Business Communication – Case – Technology is the means by which an organization converts

CASE STUDY

Technology is the means by which an organization converts its inputs into outputs. Technology includes tools, machinery, equipment, work procedures and employee knowledge and skills. In the present competitive world , technological breakthroughs can dramatically influence an organization”s service markets,suppliers,distributors,competitors,customers,manufacturing processes, marketing practices and competitive position.

In the past few decades, for example ,optic fibres have facilitated communications, robots have changed the face of manufacturing completely, computers have facilitates the processing of enormous amounts of informations, digitalization has enhanced sound and image delivery and lasers have replaced scalpels in various surgical procedures. Technological advances can open up new markets, result in a proliferation of new and improved products, change the relative cost position in an industry and render existing products and services obsolete. Technological advancements can create new competitive advantages that are more powerful than the existing ones. Technology has halped Dell to survive and flourish in a competitive market without having to bother about inventories. The banking industry has been able to replace thousands of tellers with ATM machines and online banking systems .Organizations with outdated technology are either shown the door or decimated quickly .many steel firms all over the globe were driven into bankruptcy because they were slow to adopt an important new process technology called the electric arch furnace. For example ,in the multibillion –dollar global disposable diaper industry, absorbency technology shifted from ‘fiuff pulp’ (a paperbased product) to absorbent chemicals .This technological change was important because the absorbent chemicals could absorb more then fluff pulp and do so while making the diaper hinne45tr.procter &Gamble ,maker of Pampers ,almost lost its dominant position in the US marketplace because it did’n keep up with the new absorbency technology that emerged in Japan!(J.Lawrence ,P&G losing ground in product Innovation ‘,Advertising Age ,64 ,no .48,1993)Furthermore, technological change in the recent times has become increasingly diverse and complex .Its pace is stepping up, making the executives more and more concerned with the adequacy of organization structure(and new forms of organization )to meet and match the needs .New technology will affect organisations in ways we cannot yet predict. It is not entirely without reason that mass customization is gaining popularity among leading firms too. You can now buy clothes cut to your proportions ,supplement with the exact blend of the vitamins and minerals you like, CDs whit the music tracks you choose and textbooks whose chapters are picked out by your professor. Companies are able to make these bold moves because they are able to organize around a dynamic network of relatively independent operating units. The internet and the World Wide web are changing the way companies and individuals communicate, market ,buy and distribute faster than organizations can respond. At walmart,  the electronic cash register indicates the goods sold; their prices and the inventory on hand .If the system recognizes that a store is Low on Tide detergent for example ,an order is sent to the nearest distribution centre to send more Tide to that store. If the distribution Centre reports shortage of Tide, the system automatically generates Centre to send be placed with P & G for additional supply of Tide. Other retailers and even grocery stores, nowadays use scanners linked to computers that provide instant inventory information.

 

Answer the following question.

Q1. What is the use of technology in modern times? Explain.

Q2. What happens to the company who do not go hand in hand with changes in technology?

 

 

CASE STUDY

Channels needed to be quick, and easy to use. Measuring the effectiveness of the channels was also important. Ensure important Internal Communications achieved cut through in a climate of overload. In order to keep employees informed and operationally effective, TVNZ was looking for engaging ways to repeat important messages in order to ensure message cut through was achieved. Reduce email overload. Prior to the use of the Snap Comms Internal Communications channels, an average of 25 ‘mass email updates’ were being sent separately to staff each week. The interruption caused by these messages arriving separately was impacting productivity and causing email overload.

Answer the following question.

Q1. Give an overview of the case.

Q2. Why the reduction in email overload was necessary? Explain

 

 

CASE STUDY

Employees were very positive about the Snap Comms employee communications tools and the pilot process in general. The pilot team set up an escalation process for employees to leave feedback. “We did not receive one single negative comment about Snap Comms, the offline time or anything to do with this pilot or process.” A survey was also conducted with staff in the pilot group to assess their satisfaction with each of the Snap Comms tools. The results were very encouraging and endorsed the positive feedback that the Internal Communications team had received during the course of the pilot. Standard metrics that were collated for AHT, such as problem resolution, customer satisfaction and commissions were broken down so that results for the pilot and control groups could be separately identified. Improvements in resolution rates were made following the pilot. In terms of commissionable sales, the GenY pilot group performed better than the control group and their GenX and Baby Boomer counterparts, and suffered more when the offline time was withdrawn. Following were the key benefits of Snap Comms channels • Messages delivered fast and read promptly by employees • Easier for employees to access critical or time sensitive information • Comprehensive, robust reporting and measurement • Reduced volume of content sent due to content filtering and aggregation • Visual, fun and eye catching ways to send information • Reinforced employee learning

Answer the following question.

Q1. What was the impact SnapComms on business KPIs? Comment.

Q2. What was the employee response to the SnapComms? Discuss.

 

 

CASE STUDY

Staff immediately see relevant Information As an alternative to internal email, in June 2012 the IT team switched to using the Snap Comms’ Scrolling Desktop Tickers for unplanned System outage notification. The IT Desktop Manager says that the key benefit of the desktop tickers is visibility on these unplanned outages. The tickers enable staff to see immediately if the information is relevant to them. Fast, effective system outage notifications Although the nature of unplanned outages means that the processes in place are reactive, outage notification templates have been created in the Snap Comms message manager for a variety of different types of system outage notification. The templates are copied and updated for each incident meaning they are quick and easy to

deploy when the team is under pressure — The Desktop Manager says that putting out a scrolling desktop ticker is “quicker than writing an email.” Targeted system outage notifications In situations where the outage relates to just one system or location, the scrolling desktop tickers are easily customized and sent to just that specific group of users. The facility to target dedicated machines as well as user accounts enables the IT team to convey information to employees in a particular location and to those without an email account. Message Reporting There is an extensive reporting facility within the Snap Comms messaging software which the organization actively uses. On a monthly basis they run reports looking at the number of messages issued and read. Similarly, when a director says they were not aware of an outage, the team is able to run a report and show them who saw the notification.

 

Answer the following question.

Q1. What are the benefits of SnapComms’ Scrolling Desktop Tickers? Debate.

Q2. Give an overview of the case.