Business Communication Strategies and Analysis: Marks & Spencer Report

This report delves into the multifaceted world of business communication, exploring both written and verbal communication methods within an organizational context. The report examines the advantages and disadvantages of each communication type, highlighting their roles in conveying information effectively. A case study of Marks & Spencer (M&S) is used to illustrate real-world applications of these communication strategies, discussing the importance of clear, concise, and professional communication in a business environment. The report also addresses the critical differences between urgent and important communication, the purpose of written business communication, and the importance of adapting communication to different audiences. The report also covers the significance of proofreading, active listening, fluency, confidence, and appropriate body language in conveying ideas effectively. The report concludes with a plan for improving communication skills, emphasizing the need for continuous development in this crucial area.

Communicate in a business environment

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1. 1 Advantages and Disadvantages of written communication in business environment.........1
1.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of verbal communication...................................................2
1.3 Difference between Important and Urgent communication..................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Purpose of specified written business communication.........................................................3
2.2 Information needed to create a specified written communication........................................3
2.3 Written business communication..........................................................................................4
2.4 Amendments to the communication to accommodate different audiences...........................4
2.5 The communication should be proofread by learner before sending, correcting any errors.5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
3.1 Own ideas verbally to others with fluency and confidence..................................................5
3.2 Actively listen to others, responding appropriately..............................................................6
3.3 Questions to confirm understanding.....................................................................................6
3.4 Future actions, taking into account own views and those of others......................................7
3.5 Summarises with others the main points of the discussion...................................................7
3.6 Appropriate body language and voice tome throughout the discussion...............................8
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................8
4.1 Feedback...............................................................................................................................8
4.2 Summarise the positive and negative points of the communication. ...................................8
4.3 Develop a plan to improve own communication skills.........................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Business communication is the sending and receiving of information within an
organization. It includes verbal non verbal communication including public and cultural
communication to promote the standards of employees and improvise customer satisfaction
along with healthy business relationship. Present report will be base on the topic business
communication and how it plays a essential role within the organization. Further report explains
about the benefits and barriers of using written as well as oral communication. In order to
conduct this research researcher has been chosen Marks & Spencer which is an multinational
retailer exist in UK. Study evaluate why communication is the important and urgent to pass the
information. Therefore, study also will summaries the main points or required skills for
communication like body language, voice tone throughout the business discussion.
TASK 1
1. 1 Advantages and Disadvantages of written communication in business environment.
Written communication means to send instructions, messages or orders in writing through
manuals, telegrams, letters, circulars, bulletins, office memos, etc.
Advantage :
Written communication plays very important role in today's business environment like written
document is important for having a permanent record, anytime you want any document you can
easily access it. Mark and Spencer is a major British multinational retailer, for keeping records of
many employees, and to make a formal talk with their employees they need a written way of
communication so for this purpose it uses communication apps like Skype, What's app, messages
and many other apps as well. And this way of communication make easy to handle work because
going to every person and communicating with them is not so easy it consumes so much of time
and for such a big company it is essential to use written communication. To resolve complex
matters written communication is must.
Disadvantage :
Sometimes written communication becomes disadvantage for it because orally the thing is more
understandable as compared to written communication as oral communication contains gesture
and feelings with it. Mark and Spencer has to pay more as to do everything in written. There are
expenses like paper, photo copies, which are petty expenses but small expenses are also
important part of companies overall expenses.
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Written communication is having positive impact like it is less time consuming but the negative
impact is that it doesn't provide immediate feedback.
1.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of verbal communication.
Verbal communication is also known as oral communication in which message is
conveyed through the spoken words. Or its like sender express words through his feelings, ideas
thoughts and opinions, and presenting them by building them into speeches, presentations.
Discussions and conversations.
Advantage :
Verbal communication is time saving and it is more properly understandable as compare
to written communication. Mark and Spencer uses oral communication whenever they have a
meeting of Board of Directors or whenever they have serious discussion about any of the
companies important matter because at that time company needs an urgent feedback and in
written communication it is not possible to give urgent feedback.
Disadvantage :
Sometimes in verbal communication company has to face some problem which can be
said as disadvantage of verbal communication like misunderstanding of some words or gesture,
leak of secret information, absence of that particular verbal communication record. If there are
some benefits and then there are some negative impact as well. Mark and Spencer handles both
the situation in proper manner.
Verbal communication is good for providing good clarity, and immediate feedback but in verbal
communication there are no records available.
1.3 Difference between Important and Urgent communication.
Urgent communication Important communication
1. Urgent communication is that
communication which is having
immediate impact to a particular task
for example Mark and Spencer
company urgently announces that there
is a particular task which should be
completed within one hour than it is
3. Important communication can be
explained as which is having some
special elements in it. For example
Mark and Spencer is having a policy
that all the employees of HR
department must contains all the
records about each and every customer
than it will be count as important
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Urgent communication Important communication
urgent.
2. Urgent communication includes
important communication as well.
communication.
4. Important communication is a part of
urgent communication.
TASK 2
2.1 Purpose of specified written business communication.
Business leaders are the best communicators whether its written or oral communication.
Written communication in business should be clear, concise, formal and professional (Harl and
et.al., 2017). In any business written communication plays very important role and it is because
every form of written communication become evidence of permanent record of idea, proposal,
incident and other facts. And this written documents and other facts help owners and other
employees as to access information quickly and to perform all the duties in formal way. Written
communication is very important in legal proceedings, and it also becomes main defense for
company in legal fights. Mark and Spencer faced legal problems many times but keeping its all
the documents in written it easily able to make out from all the legal problems. Written
communication is kept for other purpose like storing all the information formally of employees
either they are currently working or the employees which had left the job, or for keeping all the
records of their other personal files (McLaurin-Jones and et.al., 2017). Mark and Spencer's HR
department provide employee their clearly documented files in which all information about them
is clearly written. And the main purpose behind written communication is to provide all the
information and facts in formal manner.
2.2 Information needed to create a specified written communication.
Information needed or there is a way to do written communication like Mark and Spencer
wants to send email to any of their investors so the information that is needed in email or in
written communication their should be proper message in which all the things it wants to send to
its investors should be present, their should be correct email id of receiver, and also the message
written by it consist of proper word formation and their should not be any problems from which
receiver get any problem in responding it (Mehrabian, 2017).
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Another example Mark and Spencer's HR team want to create an offer letter for
its new employees than they should know all the information they want to provide in offer letter
like all the term and conditions, companies policies, about salary, incentives, deduction, and all
other important point which an employee must know and this all things are part of information
which needed in a written communication.
In written communication the most important information which is needed like reason behind
why it is written and does the thing which is written is properly provided to receiver or not.
2.3 Written business communication
Email is one of the best way of formal written communications:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Dear Employees,
This mail is to inform you about the launch of our new product in market which will be
available in our stores nearly in ten to fifteen days.
Regards,
Mark and Spencer co.
2.4 Amendments to the communication to accommodate different audiences.
In today's different world there are variety of different people so to deal with different
people their should be amendments in communication for example Mark and Spencer's HR team
has to deal with different type of people as well as their customer relation team has to deal with
different type of customer so to deal with each one of them need changes in communication like
one consumer which is short tempered should be treated in polite way, and make him calm with
talking with him sweetly and calmly, and in other hand if one consumer is making a unwanted
noise in a store even after all the staff is talking sweetly to him then their should be change in
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communication and talk to him with his tone only (Pavlenko, 2019). Because every
human being in the earth is different so the communication with them should also be different, it
is a part of oral communication, Now in written communication there are amendment like
change in writing style, change in content and many other changes. For example Mark and
Spencer HR's has emailed to their employee but due to some problems employees didn't
understand it than they should change it so that employees can understand their mail.
2.5 The communication should be proofread by learner before sending, correcting any errors.
To improve written communication proofreading is must because as you proofread
communication you just make confirmation about it. For example Mark and Spencer HR has to
email their investors about launching of their new product so to make sure about the content they
should check or we can say proofread it. Proofread reduces error of communication as it is a way
of correcting the errors of communication, it also helps in clarifying meaning of finished text.
And it removes space of misunderstanding and misinterpretation. It also makes sure that
receiver is not distracted by errors and provide you proper response (Penrod, Tucker and
Hartman, 2017). And proofread makes written communication skills much better than before.
Sometimes minor error in written communication creates a very bad impact on others, as they
start judging on the things which is written by-mistake.
TASK 3
3.1 Own ideas verbally to others with fluency and confidence.
According to me communication is an important tool that helps to pass the information
from one person to other for some specific purpose or goals. As mentioned in above task, that
every written communication has some specific purpose to achieve. For example, Business
written proposal its main purpose is to convince reader to modify changes that makes the
proposal idea into reality (Alberti and Emmons, 2017). Some other example of written
communication is E-mail which is a most common pattern of written communication which
main purpose is to rapid deliver the message to selected recipient. M&S often use of business
letters to exchange messages, to establish business relationship, to make right decisions etc. I
also think that the main purpose of written communication is to create goodwill and get
overcome from misunderstanding.
Non verbal communication is the another vital form of communication to passing
information to other audience. As according to my own idea I agree with the fact that speaker
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should have known about the topic on which they will going to speak in front of the audience.
Although, speaker should have management skills to handle the responses of audience as well.
On the same side, verbal communication also required some amendments to address the
questions of the audience as well (Coghlan, 2019).
3.2 Actively listen to others, responding appropriately.
In order to present my own ideas in front of the audience. I should need to develop my
active listening skill that makes helps me to develop my confidence level. Active listening needs
proper attention which means learner should listen things with all senses. It helps to better
identify the opportunity and growth in front of the making people more comfortable and
effective listening skills and growth (Dunn and Goodnight, 2016). According to my own idea
confidence plays a most important role to measure the best task and opportunity to be more
effectively active and influencing. However, the new business environment to make better
understand the best possible action plan to better convey the process and influencing the best
formulating goals and services. Active listening also required to fulfill the task in an best
possible manner also it requires to make the system more effectively appropriate and challenging
for the listener. On the other hand, listening is somethings that just happened also it is an active
process in which a conscious decision is made to listen to and understand the message of the
speaker. According to my point of view communication is the best ways to formulate the skills
development plan ton be more effectively correct the way in the process of communication
(Ellington and et.al., 2018). There are some skills set should have in the learner like paying
attention, withholding judgment, reflecting, clarifying, summarizing and sharing.
3.3 Questions to confirm understanding.
Questioning to audience is the way to ensure the level of understanding developed during
the process of communication. Besides, it makes the best way more smoother and efficient to get
results more effectively managed. This is necessary to remind the topic to audience for which
questioning is very necessary and important.
Confidence has to be very high when the questions asked by the speaker from the
audiences. Therefore, there must be a right kinds of questions which makes sense. This practice
will help to ensure the understanding among listeners. Also it enable to encourage audience to
take participation meanwhile (Ferschke and et.al., 2015). I can use some rhetorical questions that
helps to use an effective communication process. These questions provide me a way of
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controlling the speech and thoughts of the audience. Some of the examples of this questions are
“Are you kidding me ?”, Can birds fly?, Is the pope catholic, who knows?, etc.,
During the time when business meeting held for the purpose of new launching product I
can raise such questions to make the audience engaging and understanding. The basic intent of
asking question is to ensure the full participation and understanding of the audience.
Questions
Q. How many of you have experienced ?
Q. Do you remember your first ever job interview ?
Q. Would you be excited if ?
Q. How can we contribute more in this meeting ?
Q. What are the new initiatives we could adopt for the objective of this business meeting ?
3.4 Future actions, taking into account own views and those of others.
Clarification of understanding : As per the asked above question to the people who
involved in the business meeting by accepting the future actions and taking into account own
views. It has been clarified that audience are very energetic and influencing towards the purpose
of meeting which is taking company into next step further. All the people were clearly
understand the purpose of business communication that helps M&S to better implement the new
further action plans (Lander, 2015). This has been identified that how much business
communication is helpful for the company. To make the best results and goals. Like when I
asked question to employees that how much they excited for the upcoming launch. So there
reaction was positive and very enthusiastic which makes clear that were fully satisfied with the
meeting and the company as well. Also it helps to make the system more effectively creative and
influencing.
3.5 Summarises with others the main points of the discussion.
Main purpose of the discussion should always be very clear to the audiences. Or for the
speaker they also need to be very confident with the content they will going to present in front of
them. However, to presenting the way of communication is very important which is also called
sophisticated skills which needs to be very perfect for the people who presenting the meeting.
Business communication is the tool to convey the message or more requirements within the
company (Shin and et.al.,2016). Communication can handle so many incorrect things within the
organization. So according to that, it is summaries that from the basis of above information,
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business communication needs full of confidence and mutually agreement with the people who
engaged in the process. Communication needs confidence, understanding skill and most essential
sophisticated skill which makes the communication process more fluent and satisfied (Young,
2017). Such as according to the present business communication which is business meeting
purpose is to launching the a new product.
3.6 Appropriate body language and voice tome throughout the discussion.
During the process of verbal communication learner should have known how he/she can
grab the attention of the audience with their own body language (Stern, 2018). Body language is
a type of nonverbal communication in which physical behaviors as opposed to words or to
defined the use to express or convey the information. This will help to continue the work process
go through from various channels. Body language of the speaker must be positive and attractive
toward the basic information targets. Therefore, they should have known how to convince
audience how to make them satisfied and happy. Besides, there is another reason to understand
body language besides being able to read what another is saying to you subconsciously. Other
than that, body language is a useful tool that can helps to learn to use more information (Stiles
and Horvath, 2017). There are some points which needs to be considered while conducting a
verbal communication session like facial expression must be polite and nice to others, direct eye
contact with the audience, pitch of the voice has according to the audience needs.
TASK 4
4.1 Feedback
From the basis of above feedback results many of the people involved in business
meeting gives the positive outcomes on the new product launch (Wagganer, 2015). So the basic
purpose is to convey this note to across the organization has been achieved. Business
communication purpose is been successfully achieved by the learner.
4.2 Summarise the positive and negative points of the communication.
When there is communication there is two impact also Positive and Negative.
Positive :
Communication is having so much of positive things like it makes things understand
easily because without communication it is not possible to share you ideas, feelings, etc. So I
want to share the positive impact of communication with an example - Mark and Spencer want to
share about their new product to their employees and their customer so they need a way to tell
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this thing and the way is communication without communication it is not possible to share
anything to others. Communication plays vital role for sharing feelings to others and which
makes a great impact on others for example as a learner one has to develop himself so for
developing himself he needs a person or a way of communication which motivates and give him
a path to development and growth. Communication increases value also when one person
communicates in very attractive manner it makes a great impact on others side. So
communication creates great positive impact. I think if you have to get positive impact from
communication you should listen more than you speak. Listening helps in increasing knowledge.
Negative:
Communication creates positive impact so sometime it creates negative impact as well.
After knowing about communication I want to share negative impact of verbal and written
communication. Verbal communication sometimes create negative impact like when a person is
in anger he just start using his anger in bad words which makes a wrong impact on other and
sometime you don't want to hurt others but due to misunderstanding they get hurt so this are
negative impact in verbal communication. In written communication there are problems which
make written communication negative like many times it gets miscommunication to others, so
receiver get different meaning form it and due to some technical jargon it is also not received to
the receiver. I learned that communication should be proper otherwise it creates high negative
impacts.
4.3 Develop a plan to improve own communication skills.
COMMUNICATION
SKILL REQUIRED
KEY ACTION
REQUIRED
OUTCOMES TIMESCALE
Good listener To be a good listener it
is essential to listen
others carefully
because to be a good
speaker I have to be a
I increase my listening
than it will benefit me
in increasing my
knowledge and also
increase my patience
Listening is that thing
which never ends
because you listen
something every day
but when you listen
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COMMUNICATION
SKILL REQUIRED
KEY ACTION
REQUIRED
OUTCOMES TIMESCALE
good listener as well. level and also help in
my speaking ability.
those things which are
beneficial to you will
improve.
Written
communication skills
To improve written
communication skills I
started writing daily,
proofreading and using
fewer words in content
so that receiver will
able to understand
whole content and will
not feel boring.
After improving
written
communication there
are many good
outcomes that I
received like getting
good response from
receiver and the
quality of content also
improved.
Written skills
improved by day to
day writing because
everyday you get new
things to write like
sometimes you write
in email, letters etc.
Familiar I was good in making
relation with others
but as I started doing
communication daily
with other formally or
informally then it
becomes easy for me
to make good
relationship with
others and it helps me
a lot.
As I become familiar
with others I was able
to communicate with
them easily without
any problems. So it
plays a great role in
my communication.
There is not such time
limit in it but as you
become friend with
other in less time will
increase your oral
communication
quickly and more
precisely.
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CONCLUSION
On the basis of above discussion it has been identified that how much communication is
necessary for accomplishing the business objectives. Above study explained the disadvantages
and advantages of written as well as oral communication process. Also assignment briefly
explains the purposes and the required information needed for developing a business
communication process. Also it define how much business objective and purpose should have
need to accomplished by the learner.
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