improve
the quality of your verbal interactions. It shows the people you are speaking with
that you genuinely care about their ideas, and it helps ensure you understand their
needs. This will enable you to build trust and rapport much quicker.

6. Think about the perspective of your audience

Just because you have a strong command of a topic doesn’t mean the people you are
speaking to have the same knowledge as you.

Try to think about how someone else will understand what you are trying to
communicate, particularly if they lack the technical knowledge about a subject that
you possess.

7. Vary your vocal tone

Speaking in a monotone voice is a surefire way to bore your audience. Instead, use
voice inflection to add emphasis to important points, and vary the pitch of your
voice to express emotion. This will help keep your audience engaged in your
message.
Strong verbal skills will help to encourage essential discussion while playing a major
role in bringing people together. Ask questions if you are wondering about a new
concept in order to become more knowledgeable about that topic. Explain why you
are confused about a certain policy to get the assistance required for a better
understanding of that set of guidelines.

Express what you experienced in a certain situation so you can work through what
you are feeling. Relaying this information will not only help yourself, but also those
who you are speaking with by solving problems, making connections, and avoiding
conflicts. Additionally, be prepared to serve as a good listener in return because
lacking the ability to give the same level of attention that you expect from somebody
else when you are speaking is not fair.

Effective verbal communication is an important skill to understand. Having the

courage and ability to convey your thoughts in a respectable way will help enhance
mutual understanding, trust, decision-making, and problem-solving between
yourself and others, making the act of properly speaking and listening to an
imperative influence on how we learn and think for ourselves.

Q.8 Explain the importance of internal and external business communications. (6)

Importance of internal and external business communications –

1. Better strategic alignment
If external and internal comms departments don’t work together as a team, it is impossible
to achieve strategic alignment among various stakeholders.
Moreover, only 14% of employees understand their company’s strategy and directions.
When internal comms does a good job informing employees about what external
communications departments are working on, they can do a better job achieving their goals
and understanding the overall business strategy.
2. Aligning brand image from the inside out
Businesses have traditionally viewed external communication as their primary focus,
forgetting that their internal audiences are just as important.
It is imperative for brands to ensure there are no gaps between their products, customer
service and advertising efforts and the actual customer experiences.
The best way to close that gap is by aligning the brand totally from the inside out. This means
every employee must not only understand the brand promise and their role in keeping it, but
also be equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to actually deliver on what is
expected.
To achieve that, external and internal communications teams need to work as one.
3. Unified internal and external messaging
It is not uncommon to see that internal and external messages are not completely aligned. For
example, if the company shares conflicting information with its employees and investors, they
may have to deal with several unhappy and unmotivated stakeholders, which could lead to
bigger issues.
Moreover, organizational alignment is both internal and external comms’ duty.
Shel Holtz, principal of Holtz Communications says:

4. Understanding audiences
Businesses need to look at both the internal and external audiences together to have a unified
and well-set communication strategy.
For example, if a company is developing its brand message, it’s essential to create talking
points for both internal and external use. This approach helps creating messages that appeal to
the employees and motivates them to do their jobs.
In addition, that messaging should entice company’s customers and partners.
Moreover, you have probably heard about the saying: “Treat your employees like
customers.”
Unfortunately, many companies still haven’t adopted this mindset that has become crucial for
business success
5. Having everyone on the same page
External communications should ensure that IC department is aware of external campaigns
and other efforts.
Furthermore, internal comms is responsible for communicating those efforts to employees.
This is the only way for employees to be on the same page and understand the goals behind
those efforts.
In order to achieve this, it is extremely important to have all communication platforms
integrated so that information can be easily found and shared.
6. Building trust among employees and customers
Building trust in the workplace is one of the primary goals for employers across the world.
When messaging towards employees and external shareholders, such as customers, is not
unified, organizational distrust is inevitable.
Today, very few employees trust their employees, and one of the main reasons for that is
because internal and external communications are not unified.
External and internal comms departments should do a better job making sure not to deliver
contradictory messages to their audiences.
This is one of the main reasons why companies are now combining internal communication
with PR and external communications.
7. Helping employees to become brand ambassadors
Having employee advocates is extremely valuable. Brand ambassadors can help your
company get more brand awareness, generate more sales and attract more talent to your
organization.
However, this becomes a mission impossible if internal and external departments don’t work
hand-in-hand.

Q.9 Describe briefly modern technologies of business communication. (6)

1. Mobile Optimization
The first thing you should be looking at when it comes to communication with your business is your use
of mobile technology. Mobile phones are everywhere in society now, and smart entrepreneurs are
targeting them. Building functional mobile apps for your business can be a great way to reach more
customers or achieve more results. Additionally, you and your employees can be a much more
effective team if you fully embrace mobile technology at your company.

2. Chat Features
Internet chat has come a long way since the early days of instant messaging online. Instead of simply
being a time waster, internet chatting is now a useful tool for many businesses. Companies that have
the traditional call center for customer service issues can achieve even more by incorporating an online
chat tool within their website. For users, an online chat experience is much more satisfying and less
frustrating. During wait times, they can minimize their browser window and work on something else
instead of waste time waiting by the phone.

3. Video Calling
Sometimes making a phone call to an important client or team member isn’t going to cut it if you’re
trying to close on a big deal. In the past, companies may have gone on expensive business trips to
schedule in-person meetings for this type of situation. Now, businesses have more flexibility and better
opportunities to save on travel costs by using video calling services instead. You can still feel like
you’re meeting with someone thousands of miles away while staying in the comfort of your home office.

4. Wearable Devices
Communication and technology have merged once again with the development of wearable devices.
While most people connect these devices to health companies, expect to see more industries joining in
on the wearable device trend. In the future, more businesses are expected to get data through
proprietary wearable devices. This way, communication becomes nearly constant between companies
and their customers.
 5. Hosted Services
The internet has also revolutionized the traditional phone calling center for businesses. In the past,
having a large call center meant companies needed to find space to house all of the communication
components and hardware to run their phone system. Today, hosted PBX providers have taken the
lead and eliminated the need for complicated equipment. Companies get much more functionality from
their calling center system without investing as much money.

6. Home and Business Automation

Automation is another key idea that shows much promise in the world of communication technology for
businesses. Home automation technology has been around for several years and looks to be
expanding. Businesses that cater to home consumers can take advantage of the marketing and
product opportunities with some home automation features. This can help improve the way consumers
get products and elevate their experience with any business.

7. Cloud Technology
The cloud is another big part of any business’ future communications plan. The need for data storage
space continues to be a driving force for many companies. Most organizations don’t have the
capabilities to house their data on site, which makes cloud storage solutions ideal. Companies that
utilize call centers can also migrate to cloud call center solutions for more affordability and features.

8. Complete Integration
Lastly, complete technology integration is something that should expand in the near future. Today,
more people than ever operate multiple devices, such as smartphones, desktop computers, tablets,
and laptops. Integrating all of the functionalities of these devices is ideal for a better customer
experience and more effective employees. Complete integration of devices is still pretty primitive, but
the possibilities are endless for the next generation.

The key to making your business work better for your goals is effective communication. Today, it’s
possible to find a technology solution that could streamline an improve your connected communication,
making your business excel beyond expectations.

Q.10 Write a letter to Messer’s Modern Publishers, Meerut requesting for sending thecatalogue of
B. Com. books.

GPS Public School

Delhi
25 July, 20××
The Sales Manager
Aparna Publishing House
Delhi
Subject: Order for Books
Sir/Madam
I would like to place an order for the following books for our school library.Kindly supply the
books by next week. Also, please make sure that the books are in good condition and arrive
undamaged.
I request you to send the bill along with the books after applying the discount permissible to
schools. Payment will be made soon after the receipt and checking of the books.
Damaged books will not be accepted nor any payment will be made for the same.
We seek your cooperation in this regard.
Thank you
Yours faithfully
Akriti Sharma
Librarian
 Section – C

Q.11 Distinguish between the following: (10)

a) Verbal and non-verbal communications –

The following points explain the difference between verbal and non-verbal
communication in detail:

1. The use of words in communication is Verbal communication. The communication

which is based on signs, not on words is Non-verbal communication.
2. There are very fewer chances of confusion in verbal communication between the
sender and receiver. Conversely, the chances of misunderstanding and confusion
in non-verbal communication are very much as the use of language is not done.
3. In verbal communication, the interchange of the message is very fast which leads
to rapid feedback. In opposition to this, the non-verbal communication is based
more on understanding which takes time and hence it is comparatively slow.
4. In verbal communication, the presence of both the parties at the place of
communication is not necessary, as it can also be done if the parties are at
different locations. On the other hand, for an effective non-verbal communication,
both the parties must be there, at the time of communication.

b) Oral and written communications –

The following are the major differences between oral communication and written
communication:

1. The type of communication in which the sender transmits information to the

receiver through verbally speaking the message. The communication mode, which
uses written or printed text for exchanging the information is known as Written
Communication.
2. The pre-condition in written communication is that the participants must be literate
whereas there is no such condition in case of oral communication.
3. Proper records are there in Written Communication, which is just opposite in the
case of Oral Communication.
4. Oral Communication is faster than Written Communication.
5. The words once uttered cannot be reversed in the case of Oral Communication.
On the other hand, editing of the original message is possible in Written
Communication.
 c) Horizontal and diagonal communications

• Horizontal communication is the relay and exchange of information across

same-level organizational departments. On the other hand, diagonal
communication is communication between employees at different levels in
an organization.

• While the role of horizontal communication in an organization is to

coordinate interdepartmental activities, the role of diagonal communication
is to relay instructions between subordinates and superiors.

• While horizontal communication involves people of the same rank and

status, diagonal communication involves subordinates and superiors.

• Horizontal communication has low levels of formality while diagonal

communication has high levels of formality.
d) Report and Precis –

A precis is a short document that includes only the most important or notable information. A report
is, or can be, a large document that includes all relevant information about the topic. Reports often
include summaries at the beginning to highlight the most important data.

Q.12 Write short notes on the following: (10)

a) Methods for satisfaction and retention of customers

• Customer satisfaction generally represents how happy customers are

with your product or service, how close it meets their expectations.
Seems rather vague and hard to measure, huh? In fact, customer
satisfaction is a perfectly measurable thing and there is even a
methodology to evaluate it.

• customer retention is something different. Remember, it is how

customers act towards you and your service and how often they return
to you. You retain your customers when they renew their subscription,
 make regular purchases, upgrade to a premium version. The form
may be different but the essence is the same – they come back.When
they don’t, it’s called “churn”, and an upward customer churn trend
should make you really worried. It is much easier – and cheaper! – to
keep your existing customers than attract new ones, this is why
businesses are so concerned about customer retention and loyalty.

b) Selection of communication channel

Select the best communication channels

Step 1: Identify what kind of message you’re sending

Start by asking yourself a series of questions about the information you need to convey so you can
zero in on the appropriate communication channels to use.

• Is your message formal or informal?

• Does this information need to be referenceable?
• Is this information urgent or time sensitive?
• Are you relaying confidential or sensitive information?
• Is this information general or specific?

Step 2: Consider your company’s culture around communication

The Slack Future of Work Study highlights that trust, tools, and teamwork are essential for employee
engagement and productivity. Also, the study found that 80% of workers want to know more about how
decisions are made in their organization.

Step 3: Pick a delivery method based on your audience

Your organization likely has several communication channels for you to choose from. Here are the
most common ones:

In person

• One-on-ones
• Team meetings
• Companywide meetings
• Retreats

Voice and video

• Direct phone call

• Conference call
• Video chat
• Pre-recorded video
Written

• Direct emails
• Mass emails
• Text messages
• Instant messaging

c) Minutes of a meeting

Also known as protocol or note, minutes are the live written record of a meeting. They include the list
of attendees, issues raised, related responses, and final decisions taken to address the issues. Their
purpose is to record what actions have been assigned to whom, along with the achievements and the
deadlines.

Format of Minutes of Meeting

A minutes of meeting normally includes the following elements −
• Name of the company − to the top-left of the page.
• Date − to the top-right of the page.
• Topic − after two return keys; Center-aligned.
• Attendees − Name and designation (2 columns of a table).
• Absentees − name, roles, reasons for absenteeism. (3 columns)
• Agenda at hand − topic to be discussed.
• Issues raised − along with the names of the speakers.
• Suggestions − made along with the names of the speakers.
• Decision − the outcome of the meeting.
• Task List − task allotted and the respective allottee.
• Future Meetings − the date and topic of the next meeting.

d) Postal services

Postal services originated with the necessity of communicating written messages. In the past also, one could
exchange messages in writing. But, then there used to be the practice of some individuals known as ‘runners’
being engaged to go from place to place to deliver the messages. Even trained pigeons were used to carry
letters from one place to another. The postal system, which we have today, became effective with the spread
of roadways and railways as means of transport. In India, until 1837, the postal service was used solely for
sending official mail. After 1837, the postal services were made available to the public. In course of time, Post
Offices offered several other services including remittance of money, delivery of parcels, banking, insurance
and many other such services.