Communication Types

Evaluate and summarize how you might use the following forms of communications: emails, memos, formal reports, white papers, and presentations.

Emails: I love to use emails more than phones because I can send an email and respond to one even if I am busy or too tired to make a call. Sometimes when I receive an email from my family I would rather shoot them a response back because it is quicker, plus my dad likes a few minutes on the phone and then he is done and onto the next thing. When an email is sent there is a record and I usually file important messages about projects for my cycling club because sometimes the things we talk about continue on and need future attention. It is easiest to reach me by email and my phone spent the night in my lunch bag in the freezer, it still worked, but I never noticed it missing because I have emails to communicate with people.

Memos: When I worked at a call center whenever they handed out memos I would look at the message and then use the paper for taking notes on the customers issues, they mostly sent messages out to us through the computer because our office was so huge. Sometimes, my manager would have special memos made up for our team and it was easy to communicate with my team which consisted of about 30 members. Memos can be a waste of paper, because I think a message can easily be remembered and saved by sending an email or using an update in the knowledge base, which anyone can refer back to.

Formal Reports: I have never done a formal report before, but I think it is an important way to communicate with upper management about a concern or issue that someone has. I am sure that my last company I temped at used formal reports to communicate with each other and the government because the contract is up for bid, and they want to continue and get the contract for next year. I know they have made several proposals stating that since they already hold the contract that it makes sense to renew the contract and continue on with the same excellent service.

White Papers: Are almost like formal reports, but the focus here is on educating the reader about whatever you are trying to promote for example: a sales pitch or an idea for a big company. I bet people who are scientists, analysts, and consultants use this type of approach when they want to educate and show that they can outshine their competition.  

Presentations: I like when I go to a meeting and there is a slide show and a couple of weeks ago they has a detailed slideshow and the speaker followed an agenda. It was funny because throughout the meeting they made jokes and showed some pictures of when the managers were dressed up in their Halloween costumes and when they were little kids. It was a great way to give out a lot of information about open season enrollment and the possibility of losing or having to go through the process of securing the contract. They thought of everything and had pizza and drinks for us and it did not seem like the meeting lasted for an hour, but that was about the length of time they allotted and someone kept track with their watch and gave little reminders to move it along.