Virtual Communication Plan and Presentation

Communication Plan Templatee COMM/470 Version 4

University of Phoenix Material

Communication Plan Template

Part 1

To assist in the completion of the Week 5 Virtual Workplace Communication Plan and Presentation, complete the Virtual Workplace Communication Plan Template.

Virtual Organization Summary (Describe the organization and the negative impacts experienced due to virtual communication.)	Technology in virtual teams enables the completion of work and overcomes many complexities created by time and distance; these technologies still need to be understood as only a communication and collaboration tool and not as communication or collaboration itself. Virtual teams often lack the methods necessary to focus attention to enable them to establish and maintain a shared understanding about the nature of their task. Moreover, even with technologies such as video conferencing, these possibilities may not be as effective as in the case of face to face meetings.
Identify recommended methods of communication to reach external stakeholders (customers) of the business. (Select communication tools and style for communication; synchronous or asynchronous. )	Some communication channels, such as email and cell phones, allow you to be connected to multiple co-workers at once and give you the ability to disseminate information to all in one message. These are important tools when team members are mobile or have non-traditional schedules that prohibit them from interacting face to face with other team members. Thru e-mail, members in organizations can communicate in a detailed manner about daily needs from other team members or updated on the status of projects.
Identify specific customer service challenges experienced as a result of virtual communication failures.	-Biased information- people who tend to hear what they want to hear-selective hearing -Creates relationships between particular individuals that do not exhibit proper communication within the group. Usually leads to favoritism, frustration, or absenteeism. -Written information failure- the improper use of punctuation, use of grammar; illiteracy, too much use of jargon... information is unclear and not accurate,
Recommend steps to prevent further loss of customers or to reduce customer satisfaction.	-It is essential not to depend on exclusively on electronic mails. Managers should acquire how to behave actively in audio conferences, and to bring a sense of balance in e-mail, video and audio meetings, and communications. Planned virtual assemblies are necessary and presence must be obligatory firmly to make sure that all workers contribute
Identify escalation procedures that may enhance customer experience and improve customer relationships.	-treating everyone with fairness because it doesn’t matter whether you like them or not as long as you get the project done -periodically asking everyone for their opinion on how they should do the project; organize the details, where you should research the information, and how you should present the information
Recommend virtual communication tools that should be used to improve relationships between employees and customers.	Emails, video conferencing tools, phone communications and audio meetings.
Identify potential future risks that may arise from the recommended virtual communication tools.	· Poor interpersonal relationships · Less customer satisfaction · Bias ·

Part 2

Write a 350- to 525-word progress response on the communication channels selected, and the potential challenges or obstacles that may result in implementing the desired communication plan.

Since organizations have operations, workforces, and offices in numerous locations located remotely from each other, the use of virtual teams enables the organizations to collaborate on various assignments in an effective manner. Even the decreased fixed office hours of virtual teams has improved the work life of these teams. Furthermore, virtual teams enable organizations to use the expertise of team members located anywhere in the world and allows seamless collaboration between remote workers on particular tasks. One of the major advantages of a virtual team is that it saves the organization money by cutting travel, relocation, and other business costs (Gibson & Cohen, 2003).  Technology in virtual teams enables the completion of work and overcomes many complexities created by time and distance; these technologies still need to be understood as only a communication and collaboration tool and not as communication or collaboration itself (Berry, 2011). According to Nunamaker, Reinig and Briggs virtual teams often lack the methods necessary to focus attention to enable them to establish and maintain a shared understanding about the nature of their task (Nunamaker, Reinig, & Briggs, 2009). Moreover, even with technologies such as video conferencing, these possibilities may not be as effective as in the case of face to face meetings. The differences in time zones, differences in working practices, cultural sensitivity issues and differences in ethnic background, and languages are very common in virtual team settings and make it difficult for the team members to coordinate and collaborate with each other (Cummings, 2011). In virtual teams, the members are typically more diverse than face to face teams but this can result in conflicting expectations in terms of work processes to include language, metrics and behavioral norms (Nunamaker, Reinig and Briggs, 2009). Additionally in virtual teams, it is difficult to build meaningful relationships (Nunamaker, Reinig and Briggs, 2009). The lack of personal, face to face communication makes it difficult to establish strong bonding among virtual team members. Exchanging information is difficult when virtual teams are able to communicate in a less effective manner as compared to face to face teams without trust.

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