Internal communication is one cylinder in the motor that drives a happy workforce and a successful venue. Effective communication can be the difference between a prosperous, thriving facility and one with major friction points and many disgruntled, unmotivated employees.
For some companies and industries, entire teams are dedicated to developing and executing successful internal communications. Lucky for you, you don’t have to spend inordinate amounts of money on hiring and training—you just need the right software.
An internal communication system allows you to easily establish clear expectations, assign tasks and deadlines, evaluate performance, and attribute responsibility. This leads to more awareness and better response time, fewer claims, reduced liability, optimal guest experience, and improved operational efficiency.
The Risks of Poor Communication
As stated in the ISO 31000, “failure to manage risks is inherently risking failure.” Every aspect of managing property operations requires an objective and consistent approach to reduce risk, including:
- Consistent communication through visual management and communication channel consolidation
- Consistent documentation through standard streamlined forms and automated on-scene information prompts
A common root cause of risky behavior and detrimental outcomes is simple: no or poor internal communication systems. Some of the symptoms of poor communication in venue management include:
- Liability claims are rising.
- Liability claims are being lost because of poor documentation.
- Employees are unaware of important tasks and alerts.
- Crucial operational information isn’t reliably accessible in a timely manner.
- Employees are disengaged.
The Benefits of an Internal Communication System Software
Internal communications aren’t just about sending out the monthly newsletter or promoting larger company initiatives. These are important, but when it comes to your success, you need a granular approach that addresses day-to-day, moment-to-moment priorities.
Using internal communication system software enables your team to:
- Establish clear expectations. Your employees know their responsibilities, expectations, and formal policies through clear job descriptions.
- Assign tasks and deadlines. Employees understand everyday tasks as well as time-sensitive alerts to address incidents.
- Set up regular check-ins. Ongoing contact between management and staff members is crucial for morale and productivity.
- Encourage feedback. You can make your processes more efficient and safer by engaging directly with staff members to learn where process areas can be optimized.
- Easily attribute responsibility. Knowing who is assigned to which task applies responsibility for both performance measures and potential liability to the appropriate party.
Through the functions of an internal communication system, you benefit from:
Clear Awareness and Better Response Time
Even if your employees are already utilizing an internal communication system and responding to incidents that come through without a full-scale communications system, you can’t resolve the issues you’re unaware of.
A system that utilizes instant messaging provides a way for guests and employees to communicate so that all incidents are communicated promptly and staff members are dispatched efficiently.
Reduced Liability
When you’re able to communicate incidents quickly, your team can respond rapidly, resolve issues, and avoid liability.
However, a reliable internal communication system should also effortlessly facilitate the documentation of every communication that occurs between you, your staff members, and your guests, including:
- Date and time stamps of the conversation threads
- Forwarded occurrences that mark the employee responsible for a resolution
By tracking this information, you have readily accessible documentation to address any liability claims that might arise.
Optimal Guest Experience
It’s your No. 1 priority to create the best possible guest experience so that your guests become loyal to your company and become promoters of your venue or facility.
Fast, clear internal communication makes this possible. When you can resolve a request or provide a solution to an issue before it becomes a problem, your guests will feel seen, heard, appreciated, and safe.
Improved Operational Efficiency
When the delegation of tasks is clear, incidents are communicated quickly, and the staff is aware of how long it should take to resolve an issue from start to finish, you’ll experience an efficient operation that delights your customers, satisfies your employees, and helps your bottom line.
With an internal communication system that tracks information down to the granular level (e.g., how long a task usually takes, how fast a staff member responds, and so forth) you study your information to know where you’re making progress and where you need to improve.
Boost Your Internal Communications with 24/7 Software
Effective communication is a key driver in creating and maintaining a thriving facility that runs efficiently, employs happy employees, and keeps patrons safe. You can’t get there without a well-designed internal communication system. Fortunately, there’s an app for that.
The right internal communication software will provide:
- Consolidated communication inboxes so that text, email, and messaging apps are all managed from a single dashboard
- Visual management with color-coded task and incident status
- Quick messaging to ensure incidents are handled and tasks are assigned and executed efficiently
- Live facility mapping that provides your team with a real-time bird’s-eye view of incident and staff locations across even the largest venues
Ready to take your internal communications to the next level? Request a demo today!
