One of the most critical keys to success for any business, regardless of industry, is being able to manage your communications, both internal and external, in an efficient manner. Otherwise you will quickly find yourself letting things slip through the cracks, which can easily lead to customer dissatisfaction and loss of business. Unfortunately, not everyone is inherently organized. For those folks, we thought we’d offer a few helpful tips on how you can keep things running smoothly and stay on top of all of your office communications.

Minimize – Nowadays, businesses don’t need to house and maintain a ton of equipment for their telecommunications needs. With things like smartphones, apps and virtual phone systems (ahem), you can minimize your communications and streamline everything to become more unified and efficient.

Audit – It’s a good idea to do a quick audit of your communications invoices every once in a while (at least quarterly) to make sure you’re not overloaded with services you don’t need or use. If you find this to be the case, speak with your provider. You may be able to negotiate an agreement that’s a better fit for your needs, and will save you money and eliminate unnecessary clutter.

Meet Virtually – Just because your team is in 10 different places doesn’t mean you can’t connect and collaborate easily. Group calling is an excellent tool for keeping everyone in the loop without having to waste valuable time traveling to be in the same place.

Schedule – One of the biggest wastes of valuable time when it comes to busy business owners is trying to manage email throughout the day. It may seem like a good idea, but it can be incredibly distracting and a huge productivity killer. Instead, schedule a specific time during your day that will be dedicated to reading, responding to and filing away your emails and stick to that schedule.

Leverage Apps – With technological advancements occurring on an almost daily basis, more and more businesses are turning to applications that have been designed to help in just about every area, including communications. Things like GoToMeeting and Google Docs let people connect and share data regardless of their location, significantly streamlining workflow and internal processes.

Embrace Voicemail – Just like email can be a time-killer, answering every phone call that comes in can have you chasing your tail and getting nothing accomplished. As much as you want to be there for your callers, there are times when it’s important to set aside distractions and focus on the task at hand. Let voicemail pick up once in a while – just be sure you record a professional greeting and follow up appropriately.

Text – While it may seem like something that only teenagers are doing, SMS text messaging is actually taking the business world by storm. Leverage this time-saving tool to send notifications, updates, and other information to your customers or your team, instantly and simultaneously.

Staying on top of your business communications doesn’t have to be a chore or a challenge. When you put these simple tips into action, you’ll be able to stay connected to everyone – your colleagues, your team and your customers – without having to sacrifice efficiency.