Digital has changed individual industries or departments. But how has it changed communication throughout the business enterprise — both internally to employees, and externally to customers and clients? The fact is, all industries are facing this transformation — the need to communicate effectively to and among employees to meet constantly shifting and increasing needs among a particular client base — all while dealing with a parallel shift to an increasingly mobile workforce.

On The Internal Communications Side

• It is no longer enough to inform employees what’s happening around the office. Instead, they need to be tied-in to the company vision, instantly informed of product changes and updates, and given the opportunity to voice their insights where applicable. That requires a major shift in mindset on the part of the communications teams.
• “Unified Communication” (UC), for instance, has been advancing along with the digital transformation, allowing enterprises toharness the power of video conferencing, webinars, virtual huddles and more. It’s no longer necessary for all employees to be in the same room — they can access one another from wherever they are.
• While the company intranet is still useful for accessing internal documents and announcements, many companies are turning to persistent chat leveraging mobile and messaging apps to reach employees on the go. Text updates can hit them instantly — also relieving the email overload that has come with the digitized world. All in all, this leads to an increasingly agile workforce, and one that is always up-to-date on company issues.

On The Customer-facing Side

• A weekly mailer is not enough. Neither is an automated email message. Today, companies need to have a strategic communications plan that builds loyalty and trust with their customers on an omni-channel level. This includes everything from personalized and targeted email marketing to instant incentives delivered to a customers’ smart phone when they pass by your company’s doors. It also means a strong presence and interaction of social media, instantly addressing customer concerns and doing “damage control” if a disgruntled buyer shares their experience online.
• But while customer experience remains one of the top reasons for the digital shift, digitization is also helping companies save money over traditional communication media like printed brochures and catalogs.

Communication remains one of the most fascinating elements of the digital transformation, as the way in which we desire to communicate with one another—quickly, focused, agile — begins to mirror the communication of a successful business itself. Most of us today want answers, progress, and a clear feeling that we belong.