Communication Management, Efficient Functioning of an Organization - Essay Example

COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT (Student Name) (Course Number) (University) (Date) Introduction The efficient functioning of an organization, be it a business enterprise or a non- governmental organization depends on how well information is managed within the organization. Communication is a key attribute in the success or failure of a company. It contributes greatly to issues such as organizational behaviour in an enterprise and the overall performance of an organization. Communication is also key in establishing a strong customer base and hence determining the relationship of many enterprises especially in the currently competitive business environment. Communication management is, therefore, defined as a logical manner through which the communication channels between and within organizations are planned, monitored, revised and implemented (Bell and Smith, 2010, p.32). The various communication channels in an organization are vital in the successful communication strategies that are put in place. Among the main duties that are performed by communication managers in any given organization include management of information flows within the organization, proper establishment of both internal and external communication mechanisms as well as development of corporate communication plans. One of the importance of efficient and proper communication within an organization is the potential of building a good rapport with the clients as well as the employees. It is essential that a good relationship be built between the different people in an organization for the operative realization of the company goals. This can be done only through effective communication. Building a good relationship with the clients, for instance, increases their trust and thus they are able to deal more openly and freely with the enterprise. This way, the company enjoys good reputation and better market orientation. Proper communication management is also crucial for managers in ensuring that their jobs are done efficiently. The main work of managers is to plan for both the present and future activities of the organizations they work for. Of great prominence is the realization that information is critical in accomplishing such duties. In such organizational settings, managers receive information from different quotas within the organization, which is in turn used in implementing the business strategies. In organizing the workforce, for instance, leaders and managers also require that information be communicated properly to the employees and the departments involved (Hargie et al., 1999, p. 72) Communication also acts as a source of information in an organization. Through effective communication management in an organization, critical information may be provided which can be used in the overall decision making within an organization. Enterprises employ individuals from different places and background to work for them. The result is diversity of opinions and information within the organization. Proper management of such information plays a critical role in organizational decision making. For instance, views may be collected from the employees and sampled to help management in decision making. Communication management, therefore, involves asking a number of questions in order to realize the success of an enterprise. The key considerations in communication management are; the type of information required for a particular project, the person who needs the information, the duration required for the information, the people needed for information transmission as well as the format of the required information. The achievement of an effective communication management mechanism is a stepping stone towards the realization of the goals of an institution. Discussion I work as an accounts executive in Emerald Communications Agency based in Adelaide, Australia. The company was started in 1999 by Esther Watts, a private investor and a communication officer working with the Australian government in 21 African countries. At that time. Having a strong passion for the field of communication, Mrs Watts, together with a team of four others, pulled together their resources to start this company in the early 1999. Under her leadership, the agency has grown today and has offices in various countries around the world. Today the company is rated the best communication agency in Australia and is commonly invited to conduct pitching for new clients. The main aim of the agency is the provision of relevant and timely information to the clients and customers at large through proper communication mechanisms. The key statement of the organization is to establish a platform for effective communication. The company focuses on making things known to people who may be interested through advertising over the internet and even on the local television and radio channels in Australia. Through effective and satisfactory interaction with the clients over the years, the company has gained recognition as the most celebrated communication agency within the country. This way, the agency has been able to build its market niche. Among the major activities that the agency is associated with is the creation of adverts based on the collected information about a product. Once the company has identified a potential client, a team from the company is sent to the ground to collect first-hand data about the products of that company. The information gathered is then used to create advertisements on the product as well as the producing agency. For instance, the things that are considered in creation of such advertisements could be whether or not the product was created in an environmentally sound manner, where it is produced and its quality in relation to the substitutes that are in the market (Tripathi, 2009. P.84). The company is also involved in doing research about the products of the client and the reaction of the customers to that product. Even though communication serves as a tool of helping the customers to make informed choices while purchasing goods, it is significant to listen to the opinions of customers about the products and their reactions to its presence in the market. If customers are satisfied with the product, the agency can continue with the communication methods. However, if the customers are not content with the product, the agency advises the clients to clear the mess. One of the renowned personalities in the agency that has made the organization a success is the CEO and founder of the agency, Mrs. Watts. Having worked in the company since she resigned from her job in 2000, she has managed to uplift the agency to greater international scales. Her main work is supervision of her employees and bringing in big and good deals to the company through proper communication with the clients. As an accounts executive in the organization, my service line is mainly between the agency and the clients that we deal with. In attempting to find help from the clients to finally develop competitive marketing campaigns for them, it is important that I act as the link between the organization and the clients that we work for. My job roles among others include; organising meetings with the clients to determine their marketing requirements, developing campaign strategies for the clients together with account planners, presenting budgets of advertisements to the clients, ensuring that campaigns are effectively done and pitching for new clients. For the pitching process, the agency requires that the potential client to be a company that has made a decision to expand its branches to other cities where its impact has never been felt before. This comes from the need of the company to manifest its expertise in the communications field in the wake of competition from the other upcoming organizations. The pitching process also requires that the client company has high-quality branding which can help in developing good campaign strategies for required audience. The clients target audience should also be the youth. The values of the client company should also marry with those of the communications agency to ensure that creating an advertisement is easier. The company that is considered for pitching by the communication agency I work for is the H and M, which is Swedish in origin and deal in fashion. The company is yet to open a new store in Adelaide, Australia. The multinational company has set its interest in the Australian market and is likely to open up early next year. This gives Emerald Communications a good chance to feature and try to provide the necessary support that the company require in order to develop a solid market base in the Australian market, especially among the fashionable young Australians. Founded by Erring Persson, Hand M is a retail industry with its headquarters in Stockholm. The company is one of the main dealers in fashionable clothing and accessories. Its operations are found in more than 56 countries globally. The industry, however, faces competition from other retail stores in the clothing domain such as Myer and David Jones. The Australian market has also been ventured by the competitors and the company needs to develop better strategies to be able to cope in the market (Hennes and Mauritz, 2013, p.23). One of the strategies that the communication agency will employ in the pitching process the price strategy. In marketing, the price strategy is one of the issues that attract clients to a company or draws them away. Having noticed the needs of the company and the challenges they face in entering the Australian market, Emerald Communications will seek to negotiate prices of advertisements and the final budget in a manner that is pocket friendly to the client. This way, the client is able to choose between pocket friendly prices with good services or poor services at very high amounts of money. Another strategy that the agency will employ is ensuring that the target group of the fashion company makes quality and informed decisions by providing with the most crucial information they require about the company. This way, the customers are able to weigh the options of the already operating stores and consider shopping in Hand M because of the wide range of products offered in just a single store. Also, the other strategy that will be employed by my company in the pitching process is the physical interaction with my clients, as an account executive, it is important that I visit my clients for a one on one interaction with them. This will help me to better understand the real needs of an organization and hence figure out the campaign strategy that will be used in reaching the desired audience. Visiting a client when a lot of damage has been done for instance, sparks some negative feelings and the client is likely to withdraw from the agency y and seek another agency. Communication is also another key factor in trying to pitch a client (Ragusa, 2011, p.56). The manner in which the account executives communicate with the clients can build a good relationship or destroy relationships that took time and energy to build.in my case, the pitching process will require a lot of honesty from me. Thus I consider it rude to make commitments that I cannot fulfil. For instance, some clients are difficult to deal with and it would be imprudent to give in to some ridiculous demands from the clients especially when I know they are beyond the capacity of the organization I represent. Within the organization, a project is never handled by one person but many people in different departments and capacities. In such cases, mistakes cannot be completely eluded. Since faults happen and it is only human to err, my company acts very swiftly in such situations. One important thing that I do as an accounts executive is to ensure that the possible mistakes that occur are communicated to the client in time. The many time that mistakes occur in communication agencies, the clients would not want to get the information from another source other than the agency. This helps in building a good rapport with the clients (Wywialowski, 2004, p.230). Conclusion Managing the flow of information in any given organization or agency is important in the realization of the objectives of that organization. Communication, being an important factor in the efficient management of an organization, plays an important role in organizational well- being. Employers should, therefore, be advised to consider communication as a vital factor in organizational behaviour and success, thus incorporate in in decision making. References Bell, A. H., & Smith, D. M. (2010). Management communication. Hoboken, N.J., John Wiley & Sons, p. 32. Cheng, T. C. E., & Choi, T.-M. (2010). 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Communication skills in practice: a practical guide for health professionals. London, J. Kingsley Publishers, p. 105. Wywialowski, E. F. (2004). Managing client care. St. Louis, Mo, Mosby, p. 230. Read More