Council Post: How Retailers Can Implement Intent-Based Communication In Their Companies

Many retailers think they don’t have a communication problem, but for some, there is a lot of room for improvement. Companies that aren’t able to get important information out to the fleet face substantial risks.

Many retailers rely on more than one communication tool to spread information through their company. Different communication channels satisfy different objectives, and when done properly, they’re incredibly effective. Unfortunately, most retailers’ communication channels don’t end up doing the job they were intended to do.

Here are three examples of problematic communication practices and outcomes:

Email overload: Email can be an effective means of communication, but employees can get buried with it. Not only do stores get emails and reminders from headquarters, but also from district managers, regional directors and others. A sole dependency on email can cause major inefficiencies. People might spend most of their time trying to piece together instructions from emails, while others simply check out and stop reading emails altogether. Overall, it’s not always a great tool to track whether tasks were completed.

Chat fatigue: When small groups of people use social network messaging tools to communicate, it can be quite engaging. But as more departments create their own groups, the volume of discussions and threads can become overwhelming. Threads are often filled with opinions and commentary from different stores, thus leading to information overload. This might lead to a lack of accountability because people feel like if they just put something out there, then their job is done.

The intranet no one visits: Intranets have the advantage of hosting daily messages, to-dos and directions. When things change, emails are sent that instruct stores to reference the site, so theoretically, stores have access to all the latest information. However, these sites are difficult to access. Search functions are poor, so people can’t find what they need quickly and efficiently. There’s also no way of knowing whether stores saw the communication, and there’s a lack of functionality on mobile devices.

All three examples illustrate what goes wrong when using one primary communication channel. Because some retailers focus on sending all communications through one avenue, employees become overwhelmed and withdrawn. While each communication method has value, there isn’t a holy grail, one-stop-shop option.

Instead, I believe retailers need to establish intent-based communication channels that relay specific communication types. As the co-founder and CEO of a company that uses software to help retail stores streamline communication, I have a few suggestions for how you can do this on your own:

The Four Categories Of Communication

Not all information is created equal. A chat from a co-worker doesn’t have the same priority as an email from the senior vice president. However, all of these communications can exist together to provide context for everyone. To properly communicate information, classify it into categories. There are four distinct types of communication that happen in retail that your separate channels should prioritize:

Nice-to-know information makes people feel good. It’s not directly actionable, but it is important because it builds brand camaraderie. It could include a letter from the president of a company, congratulatory messages, social media posts or community events. This information is worth communicating, but it isn’t groundbreaking or exactly “mandatory” for employees to read. Portals like SharePoint support this sort of information best.

Need-to-know information is actionable and time-based. This includes tasks that need to be completed, including implementing new signs, changing pamphlets, or creating terms and conditions for a marketing event. This information is mandatory and often associated with a date, like a sale event. In my experience, task managers are the most effective for transmitting need-to-know information, especially since they offer a way of communicating that the tasks have been completed. A number of companies (my own included) offer task management solutions.

Evergreen content is important, but not always immediately actionable. It should be stored and referenced when necessary. This could include employee handbooks, planning calendars and healthcare benefits, among others. File managers like Box best support evergreen content. Having this information stored on a portal works well because it’s fixed content that has a permanent location and is referenceable.

Dialogue, discussion and debate is an opportunity for people to share ideas and brainstorm. This form of communication is more casual and conversational. It is chat-based and encourages employees to contribute their own suggestions to benefit the company. Slack and Yammer are effective for this type of communication.

What Successful Communication Looks Like

Consider establishing channels that support these four types of communication to help eliminate chaos. Start by identifying the pros and cons of each communication method listed above, and decide which works best for each purpose. Then, create expectations for your team about how each type of communication should be used, what it’s for and where to find it.

Once you launch a communication framework, listen to feedback from your team. If they don’t like a communication method or find it difficult to use, that likely means they won’t get the relevant information (because they will simply stop using it). The last thing anyone wants is for a team to avoid using a channel because it isn’t user-friendly. Listen to feedback to update the communication tools and see if there is something that better suits the organization.

Implementing a structured way to communicate offers many benefits. It will help cut through the noise and enable employees to know where they need to go to get the information they need to run their business. The clarity established with intent-based communication means retailers can effectively drive their businesses forward. They’ll no longer have to worry whether a store received direction from above, or whether they executed it. They’ll no longer have to worry about employees wasting their time reading through thousands of emails or long chat threads, looking for relevant information.

Employees will know exactly where to go to get the necessary things done, so brands can thrive.

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