Business Communications on the Internet

Businesses require timely communications with their employees, suppliers, customers and investors. With the global reach of the Internet, businesses are able to achieve their communications objectives faster and cheaper than ever before. With over two-thirds of the U.S. already connected, and more of the world gradually catching up, businesses are constantly reconfiguring their operations and communications strategies to be Internet-ready.

Employees

• Businesses often use intranets, which are local networks with restricted access, to communicate with their employees on company developments such as new product launches, human resource matters such as reorganizations and layoffs, and to solicit feedback. These intranets, which support standard communications tools like email and social media, also allow employees to communicate with each other.

Suppliers

• Businesses communicate with their suppliers for just-in-time procurement, new product set-ups, or to get feedback on existing products. The Internet tools include email, interactive websites, and more complex enterprise relationship management tools such as Supplier Relationship Management and Supply Chain Management applications.

Customers

• Businesses communicate with their customers on products, marketing and sales. They need to be able to process online payments at their e-stores, and receive feedback and requests for technical support on their products. They use email, social media and customer relationship management applications to achieve their communications objectives.

Investors

• For a publicly listed company, communicating with the investment community is part of doing business. Using email, social media, webcasts, podcasts and interactive websites, a company can communicate financial information to shareholders, provide disclosure documents to regulatory authorities like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and help the investment research professionals analyze their stock.