Internal Communications Solutions

Why is Effective Internal Communication Important?

A growing number of organizations recognize that effective internal communication can impact the bottom line. Watson Wyatt’s worldwide study quotes:

“Companies with effective internal communications have a 15.7 % higher market value and deliver 29 % higher shareholder return”

The SnapComms internal communication channels have been developed to meet the needs of leading international organizations. By working in partnership with customers, SnapComms has developed an evolving range of internal communications channels to help maximize the effectiveness and value of internal communications. Here’s how:

 

Increase Operational Effectiveness

Reduce Email Overload.
Research shows that it takes 64 seconds for staff to refocus and get back into the work they were doing before an email interruption. Randomly sending out ‘All Staff’ group emails (IT outages, general news and administration, marketing and HR updates etc.) can detrimentally impact staff workloads and stress levels.

It is possible to completely eliminate the need for ‘All Staff’ emails by directing all these messages into an automatically generated Internal Newsletter. Reading the Newsletter consumes 80% less time than reading the equivalent ‘All Staff’ emails. Contributors, who can be staff and communications team alike, can still quickly and easily write their own messages which are then automatically populated into an engaging Newsletter format with centralized editorial controls.

Improve the Penetration, Understanding and Ownership of Key Business Strategy.
It is possible to increase the cut-through, understanding and acceptance of important messages as follows:

Desktop alerts can ensure fast and reliable cut-through of urgent/important business updates.
Screensavers can be turned into sequencing digital signage to raise staff awareness of general business initiatives.

Video messages can be delivered as desktop alerts to increase the visibility of senior managers and to maximize the understanding of business strategy.

Surveys can be pushed onto staff computer screens to measure their understanding of business strategy and to gather feedback.

Maximize the Value of Existing Information Resources (e.g. Intranet). It is possible to leverage the power of existing information sources, such as the intranet, by signposting new or relevant content to specific target audiences. Updates can be pushed out to targeted staff groups as scrolling news feeds, desktop alerts, internal newsletters and/or sequencing screensaver messages.

Embedded hyperlinks serve to direct staff to the specific information sources they require.

Ensure Compliance with Company Regulations and Standards.
Important compliance information can be overtly pushed out to targeted staff groups as desktop alerts or scrolling ticker feeds. The desktop alert and ticker formats can be configured to continue repeating until a staff member has opened, read or acknowledged the full message. Reporting tools allow the administrator to see which messages have not be opened / acknowledged.

NB) All of the SnapComms internal communication channels have click-through capability with full reporting on links followed by each staff member.

Increase Contact Center Productivity.
Contact center staff, who may not have regular email access, can be kept informed in a dynamic yet non-intrusive way via scrolling news feeds on their computer screens. Time spent in team meetings (non call time) can be reduced by providing news and information updates via the news ticker channel or via an electronic staff magazine that aggregates messages from all over the business.

NB) Email is not required to deliver any of the SnapComms channels.

Integrate a Dispersed Workforce. The SnapComms internal communication channels are not limited by geographic location. As long as staff have intermittent internet access and a computer, messages can be easily targeted to a geographically dispersed workforce. The SnapComms channels can help ensure message consistency and give every employee a ‘voice’ regardless of their physical location.

NB) None of the SnapComms channels are limited by geographic location.

Desktop Survey Tool

Increase Staff Retention Levels.
The SnapComms internal communication channels provide an effective means to ‘listen’ to staff, to involve them (an important driver of engagement) and to gather their feedback.

The desktop survey tool is quick and easy to use. Surveys and polls can cover everything from the effectiveness of business operations and processes, to capturing employee’s views and customer perceptions. High participation can be ensured when uncompleted survey recurrence options are enabled.

Online Helpdesks for Employees

 

Online Forums can provide a virtual meeting place where employees can share their ideas, opinions and feedback. SnapComms Plug-and-Play Internal Forum allows staff to post ideas anonymously, which, in some circumstances, can provide a means of finding out what they really think.

 

 

SnapMag can provide an effective medium for advising staff of the actions being taken in response to their feedback. A section in SnapMag titled ‘Acting on Your Feedback’ can contain short features overviewing the measures that are being taken based upon staff feedback. Closing the loop on staff feed back can help build employee commitment and engagement.

 

Measure Operational Effectiveness and Gather Valuable Feedback.
SnapComms pushes staff surveys and opinion polls directly to employee computer screens. The level of persistence for uncompleted surveys can be specified thereby ensuring maximum staff participation.

The desktop survey channel makes it is easy to track the performance of different operational areas within the business. (For example: internal communications effectiveness or the perceived performance of other business units or support services).

Feedback can easily be obtained from staff, and often the ideas and suggestions received can have a dramatic and positive impact on the business.

SnapComms also provide a suite of online forum tools which allow secure discussions to be set up quickly for targeted groups of employees. Discussion forums of this nature can be an excellent way to gauge staff sentiment around specific issues (i.e. qualitative feedback) and to gather business improvement ideas and suggestions.

 

Grow Market Share

Communicate through Corporate Screensavers

Speed up the Time-to-market and Increase the Uptake of New Products.

The Desktop Quiz and Screensaver Messaging channel make it possible to increase staff knowledge and build enthusiasm during new product launches. Screensavers can initially be used to generate excitement and interest prior to the product launch. During the launch, sales teams can be educated using the Desktop Quiz channel as part of the training program. Following the product launch, up-to-the-minute customer feedback regarding the new product(s) can be obtained using the Desktop Survey and Internal Social Media channels. Immediate product and staff support can be provided via the an Interactive Helpdesk.

 

Desktop Quizzes to Test Employees

Increase Sales and Improve Customer Retention.
The Desktop Quiz channel serves to improve and benchmark staff product and process knowledge. Increased employee knowledge is an important aspect in increasing sales effectiveness. It can also improve existing customer service and support capability leading to higher customer retention levels.

Increase Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty Via a More Engaged Workforce
There is little doubt that happy, satisfied employees translate to happy, satisfied customers.
The SnapComms internal communication channels provide an engaging way to raise staff awareness of the benefits of working for an organization. They also serve to promote fun events and initiatives which can help staff feel valued and motivated.

Revitalize the Organization

Implement Change Successfully.
During periods of change, Desktop Surveys provides the means to regularly ‘temperature check’ and measure staff understanding around the need for change. Staff tend to find it easier to accept change when they understand the reasons for the change and have a belief in the need for the change.

Desktop Alert messages can provide immediate (or pre-scheduled) updates to targeted staff groups and be sent to coincide with important announcements. This prevents staff hearing about changes to the business from rumors or outside sources first (which can detrimentally affect engagement levels and limit the ability of staff to respond to customer questions).

SnapComms' Internal Social media allows staff to provide confidential feedback and participate anonymously in discussion groups in order to have their questions heard and answered, which helps to eliminate their fears and misconceptions.

The SnapComms internal communication channels also provide a range of dynamic, interactive visual formats which can be used to create and promote a vision of the future. Once staff begin to focus on and feel part of an organization’s future, new business strategies can be implemented more successfully.

Motivate Employees with Screensaver Messaging

Shift Culture.
If low productivity, out-of-date attitudes and low enthusiasm persist within the work force of an organization, the SnapComms channels can provide the means to broadcast inspirational messages in a highly visible way (for example ‘A New Way to Work’ promoted on sequencing screensaver messages followed up with fun and engaging staff quizzes).

The SnapComms Quiz and Survey channels allow regular measurement and benchmarking in order to ensure that the tactical implementation of a new strategy is on track as well as signaling points at which course adjustments might be necessary.

Scenario based quizzes designed to shift attitudes (e.g. in this situation do you A, B or C?) can be regularly undertaken where desirable prizes can be offered as incentives to drive participation.

Increase Engagement. The SnapComms internal communication channels provide a means to communicate with staff in a dynamic, non intrusive and interactive way. Offices become more vibrant and staff can quickly understand and embrace business strategies and related initiatives.

Fun and engaging initiatives can be undertaken with high rates of participation and the advantages and perks of working for the organization can be promoted to staff.

Staff can become more involved in business decisions and regularly participate in interactive forums and discussion groups. Feedback can be easily gathered and employee engagement is likely to increase due to increased employee involvement.