Business communication: basics, types, principles and features

Communication can be different - personal, formal, business, ritual. All of them have certain differences from each other in terms of the relationships of the participants, goals and forms of behavior. A special type of communication is business. It is based on the interaction of people pursuing the goal of exchanging information in the process of their activities. In addition, business communication has a specific result, which is a product obtained as a result of joint activities. It can be power, career, information, as well as emotional experiences and intellectual analysis.

Definition of the concept

Business communication, like any other, has a historical character. Its manifestation takes place at all levels of the social system, and in a variety of forms. When studying the theoretical foundations of business communication, it becomes clear that it arises in connection with a certain type of activity taking place, the result of which is the release of a product or the receipt of a particular effect. Each of the parties entering into such relationships must adhere to standards and norms of human behavior, including ethical ones.

The fundamentals of business communication are processes that allow the exchange of work experience and certain information. In a market economy, this allows you to get maximum profit. What else underlies business communication? Such interaction is impossible without physical and psychological contacts, as well as the exchange of emotions. This is why the ability to build relationships with people and find an approach to a specific person is so important.

On the one hand, it may seem that business communication is not such a complex process. After all, from very early childhood people begin to become familiar with communication connections. Nevertheless, business communication, like any other that exists in society, is quite multifaceted. It has different types, has many directions and functions. Various sciences study its certain aspects, including ethology, sociology, philosophy and psychology.

Let's consider the basics of business communication, its types, principles, and features.

3 examples of texts in formal business style

Example one. Business letter to client:

Dear Sergey Sergeevich! In response to your request to install a new door, we inform you that a representative of our company will visit you on December 25th. Typically, door installation time is no more than one hour. We hope that you will be satisfied with the quality of our work.

Example two. A short business text for company employees:

On December 5, 2015, Company N begins participating in the annual social marathon “Feed the Cat.” In this regard, the company management recommends that all employees bring 2 liters of milk with a fat content of at least 2.5% to the workplace every day.

If you find a cat of any age, you should immediately give the animal milk. Employees who water the maximum number of animals will receive bonuses at the end of the current quarter.

Third example. Letter to the manager:

I, Ivan Ivanovich Ivanov, from December 5 to February 12 this year, as part of the social marathon “Feed the Cat,” I gave milk to 12 cats and 10 cats. I spent the bonuses I received for winning a corporate competition for personal purposes.

Since the animals are accustomed to receiving milk from me, and I do not have money for their subsequent feeding, I ask you to allocate the amount of 100,000,000 rubles to purchase milk at the company’s expense.

What it is?

Business communication is an interaction in which each participant has his own status. So, he can be a boss, subordinate, colleague or partner. In the case when people at different levels of the career ladder (for example, a manager and an employee) communicate with each other, we can talk about a vertical relationship. In other words, such communication is subordinate. Business communication can also take place with equal cooperation. Such relationships are considered horizontal.

Business communications take place constantly in official institutions, schools, universities and at work. This is a dialogue between subordinates and superiors, students and teachers, competitors and partners. And the achievement of the goal depends on how familiar the interlocutors are with the basics of business communication, its methods, forms and rules.

Basic Rules

• Punctuality is a manifestation of respect for partners. To maintain punctuality, business people use planning.
• Recency. You shouldn't say too much. This applies both to communication on the topic of solving a specific problem, and to the personal lives of employees, colleagues, and partners.
• Respect for colleagues and partners. In business communication there is no place for curiosity, selfishness, or intolerance. It is necessary to respect the opinion of your interlocutor, no matter how wrong it may seem to you.
• Using the correct language. Ability to conduct a conversation and create interest in the communication process.
• The ability to clearly formulate the purpose of a conversation, conversation, negotiation, etc.
• Maintaining self-control, control over feelings and emotions. Calm communication without rudeness, even if the interlocutor behaves in a manner inappropriate for a business person.
• It is necessary to adhere to business attire. The dress code affects the characteristics and outcome of business communication.
• No unnecessary gestures when meeting. Apart from a handshake, you should not touch your interlocutor in any other way.

Peculiarities

Business communication differs from all other types of communications in that it has:

1. Regularity. The basics of business communication are established rules for limiting communications. They are determined by the type of interaction, its tasks and goals, the degree of formality, as well as cultural and national traditions. At the same time, business etiquette, as the basis of modern business communication, serves as the main tool for organizing the process of business relations.
2. Strict adherence by all communication participants to their role role. It must meet the requirements imposed by a specific situation. Also, all participants in business communication need to fulfill their specific role (partner, subordinate, boss, etc.).
3. Strictness regarding the use of speech means. Each participant in business communication must speak professional language and know the necessary terminology. Speech should not contain colloquial expressions and words, dialectisms and swearing.
4. High responsibility for the results obtained. All participants in business communication must be punctual, organized, true to their word and obligatory. In addition, they should strictly adhere to moral and ethical standards of communication.

Functions

In production conditions, business communication allows each person to satisfy their need for communications, exchange experiences, learn something new, and evaluate their own professional qualities. The importance of such communications during negotiations is great. Knowledge of the psychological foundations of business communication allows you to maintain your reputation and image, as well as achieve success in business.

Among the main functions of this type of communication are the following:

1. Instrumental. This function views communication as a control mechanism.
2. Interactive. In this case, communication is a means of uniting colleagues, business partners, specialists, etc.
3. Self-expression. Conducted business communication allows a person to assert himself and demonstrate his psychological, personal and intellectual potential.
4. Socialization. By communicating, a person develops his business etiquette and communication skills.
5. Expressive. It is expressed in emotional experiences and demonstrations of understanding.

All of the above functions are closely related to each other. Moreover, through their implementation, they constitute the essence of business communication itself.

Organization of business communications

When organizing business communication, certain rules apply. They concern preparation taking into account different outcomes, both positive and negative. You need to plan your time, create an appropriate environment, prepare your emotional state, and get acquainted with information about your partner.

The place of communication should not distract or interfere with communication. If necessary, you need to provide equipment - prepare auxiliary materials, some necessary documents, etc. When choosing a strategy, tactics, you should determine the direction, understand what can be sacrificed during communication. The process of direct communication must begin with establishing contact in order to create a favorable atmosphere. The process of information exchange is important. You need to be able to ask questions, listen to your opponent, observe his behavior, and correctly analyze the interlocutor’s reactions.

Principles

In order for negotiations to be as successful as possible, a certain atmosphere must be created. It is possible to achieve this goal only if the partners, communicating with each other, feel as comfortable as possible. And knowledge of the principles of the psychological foundations of business communication will help with this. These include:

1. Exercising control over emotions. This point is quite important. The fact is that surging emotions literally in a matter of seconds can destroy relationships that have been built over the years. After all, they will show a person from a clearly negative side. And even in the case when the interlocutor allows himself unrestrained behavior, you should not react to this. Every person must realize that emotions and work are incompatible.
2. The desire to understand the interlocutor. Adhering to the basics of the psychology of business communication, the parties need to be attentive to each other’s opinions. Indeed, in the case when one of the negotiating participants talks only about his own interests, without listening to the other side, this will not allow reaching a common agreement and obtaining positive results from the meeting.
3. Concentration. Business communication is often a monotonous process. This leads to the fact that a person is able to miss some fundamental points of negotiations. That is why during a conversation it is necessary to focus the partners’ attention on the topic when it becomes obvious that they have stopped concentrating their attention on really important things.
4. The truthfulness of the conversation. The success of a business is largely determined by trusting relationships. Of course, opponents may not say something or deliberately be a little disingenuous to enhance their own dignity. Nevertheless, as for the fundamental points, it is necessary that things be said that correspond to reality. This is how businessmen earn their reputation.
5. The ability not to express subjective opinions. The fundamentals of ethics and psychology of business communication imply the ability to separate the interlocutor from the object of negotiations. In other words, personal attitude towards a person should never influence work matters. This is the main difference between personal and business communication. It often happens that an opponent who is extremely unpleasant to the interlocutor can be very useful for the cause. In this case, you should not miss out on the benefits. After all, it often happens that very pleasant and good people turn out to be insolvent in business terms.

The principles listed above must be taken into account by every person who wants to acquire the skill of proper negotiation and earn a good reputation as a business partner.

Difficult negotiations

In negotiations, each party has its own interests, and the meeting place literally becomes a battlefield where each participant is ready to fight to the last. In such a situation, the possibility of reaching an agreement with the maximum benefit for everyone tends to zero. Therefore, I will talk about the main difficulties and rules of negotiations.

Any other difficulties will follow from them, so work out options for interaction at the stage of preparation for negotiations.

1. Interests are directly opposite and no one gives in

How to decide: Be clear about your intentions. There is an option that after your opponent’s answer you will take a pause “to think” and reschedule the negotiations. But the key idea is to try to shift the focus to another solution that will cause at least a neutral reaction in you and them.

Example: “We have reviewed your proposal, we do not like things like…. And we propose to discuss these points.” Or: “We are not ready to negotiate on your terms, there will be no concessions on our part, so let’s make a decision either yes or no.”

2. There are many interests, they are difficult to reconcile.

How to solve: Divide the main negotiation issue into parts and identify a complete list of difficulties. And take them apart step by step, come to an agreement or eliminate the problem. The final result will show whether you can agree to these conditions or not.

Example: “Let's look at different sides of the issue. As I understand it, some are not satisfied with the cost, others with the time, and still others with the amount of work, right? Let each side express what it can do for the other to change conditions for itself.”

3. Interests are not defined, there is no clarity and specificity , the parties are not prepared

How to solve: Don't waste time, you don't have to identify your opponent's goals. The best option would be to reschedule the meeting and direct the opponent to prepare on their part, specifying the requirements that he wants.

Example: “I see that you are not entirely prepared for the meeting. Let’s not waste time, but rather reschedule the meeting and discuss what exactly you will have time to think through during this time.”

4. Lack of flexibility during negotiations

How to decide: Choose balancing or compromise methods in your negotiation strategy. Finding and proposing mutually beneficial options can move negotiations forward. If your opponent continues to insist on his demands, decide for yourself – is this right for you?

Example: “I believe you are determined. But let’s try to find mutual concessions on both sides, otherwise, I’m afraid we won’t be able to cooperate for long.”

5. Emotional instability

How to solve: If the negotiator does not control his emotions, then you need to understand what role he plays in these negotiations. If he is the Bad Guy or the Leader, work through the objections. In any case, we must try to change the tone of the negotiations.

Example: “We share your point of view and will take this point into account in further interaction...”, “I respect your opinion, but further material will convince you of the validity of my statements...”

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Moral Foundations

In what case is there a high probability of achieving a positive solution during negotiations? To do this, a businessman needs to know the moral foundations of business communication. Communications between people pursuing commercial purposes must comply with the following principles:

1. The basis of business communication should be the interests of the business, and not one’s own ambitions and desires. Despite its obviousness, people violate this principle most often. After all, not every person is able to find the strength to sacrifice personal interests that conflict with the benefit that will be received for the business. This is especially evident in those moments when something can be done with impunity, and the only judge in this case will be one’s own conscience.
2. Decency. What is the basis of business communication? The organic inability of a person to commit a dishonest act. Decency is always based on such moral qualities as a heightened sense of conscience, when there is an awareness that silence or inaction will become dishonest, as well as a constant desire to preserve one’s honor in the form of nobility, incorruptibility and assertion of one’s own dignity.
3. The ability to behave equally with any person, regardless of his social or official status.
4. Integrity. A person must not only have strong convictions, but also actively strive to realize and put them into practice. This is manifested in the fact that he will never compromise his own principles, even in the face of a threat and obstacles to his personal well-being.
5. Goodwill. This principle lies in the organic need to do good to people, which is the main category of ethics. Any professional activity is aimed at satisfying a person’s social needs. And in this sense, he produces something useful, that is, he does good. By adhering to this principle, a professional does not only do what is included in his duties, but also does much beyond this, receiving emotional satisfaction and appreciation in return.
6. Respect for human dignity. Such a principle can be realized thanks to such moral qualities cultivated in a person as delicacy and politeness, caring, courtesy and tact. Moreover, all this must be combined with balance, restraint and correctness. Here, the ethical foundations of business communication are in close contact with morality. This should also take place in statutory relations, which in no way allow the leader to humiliate the dignity of a subordinate. Respect for a person, which underlies the ethics of business communication, allows people not to experience mutual offense, irritation and dissatisfaction. It protects against nervous shock, stress and other negative consequences of communication. Ignorance of the basic ethics of business communication by a person or inability to apply them in practice can negatively affect the opinions of others about him.
7. Expediency and reasonableness. This principle underlies all ethical rules and regulations. Moreover, it is especially necessary in those forms of human communication in which it is very important to adhere to etiquette. By observing expediency and reasonableness, a favorable moral and psychological atmosphere is created in the work team, which greatly increases the efficiency of employees.

Norms of culture of behavior

Let us briefly consider the basics of business communication etiquette. Knowledge of the rules and norms of behavior, and, of course, compliance with them, brings pleasure and benefit to their owner. A person, if he is well brought up, will feel confident everywhere, easily overcoming psychological barriers of communication, without experiencing an inferiority complex and having the opportunity to constantly expand his social circle.

The rules of etiquette that underlie effective business communication are a set of norms necessary for treating people politely. In official communications, in this case, the correspondence of appearance, manners, gestures, speech, posture, posture, facial expressions, clothing and tone, as well as the social role inherent in a person and his social and business status, is considered. Such requirements become especially important when participating in any strictly regulated event that requires adherence to strictly established boundaries. Failure to follow the rules of etiquette in this case will be considered as an insult to the dignity of the participants in communications, which will cause their disapproval.

But it is worth noting that even with a thorough knowledge of the basics of professional business communication, it is not always possible to avoid some mistakes. After all, etiquette standards should not be applied mechanically. For each specific situation, they are subject to some adjustment. And this can be done with professional tact. Only it will protect the employee from errors.

Let's consider how the head of a company should behave during a business conversation. When greeting its participants, you need to greet them politely, shaking everyone’s hand (without squeezing it too tightly). Before starting the conversation itself, you should offer tea or coffee to your interlocutors. A similar tradition appeared not so long ago. Nevertheless, today almost everyone adheres to it. A cup of aromatic drink will allow a person to get rid of some tension and have a positive attitude towards the conversation.

Knowing the basics of business communication ethics will help prevent an unpleasant situation. If a mistake occurs during negotiations, you should apologize to your interlocutors for the inconvenience caused to them. And only after this the conversation can be continued.

Compliance with the ethical principles of business communication implies that when discussing business issues with partners, you should try to answer all their questions. In cases where, for one reason or another, it is impossible to do this directly during the conversation, you should apologize and ask for time to think, indicating a specific date.

When conducting negotiations, you need to keep a notepad and pen with you, writing down all the most important information voiced. You should not raise your voice. You need to speak clearly and clearly. The clothing style must be businesslike.

Making calls in public places or in a meeting

Meetings and business meetings are times when, according to the rules, you should refrain from calling. Live voice is a priority. Negotiations that distract the attention of those present are unacceptable.

Answering a call at a business meeting or meeting means showing your interlocutor that you do not value him and the time spent with him, that the person who called is more important.

There are also good reasons, for example, the illness of a relative, a large contract. The rules for communicating by telephone suggest that those present must be notified before the meeting or meeting and the receipt of the call must be coordinated with them. The conversation should be conducted very quickly (no more than 30 seconds), if possible in another office.

A person talking on the phone during a private meeting, in a restaurant, at a meeting looks uncultured and stupid.

Types of business communication

The main task of official communications is always to achieve a specific goal.

At the same time, work issues can be resolved using various types of business communication. Among them:

1. Business correspondence. This type of official communication is considered correspondence. When using it, all information is conveyed to the opponent in writing. No personal meeting is scheduled. Despite the fact that a lot of people are engaged in correspondence every day, composing business letters is a rather difficult task, because they must be prepared taking into account all the necessary requirements and sent within the current deadline. When presenting information in such a letter, it is important to adhere to the basics of the psychology of business communication and its ethical standards. The specificity of the text and its brevity are valued. It is worth keeping in mind that conducting such correspondence allows partners to draw some conclusions about each other.
2. Business conversation. This type of communication is the most common form of official communication. Managers of all companies must conduct conversations with staff. Such conversations should have a positive impact on the team and business development. This kind of business communication allows you to clarify some work issues, which makes it easier to complete the tasks facing the company.
3. Business meeting. This type of official communications allows you to increase the performance of the company. At meetings, urgent issues are resolved and the most effective interaction between employees or partners is achieved. Sometimes meetings are not held with the boss and his subordinates. Sometimes only heads of departments or organizations get together to discuss current problems.
4. Public speaking. This type of business communication is necessary to convey to listeners any information of a presentational or informational nature. And here special requirements are placed on the speaker. He must understand the subject of his report. The text he pronounces must be logical and clear. Self-confidence is equally important.
5. Business meeting. This type of communication is considered an integral part of doing business. Negotiations allow you to quickly eliminate any problems that have arisen, set goals and objectives, take into account the opinions of your interlocutors and draw the right conclusions. They are usually held between the heads of various enterprises. Each of them demonstrates their position during business negotiations. In this case, the parties must come to a common decision in order to satisfy the interests of all partners.

Briefly about the main thing

Negotiating in business is a real art. Ideally, you can master it only with experience and by working on yourself, learning and improving your own professionalism. And don’t forget about the basic rules of etiquette, respect your opponents, no matter what behavior they demonstrate. And finally, here are the top most common mistakes in different types of business negotiations:

• Don't overthink it. Ask questions to your opponent and draw the right conclusions from the information received from him;
• Don't give in to provocations. A negotiator who cannot control emotions is not the best characteristic for you;
• Control your speech . Jargon, filler words, slang can be perceived negatively by the opponent;
• Save time. This is a valuable resource for everyone, so don’t drag out negotiations or stall on the insignificant;
• Be confident . Just don’t fend off objections and add-ons. questions, express your point of view;
• Analyze the process. Analyze your mistakes, so you will constantly improve your negotiator skills.

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Social foundations of business communications

Business communication that occurs between people is derived from their activities. It fixes the content and social orientation of various types of production relations, the importance of communication for the life of the whole society, as well as for its individual social groups and individuals.

Business communication between people is a process that is quite universal and at the same time quite diverse. It arises in a variety of fields of activity and at all levels. This must be taken into account when mastering the social foundations of business communication, knowledge of which will allow a deeper understanding of the conditions under which interaction between partners will take place.

One of the main features of such communications is that the spiritual qualities of people find their manifestation in them. All interacting partners are subjects of interpersonal business relationships. They represent people of different ages with different moral, physiological, psychological and intellectual properties. Each of them has his own strong-willed and emotional attitude, worldview, value orientations and ideological attitudes. The manifestation of any of these properties allows, to a certain extent, to reveal the spiritual world of the partner and acts as an element of the content of interpersonal spiritual interaction.

Communication between professionals

Maintaining tolerance towards each other is quite difficult. Nevertheless, each of us must understand perfectly well that all people are different, and it is necessary to perceive another person as he is.

This is also indicated by the moral and psychological foundations of professional and business communication of a teacher, who, when contacting his student, must, first of all, show tolerance. The essence of such communication comes down to the application in the learning process of principles that make it possible to create optimal prerequisites for the formation of personal self-expression in children and for teaching a culture of dignity, while eliminating the factor of fear of an erroneous answer. Tolerance in the 21st century is one of the ways to create harmonious relationships that allow a person to more easily integrate into society.

Pedagogical communication with students should, first of all, be productive. Its main goal is the spiritual enrichment of both parties. That is, both the teacher and his student. But obtaining positive results is only possible if the teacher demonstrates:

• respect for the child’s spiritual world;
• interest in what the student considers valuable;
• respect for the individuality of the student with all the qualities inherent in his personality.

Business communication of a teacher must adhere to the following principles:

• non-violence (giving the student the right to be as he is);
• respect for the child’s work of learning;
• respect for the tears and failures of the pupil;
• unconditional love for the child;
• respect for the student’s identity;
• compromise;
• relying on the child’s positive character traits.

Healthcare sector

As an example of professional communications, let’s consider the basics of business communication in the work of a medical registrar. This person has to communicate with people seeking help. That is why it is so important that this specialist work as competently as possible. He should remember that any negotiation is a dialogue. When they switch to a monologue (on one side or the other), there can be no talk of any productive cooperation. And for this, the medical registrar needs to have the ability to listen, asking the right questions in a timely manner. They should not lead the conversation astray and will allow you to clarify the topic under discussion as much as possible.

In order to begin effectively listening to a visitor, the medical receptionist will need:

1. Stop talking. After all, it is simply impossible to give a speech and listen at the same time. The speaker should be helped to relax so that the person has a feeling of freedom.
2. Show the visitor your willingness to listen to him. In this case, you need to act with the utmost interest. When listening to a person, you need to try to understand him, and not try to look for reasons to object.
3. Eliminate irritating moments. To do this, you will need to stop tapping on the table, shifting papers, and not be distracted by phone calls.
4. Empathize with the speaker and try to put yourself in his position.
5. Be patient. At the same time, there is no need to try to save time and interrupt the person.
6. Contain your own emotions. If a person is angry, he will most likely begin to give words the wrong meaning.
7. Avoid criticism and controversy. Otherwise, the speaker will become defensive and simply fall silent.
8. To ask questions. They will reassure the visitor, as he will understand that he is being listened to. Moreover, it is necessary to ask questions during 30% of the conversation.

As we see, the nature and content of business communication in each field of activity has its own characteristics. All of them are studied by specialists working in the fields of philosophy, ethics, sociology and psychology. It is no coincidence that a discipline appeared in the program for university students, which is called “Business Communication”. It allows us to consider ethical and psychological, and to be more precise, organizational and moral problems of official communications. There are also textbooks for this discipline. One of them was written by A.S. Kovalchuk. This manual talks about the basics of business communication in a very accessible way.

The book identifies the conditions and factors for optimal work aimed at creating a charming image. Also in this work, which is called “Fundamentals of Imageology and Business Communication,” the author examines the possibilities of using the results of such activities. In addition to university students, such a manual may well be of interest to people who are looking for a path to self-expression, as well as representatives of professions whose success depends on the realization of creative abilities.

When a client calls...

The client who gets through may not identify himself, but immediately begins to explain his problem. Therefore, it is necessary to tactfully ask: “Excuse me, what is your name?”, “What organization are you from?”, “Please tell me your phone number?”

The rules for communicating over the phone with clients are based on the fact that you should only convey accurate information if you have the necessary data. A client who does not wait for a clear answer will no longer contact your organization.

Sometimes you have to deal with an angry or nervous client. It is better to listen to his complaint and not interrupt. He will be capable of constructive dialogue only when he speaks out. When you hear an insult, you must hang up.