Technology has changed the way we communicate so much that when we look back, we can easily distinguish traditional ways and modern ways. This means that we can classify media, public relations, and marketing into traditional and modern forms. Modern media is more digital including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Modern Public Relations include social media. And, Modern Marketing includes retargeting ads and email marketing campaigns. We are so used to technology for communication that we can hardly remember the last time we handwrote a letter. Maybe some of you never had to write one, since you started directly with emails.
Modern Technology Revolutionized Communication
We can’t really start our discussion without including the Internet. And, how can we, when it has revolutionized the way we communicate? It is the very foundation of our modern communication. Now we don’t have to worry about the time or location of the people we want to connect with. The Internet has provided us with the means to stay in touch with them.
Now we can communicate easily and quickly using technology. We have social media that allows us to express ourselves and reach out to a wider audience. This has forever changed the way we communicate.
Modern Technology in Different Areas of Life
It will be difficult for us to survive if we can’t communicate. This highlights how communication plays an important role in our lives. Let’s look closely at how technology has changed the way we communicate in different areas of life.
Career
You can plan your career using technology. By contacting your supervisors and letting them know your career goals. You can have discussions about better career options and how to achieve them. The supervisors have the knowledge and experience. They can help you make the right decisions for your career. Without technology contacting them would be difficult.
Friendships and Relationships
Technology allows people to communicate with their friends and loved ones and build good relations. Studies have shown that most of the people in public places are the ones who use technology more. This indicates that through digital interactions, these people decide to meet each other in person.
Fun and Recreation
There are advancements in technology that have changed the way we look at fun and recreation. People with similar interests meet online and plan recreational activities. If you are someone who is into extreme sports, but couldn’t find a company around, don’t worry. Using technology, you can easily join a club or meet people who do extreme sports.
Impact of Modern Technology on Communication
There has been a significant impact on our communication since we added technology to it. We have experienced changes in the way businesses communicate with their customers. We will be looking at these changes in detail to understand the impact of modern technology.
Marketing
Starting with marketing, isn’t this the most important factor that decides the success of the brand? Now with technology, businesses can easily manage their online reputation. They can provide excellent services to their customers. They can gather customer feedback and gain insights. This will help them to improve their products and services.
Technology helps you to collect data that can be analyzed to make better business decisions. Wouldn’t you want to know which of your products or services are bestsellers and why? Also, know which of your products or services aren’t doing well, and how can they be improved? You can improve your communication and relationship with your customers with the use of technology.
Customer Service
Customers have various concerns, and they expect the brands to resolve them as soon as possible. Technology provides brands with a means to communicate with their customers efficiently. We have software for calling that helps the business with inbound and outbound calls. The customers can simply dial the number and in no time they will be connected to the representative who will help them with their query.
We also have customer relationship management software that provides the facility of handling chats and emails. The chat system offers multiple features such as bots and FAQs. The customers can simply go through FAQs in the chat section. If in case they do not find an answer to their question, they can chat with a bot. If queries are complicated, the bot connects the customer to the agent who solves their concern.
Businesses can handle customer emails by converting them into tickets. This is a very efficient way of handling emails. The software allows brands to track the emails and follow up easily by classifying them into different types. When emails are classified based on the current status, it makes following up easier and helps to resolve them on time.
Self Service
Are you someone who prefers minimum human interactions? There’s good news for you. Technology has made communication simpler by providing self-service. You can simply use software to try the products. This is good news for brands as well. They can let customers use the self-service feature and decide what’s best for them and in the meantime, they can focus on acquiring potential customers.
By using technology, brands are simplifying the shopping experiences of their customers. They are providing them with convenience and answering their queries on priority. Once the customer knows they can trust the brand with their money to get quality products and services, they keep coming back and referring to others. This is exactly what technology helps the brand to achieve.
Here are a few benefits of modern communication technology:
- Communication has become more efficient, faster, and easily accessible.
- It has made communication much cheaper.
- Communication on a global scale is now possible.
- It has also allowed communication to be integrated with almost every other industry.
- Social media platforms have become the new frontier for information and entertainment.
- It has improved emergency response and communication.
- Technology allows us to contact each other instantly and in real-time.
How has technology changed communication?
Technology has ramped up communications. It has opened doors for many new types of communication methods and made modern communication an integral part of our daily lives. Prior to technology, we were restricted in how we communicated. However, today, information and communication technology is a global industrial sector with huge prospects.
Communication is integral to our society, from war to healthcare. Even in a personal capacity, it plays a huge role. So let us find out how technology actually changed communication:
Traditional Media vs Modern Media
With the rapid rate of development, traditional media has taken a backseat as more and more people have started relying on modern modes of communication to get their fill of information and entertainment. Although the broadcast and print media are still widely regarded as trustworthy, they do have to compete with amateurish writers and so-called journalists for readership.
Traditional Marketing vs Digital Marketing
Communication technology has also revolutionized the advertising and marketing industries. Today, social media campaigns, email lead generation, and native advertising have started making waves as companies can no longer rely on traditional media to generate revenue. Instagram and similar influencers are sought after, and companies run ads on YouTube as they deem it more profitable and visible.
Digital Public Relations
An organization’s PR department has its work cut out for them. It is often challenging, but things like social media have only made it much harder. However, at the same time, it has given them an opportunity to widen their reach and accessibility. Today, most high-ranking professionals in a company actively communicate with their stakeholders.
Myriad of Devices used
With the development of technology, the number of devices available and that we can use has certainly gone up exponentially. Smartphones have become the norm, and almost everyone has one. Due to its impact, the number of internet users has gone up, as almost 5 billion people use the web. These devices and their easy availability have made things much easier in both professional and private aspects.
Types of Communication Technology
The following table compares the various types of communication technologies and their pros and cons.
| Technology | Description | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voice Calling | Bidirectional voice communication in real-time. | Reliable; it has been in use for a much longer period of time. | Can be affected by network coverage and service costs |
| Unidirectional electronic mailing service | Fast, mostly used in a professional setting | Risk of spam and other cyber threats | |
| Instant Messaging | Real-time text-based communication | Quick and easy | Has potential for abuse |
| Video Calling | Can see the person who is calling | Virtual interaction | Heavy data usage |
| Social Media | A platform for mass communication and multimedia sharing | A wider community-based reach spreads information quickly | Can cause mental health issues and can be abused. |
| Television | Audio-video-based mass communication and broadcasting service | A popular choice for mass communication and entertainment | No interaction |
| Radio | Only audio, mass communication, and broadcasting | Can facilitate information for a large group of people in real-time | No interaction |
Future of Communication Technology
Communication technology is inseparable from society, and going forward, it is only going to become much more important. The future of communication is bright. With prospects such as AI, VR, AR, and the metaverse on the horizon, we certainly live in exciting times.
But what is it that we should look forward to? Well, there have been various trends and predictions when it comes to communication technology, but we suppose only these three should matter:
1. The rise of in-app messaging
Yes, we know this is not a new thing, as many apps already offer in-app messaging. However, it is what the future of communication is supposed to look like. There are many apps that offer some sort of chat or communication service, be they games, social media platforms, or IM service providers. We believe that going forward, instant messaging will become the most popular source of communication.
2. Make way for the virtual reality
When Facebook first became Meta, and Mark Zuckerberg bet everything on the success of the so-called metaverse, I’ll be honest, I was not only skeptical but even considered VR some sort of gimmick. But reality has proven me wrong. Although we are not quite there yet, with the recent developments in AI and everything else, chances are soon we might be communicating in a virtual setting.
3. Human-Like AI
Now, this one is not directly related to communication, but it surely will impact it nonetheless. We, as a society, both fear and favor artificial intelligence. And while our opinions might be divided on the subject, the necessary development is already underway. As shown by OpenAI and their ChatGPT, AI has become much smarter with the integration of features such as NLP and machine learning.
Conclusion of the Modern Technology and Communication Discussion
We are already impressed by the features that technology is offering us for communication. But, do you think this is all we could do? If you think anything like this, then you are wrong.
Let me tell you why. Technology will never stop evolving, and over time it will only move in the forward direction. Just imagine, if we continue to advance at this pace. We will develop new technologies that our past generations had never imagined. And, in the process, change the way we communicate for the better.