Google Communication Tools

With Google Communication Tools, you can manage your business more effectively through various online platforms. These enterprise level communication tools are powerful and flexible. They are perfect for large companies to work with clients, prospects, partners and fellow employees on a worldwide scale while allowing teams to communicate seamlessly with the ability to share information anywhere anytime. 

Google communication tools are always an important part of your business communication. But using/using these communication tools in a business context, the email sometimes becomes the center of conflicts and to avoid this issue users need to learn how to manage email effectively. In addition to that, the users also need to keep in mind that they shouldn’t be involved into conflicts when they are communicating through other communication tools such as Google Hangouts, Google Docs, etc. Also, when you have a conflict to solve in a team work it is very important to focus on preventing conflicts rather than dealing with them after they have occurred. To do

Gmail

Gmail is a user-friendly email provider that offers 15 GB of storage space per account. What you might not know is it also allows for collaboration through a delegation option. Delegates can read and send email on your behalf while accessing the account.

To set this up, follow these simple steps:

  1. Click the Settings button (gear icon) and choose
  2. Select the Accounts and Import tab at the top.
  3. Scroll down to Grant access to your account.
  4. Make your selections for the Mark as read and Sender information
  5. Click Add another account, enter the Gmail address for the person you are delegating to, and click Next Step.
  6. Confirm the email address and click Send email to grant access.

You’ll be directed back to your Gmail settings where you’ll see the person’s email address in that section. It will display as Pending until they accept the invitation and will then change to reflect that.

Your delegate has seven days to accept your invitation. Once they do, they will see your account listed beneath theirs with the word Delegated. They simply click that to manage your inbox.

Download: Gmail for Android | iOS (Free)

 Google Sheets

Google Sheets is a spreadsheet app you can use with others simultaneously. Advantages like conditional formatting and built-in spreadsheet formulas save time for you and collaborators. You can even see other people make edits in real time.

To share your spreadsheet, follow these steps:

  1. Click the Share button on the upper right.
  2. Add the email addresses of the people you want to access the spreadsheet.
  3. Click the pencil icon and specify whether people can view the sheet, edit it, or comment on it.
  4. Alternatively, you can use the Get a shareable link option and send the link manually. Choose the viewing and editing permissions when doing so and you can group message or email the link to your team.
  5. Click Done when you finish.

Want to send a notification to a collaborator in the sheet? Just right-click the cell in your sheet and pick Comment. Then type a plus sign followed by the collaborator to send a notification to their email address.

Download: Google Sheets for Android | iOS (Free)

Google Chat

Google Chat is an instant messaging, voice, and video calling system available across many Google products, including Gmail, the Google Talk chat client and the iGoogle customizable Web portal. Use Google Chat when you want to exchange instant messages with another user, or when you want to make free computer-to-computer voice or video calls. If you want to call someone on Google Chat, it is good etiquette to first send an instant message to your contact to ask if he is available to talk live.

Google Slides

Getting ready for a group presentation? Avoid endless phone calls and emails about how to proceed, and collaborate with Google Slides instead. Select an appealing template to save design time and make your words pop with hundreds of font possibilities.

Like Google Docs and Sheets, this collaboration facilitator allows in-the-moment editing by any authorized individual. Simply follow the now-familiar process for granting privileges with the Share button on the upper right of the window.

Download: Google Slides for Android | iOS (Free)

Google Voice

Google Voice gives you a free telephone number that routes through your computer. You can also set it up to forward to any other telephone number. Voicemail, call waiting, call screening, voicemail transcription and SMS text messaging are some of its prominent features. Use Google Voice as you would a regular telephone number. It is best used when real-time communication is important to either party.

 Google Hangouts (Chat)

Google Hangouts, to be renamed Google Chat, is a messaging app. Use it to talk to one person at a time through text or up to 150 individuals.

You can also launch a video chat with as many as 10 people. Start a new conversation by clicking the plus sign. Then, add people by name, email address, or phone number. Finally, choose whether you want a message-based conversation, phone call, or video call.

Let more people join by clicking the person icon and clicking the Invite People icon on the top. Then, follow the same process you initially did when creating the chat.

Download: Google Hangouts for Android | iOS (Free)

Google+

Google+ is a social network that lets users place their contacts into “circles.” A circle is a group of people you can label, such as “Business Contacts,” “College Buddies,” “Acquaintances” and anything else you can think of. Google+ lets you post written thoughts, links, images and videos. You can share your posts with the whole world, or you can designate which specific circles or individuals can see each of your posts. Google+ is the most appropriate Google communications tool for sharing things with customized networks of people. The simplest way to think of Google+ is as a blend of blogging and highly flexible group emailing.

Basic Communication Tools

A wide variety of communication tools are used for external and internal communication.  These tools include mail, email, telephones, cell phones, smartphones, computers, video and web conferencing tools, social networking, as well as online collaboration and productivity platforms.  We begin with some basic communication tools and then discuss computers.

Mail

Even with all the modern methods of communication, regular postal mail is still a powerful tool for a business. It adds a personal touch, and is often used for delivering secure documents and contracts and for delivering purchased items to customers. A convenient way to handle mail from your own home or office is through a usps.com or Stamps.com account (in the U.S.), which allows you to print postage from your own computer. If you are sending mail internationally, there are a number of carriers available. Be sure to learn which carriers are most reliable in each region where you conduct business. You can compare costs to get the best combination of price, delivery date, and tracking options.

Telephones

The cornerstone of your business communication, both external and internal, may be your telephone. There are many types of telephones, and only you can decide which type is right for you. Even the standard telephone (landline) that is installed in your office has many options. While you may have a telephone already, you should start with at least one line that is unique to your business. This line should have the capability to take messages in case it is not answered personally. Here are some telephone tips:

  • It is important to treat the telephone as a business tool. Answer your phone in a timely manner (within three rings if you can). Always identify yourself when answering. Record a voicemail message that identifies the number, provides brief information about your business, and indicates when you will return the call. Then continually check your voicemail to return calls promptly.
  • Have a separate line for your business phone and your personal phone. Don’t have family members pick up or use the business phone. Get any required extra telephone lines installed before you start.
  • When leaving phone messages, clearly state your company’s name and phone number at the beginning and the end of the message.
  • Be polite in cell phone use! Good business courtesy includes avoiding being interrupted by telephone calls, texts, or email when in a meeting or during a business lunch.

Cell Phones/Mobile Phones

The cell phone, also called a mobile phone, is used for mobile communications. There are numerous carriers/providers and plans. Many carriers have plans tailored for small businesses including options that bundle popular features and usage patterns making them very cost effective. Be sure to ask questions about your specific needs before selecting a carrier and a plan. Understand the duration and terms of your agreement. Many can be two years or more.  Consider what type of communication you will use most for your business – conversations over the phone, texting, or data. Investigate plans that have unlimited access in your key area to compare pricing.

When your usage or needs change, do not hesitate to request information on plans that more closely meet your new set of requirements. But be aware there are hefty fees for canceling early.

Conclusion

  You can communicate efficiently with your Google tools from anywhere because they’re always with you, letting you be where the action is, whenever it happens. Your Gmail messages can be read instantly on any smartphone. Meetings can keep going even when you’re offline. Collaboration becomes easier as you share pictures and video footage, and work together to make decisions.

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