Communications in business - OCRThe importance of business communications

Being able to communicate effectively is vital for any business. Sometimes barriers prevent a message from being received, which causes poor communication.

Barriers to effective communication

A barrier to communication is something that stops communication happening or makes communication less effective. There are a number of potential barriers to effective communication.

Barriers to communication include:

• poor explanations
• poor spelling and grammar
• incorrect language
• technology issues
• poor structuring of information
• use of jargon, technical language or slang
• lack of understanding

Poor communication can have a number of negative impacts. For example:

• Mistakes – poor communication can reduce quality and increase costs.
• Confusion – poor communication may frustrate customers and reduce sales, as customers’ needs are not being met.
• Poor reputation – the business will become known for making mistakes and confusing customers.