Simplifying Communications

The movie “Cool Hand Luke” includes the famous line, “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” For today’s businesses, no matter the size, there’s no excuse for failing to communicate because there are so many helpful tools available.

Our shop uses several tools to help us communicate easier and more effectively. These methods are well-tested, readily available, cost-effective and, in my experience, underutilized by machine shops.

One key tool is server-based communications. This software tool enables employees to share calendars and business contacts, project management and e-mail lists. Even though this technology has been around for several years and is widely used, most machine shops I’ve spoken with are either underutilizing this tool or not using it at all.

Server-based communications allows employees on your network to send, store and organize e-mails, maintain a calendar of appointments and activities that co-workers can see, keep a to-do list of projects with due dates and maintain contact lists for quick retrieval. When employees use this technology, a shop can reduce or eliminate paper files and easily see what’s going on within the company, find a phone number, organize a meeting by inviting participants who accept or decline, and see who’s out of the office.

Another benefit is that you can create e-mail distribution lists for mass mailings. Why keep business cards and paper files when you can enter all the information into your lists, make all the necessary notations and save the files permanently?

The most common software product in this category is Microsoft Exchange Server, which is installed on a Windows server. It stores and shares data across your company network. Because it’s nearly impossible to run a business without a server-based network, chances are you’re already running a server with a Microsoft operating system. It’s then a matter of configuring Exchange Server.