Once upon a time, instant messaging was restricted to chat rooms, and you needed special accesses and moderator's approval to enter into the world of chatting. Things are not restricted anymore. Chatting has become the most popular communication among general public and widely used in corporations. You can visualize chat as a telephone call, where the words spoken are in the written form instead of spoken. It can also be looked as an extension to e-mailing where the communication is no longer passive, and information exchange happens instantaneously.
There are pros and cons coming out of business instant messaging—instant messaging in companies. There are numerous good things. Productivity increases immeasurably when communication takes place through an instant messenger. While one can communicate while multi-tasking, the response to the information sought is almost immediate. There is no dedicated time that needs to be spent on communication like with telephones and you don't have to wait for the other party to respond unlike e-mails. It's a win-win from both angles. On the flipside, instant messaging could lead to conflicts. As messages tend to brief, and concentration divided with other activities, the sincerity and an attempt to answer the query does not come out the way it should.
Instant messaging is a key tool in organizations. It must be used the right way to gain maximum benefits, and if things tend to go haywire, consequences are potentially irreversible. In the following section, we explore some best practices to follow to obtain the best results out of this form of communication.
Here are some tips on instant messaging in businesses:
- If you are using a public instant messaging system like Skype, it is advisable to create a new ID that reflects your association with your organization and the screen name with a professional connotation.
- If you are walking away from your desk, be sure to set the status as away. It is annoying to see people as available and not respond. Likewise, if you are busy and do not want to be disturbed, select the appropriate status to set the right expectations.
- Begin an instant messaging conversation with a greeting such as good morning or hi followed by the first name. And, end the conversation by saying goodbye or thanking the other party.
- When you chat with a customer, be courteous and polite. Use phrases such as "how may I help you?", "thank you for sharing your feedback", and "let me consult my manager and get back to you by this evening".
- Do not use slang, for example "LOL" and "BRB". As a general rule, stay away from abbreviations that include EOD and FYI as well.
- Use complete words and sentences, rather than short forms such as come hr, gr8, and welcum bck.
- Instant messaging has a personal touch compared to telephones and e-mails, and for a professional cause, addressing each other in first and second person narration does the trick. For example, "I will check and let you know." or "Can you click on the icon on your desktop?"
- The font and color that is used must reflect corporate culture. I suggest Verdana or Book Antiqua, size 10, 11 or 12, in black.
- Using simple smileys are OK. But, the dancing ones and the ones that displays other emotions is a big no-no.
- Acknowledge every instant message with an ok, or something appropriate. Do not use responses such as ahhh, oh no, and hmmm.
- It is good etiquette to seek permission before you start chatting. Something like "Is it a good time to chat with you for a few minutes?" is absolutely fine.
- When a customer is chatting with you, stop communicating with others. Interchanging messages between windows and paying partial attention can land you in trouble.