Solution Manual For
Essential Skills for Business 1e Lee Perlitz
Chapters 1-21
Chapter 1
Answers to knowledge check questions
1. Explain why it is important to establish who is the audience for your workplace
communication.
When communicating in a business environment, the first thing you need to consider is who your
audience is. Your audience will determine the level of formality you use. When passing
information on to a colleague or team leader, you won’t need to be as formal as if you were
addressing the company CEO or a customer. Your audience may include:
colleagues, with whom you might discuss day-to-day issues related to your specific jobs
supervisors or senior managers, with whom you might need to communicate to:
o report on any issues or problems
o receive instructions
o pass on customer complaints
o request authority for something you want to do that may need approval
o discuss reviews, training or any other business-related issues
customers, who might need assistance with or information about products or services
suppliers, to order stock or other necessary supplies or to chase up deliveries.
2. List at least five reasons why workplace communication might take place.
There will be many reasons for communication in a work environment, including to:
gather information that you need to complete a task or project
share information with colleagues or supervisors
provide training
update others on the progress of a work project
research information to meet a specific work need
sell a product or service to customers
lodge a complaint
suggest improvements.
,3. Give at least four examples of how communication needs might vary between
different audiences and purposes.
The sales and marketing department needs information relating to:
o competitor brochures or product information
o results of customer feedback on your products and services
o latest trends and fashions within your company’s industry.
The accounts department needs information about:
o financial reports
o sales figures
o banking records and paperwork
o receipts for sales made
o invoices received
o stocktakes, inventories, and so on.
Customers want to know about:
o the features and benefits of your products or services
o refund policies
o sales and special promotions
o events.
Operations managers will need information about:
o customer orders to be fulfilled
o delivery schedules for incoming and outgoing goods
o the state of the organisation’s inventory, so that supplies can be replenished
o maintenance of equipment or premises.
Company managers will need to know about:
o sales reports
o staff performance
o workplace health and safety (WHS) issues
o legal matters and codes of practice.
Some of this information will be communicated in written form (either on paper or in
electronic format). For example:
o brochures or articles you have found
, o bank statements, receipts and invoices to accounts
o customer order forms and delivery schedules to the operations staff.
Customer feedback, on the other hand, could be passed on verbally, and products and
services would often be sold in a face-to-face encounter.
4. When determining the audience for and the purpose of a communication, you
should ask yourself a range of questions. List three of these.
How quickly or urgently does the information need to be passed on?
Does there need to be a written record of the communication?
What is the audience preference? Do they prefer to discuss issues face to face, or to talk
on the phone, or do they generally like to see things in writing?
5. Briefly describe the following communication methods:
verbal
written
Internet of Things (IoT).
Verbal communication
Verbal communication allows for efficient interaction between people. It enables them to ask and
answer questions, examine a topic and debate an issue, so that they can quickly solve a problem
or make a decision.
Verbal communication, in the traditional sense, means actually speaking with someone. This can
be done in a number of ways:
By face-to-face communication. This occurs when you speak to, for example, a
colleague, supervisor or customer directly.
By telephone. Most larger organisations use landlines for their telecommunication
systems. A number of lines are routed via a switchboard, with calls answered by a
receptionist who then passes them on, or via direct extension numbers. Companies that
use landlines may have FreeCall numbers for customers to call them, such as 13 or 1300
numbers.
By mobile devices and videoconferencing. More and more employees are being offered
flexible work-from-home arrangements. The recent pandemic, COVID-19, has had a
significant impact on such workplace arrangements and it is expected that these will
remain in place for the foreseeable future. This means that devices and laptop computers
that allow users to communicate both verbally and visually are increasingly popular.
, Many organisations now use apps such as Google Meet, Zoom, GoToMeeting and
Microsoft Teams to facilitate remote communication with employees and customers.
Written communication
Written communication, on the other hand, allows you to document a conversation or a process.
This may be important for compliance issues or future audits.
Written documents can also be used as proof of what was said or not said during a dispute. If a
―paper trail‖ is necessary as part of an improvement process or a conflict resolution, then written
communication is the best option. Written communication includes:
Letters. While sending printed letters via the post is less common these days, there are
still cases where a traditional letter is needed—for example, for more formal or official
documentation such as legal matters, reference letters and job offers that require
signatures. These letters can also be sent and signed electronically with programs such as
DocuSign.
Reports. Business reports contain facts and research that help businesses to plan and
make decisions. Reports use headings to organise information and often are based on a
company template.
Emails. One of the most widely used written communication methods, emails allow you
to send attachments such as documents and images. They also provide an excellent
written pathway, as they are date and time stamped, so you can track exactly when an
email was sent or received.
SMS (Short Message Service). Similar to sending an email, text messaging has the added
advantage of being totally mobile. By providing ―on the go‖ access, it enables quick
responses.
Social media. A great deal of business communication today takes place via social media.
It is an excellent way of staying in touch with customers, and of promoting your
organisation and its products to potential consumers.
Intranet. Many organisations have an intranet, where information can be shared
internally. They may also have administration or operational systems that collect
information from data that you enter. This data can then be used to:
o understand and take advantage of any trends in product or service sales that might
be occurring
o control stock or material inventories, allowing the organisation to better manage
and control its finances
o communicate with staff, customers or suppliers in an automated manner, sending
information that is of interest as and when required.
Essential Skills for Business 1e Lee Perlitz
Chapters 1-21
Chapter 1
Answers to knowledge check questions
1. Explain why it is important to establish who is the audience for your workplace
communication.
When communicating in a business environment, the first thing you need to consider is who your
audience is. Your audience will determine the level of formality you use. When passing
information on to a colleague or team leader, you won’t need to be as formal as if you were
addressing the company CEO or a customer. Your audience may include:
colleagues, with whom you might discuss day-to-day issues related to your specific jobs
supervisors or senior managers, with whom you might need to communicate to:
o report on any issues or problems
o receive instructions
o pass on customer complaints
o request authority for something you want to do that may need approval
o discuss reviews, training or any other business-related issues
customers, who might need assistance with or information about products or services
suppliers, to order stock or other necessary supplies or to chase up deliveries.
2. List at least five reasons why workplace communication might take place.
There will be many reasons for communication in a work environment, including to:
gather information that you need to complete a task or project
share information with colleagues or supervisors
provide training
update others on the progress of a work project
research information to meet a specific work need
sell a product or service to customers
lodge a complaint
suggest improvements.
,3. Give at least four examples of how communication needs might vary between
different audiences and purposes.
The sales and marketing department needs information relating to:
o competitor brochures or product information
o results of customer feedback on your products and services
o latest trends and fashions within your company’s industry.
The accounts department needs information about:
o financial reports
o sales figures
o banking records and paperwork
o receipts for sales made
o invoices received
o stocktakes, inventories, and so on.
Customers want to know about:
o the features and benefits of your products or services
o refund policies
o sales and special promotions
o events.
Operations managers will need information about:
o customer orders to be fulfilled
o delivery schedules for incoming and outgoing goods
o the state of the organisation’s inventory, so that supplies can be replenished
o maintenance of equipment or premises.
Company managers will need to know about:
o sales reports
o staff performance
o workplace health and safety (WHS) issues
o legal matters and codes of practice.
Some of this information will be communicated in written form (either on paper or in
electronic format). For example:
o brochures or articles you have found
, o bank statements, receipts and invoices to accounts
o customer order forms and delivery schedules to the operations staff.
Customer feedback, on the other hand, could be passed on verbally, and products and
services would often be sold in a face-to-face encounter.
4. When determining the audience for and the purpose of a communication, you
should ask yourself a range of questions. List three of these.
How quickly or urgently does the information need to be passed on?
Does there need to be a written record of the communication?
What is the audience preference? Do they prefer to discuss issues face to face, or to talk
on the phone, or do they generally like to see things in writing?
5. Briefly describe the following communication methods:
verbal
written
Internet of Things (IoT).
Verbal communication
Verbal communication allows for efficient interaction between people. It enables them to ask and
answer questions, examine a topic and debate an issue, so that they can quickly solve a problem
or make a decision.
Verbal communication, in the traditional sense, means actually speaking with someone. This can
be done in a number of ways:
By face-to-face communication. This occurs when you speak to, for example, a
colleague, supervisor or customer directly.
By telephone. Most larger organisations use landlines for their telecommunication
systems. A number of lines are routed via a switchboard, with calls answered by a
receptionist who then passes them on, or via direct extension numbers. Companies that
use landlines may have FreeCall numbers for customers to call them, such as 13 or 1300
numbers.
By mobile devices and videoconferencing. More and more employees are being offered
flexible work-from-home arrangements. The recent pandemic, COVID-19, has had a
significant impact on such workplace arrangements and it is expected that these will
remain in place for the foreseeable future. This means that devices and laptop computers
that allow users to communicate both verbally and visually are increasingly popular.
, Many organisations now use apps such as Google Meet, Zoom, GoToMeeting and
Microsoft Teams to facilitate remote communication with employees and customers.
Written communication
Written communication, on the other hand, allows you to document a conversation or a process.
This may be important for compliance issues or future audits.
Written documents can also be used as proof of what was said or not said during a dispute. If a
―paper trail‖ is necessary as part of an improvement process or a conflict resolution, then written
communication is the best option. Written communication includes:
Letters. While sending printed letters via the post is less common these days, there are
still cases where a traditional letter is needed—for example, for more formal or official
documentation such as legal matters, reference letters and job offers that require
signatures. These letters can also be sent and signed electronically with programs such as
DocuSign.
Reports. Business reports contain facts and research that help businesses to plan and
make decisions. Reports use headings to organise information and often are based on a
company template.
Emails. One of the most widely used written communication methods, emails allow you
to send attachments such as documents and images. They also provide an excellent
written pathway, as they are date and time stamped, so you can track exactly when an
email was sent or received.
SMS (Short Message Service). Similar to sending an email, text messaging has the added
advantage of being totally mobile. By providing ―on the go‖ access, it enables quick
responses.
Social media. A great deal of business communication today takes place via social media.
It is an excellent way of staying in touch with customers, and of promoting your
organisation and its products to potential consumers.
Intranet. Many organisations have an intranet, where information can be shared
internally. They may also have administration or operational systems that collect
information from data that you enter. This data can then be used to:
o understand and take advantage of any trends in product or service sales that might
be occurring
o control stock or material inventories, allowing the organisation to better manage
and control its finances
o communicate with staff, customers or suppliers in an automated manner, sending
information that is of interest as and when required.
