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2.3: Selecting Appropriate Channels
Learning Objectives
5. Apply appropriate planning strategies to communicate purpose and message effectively (ENL1004 Course Learning Requirement 1.1).
6. Distinguish between communication channels to determine which is most appropriate for particular situations.
This chapter has so far mostly discussed messages sent via email because email is the most common channel for written business messages. However, many professionals make the mistake of sending an email when another channel (e.g., a verbal rather than a written one) would be more appropriate for the situation and the audience. If you had to deal with inappropriate behaviour in the workplace, for instance, the right thing to do is discuss it in person with all involved because conflict resolution requires social intelligence informed by all the verbal and nonverbal information you can gather from them. You could follow up with an email summarizing a remedial action plan reached through constructive dialogue just so the details are set down in writing for future reference, but you should never deal with a serious situation by email alone when more information-rich channels are available.
Figure 2.3a: Anyone with a smartphone has many channels to choose to communicate through. Source: OpenAI (2025)
Addressing sensitive situations exclusively by email (or, even worse, by text message) tends to intensify conflict. Stripped of the richness of in-person verbal and nonverbal information, email or instant messaging can’t possibly address the emotional complexity of a tense situation, even with the variety of symbolic nonverbal expression afforded by emojis. It’s helpful to know whether the person you’re dealing with is genuinely crying IRL (in real life), for instance, or is just using 😭(the “loudly crying face” emoji) for dramatic effect in an electronic message. The time lag between responses can also result in both costly delays and escalation. Tensions and stress can build when people have the time to read too much into ambiguous and vague emails, texts, or instant messages about sensitive topics, as well as the time to misinterpret their tone and write angry or passive-aggressive messages in return (Pattemore, 2022; Lin & Lachman, 2021). Recognizing that electronic messaging is only one type of channel in a spectrum of other options surrounding the modern professional and that a more efficient or appropriate channel may suit certain situations better than what you reach for out of habit, you can avoid channels inappropriate for those occasions however comfortable they may be for you.
Figure 2.3b: Professionals can choose from among more communication channels than ever before. Source: OpenAI (2025)
Between traditional and rapid electronic media, we have more options for communication channels than ever before in human history. Each has its own unique advantages and disadvantages that make it appropriate or inappropriate for specific situations. Knowing those pros and cons, summarized in Table 2.3 below for a dozen of the most common verbal and written channels available, is necessary for being an effective communicator in the modern workplace. Choosing channels wisely can mean the difference between a message that is received and understood as intended (the goal of communication) and one that is lost in the noise or misunderstood in costly ways.
Table 2.3: The Spectrum of Common Workplace Communication Channels
Visually communicate with nonverbal expressions to complement your words
Add the human element in discussing sensitive or confidential topics that need to be worked out through dialogue
Channel: Email
Advantages
Disadvantages
Expectations
Appropriate Use
Delivers messages instantly anywhere in the world to anyone with an internet connection and email address you have
Sends to one or many people at once, including secondary audiences CC’d (“carbon copied”) or BCC’d (“blind carbon copied”)
Allows you to attach documents up to several megabytes in size or links to any open internet webpages
Allows for a back-and-forth thread on the topic under the subject line
Archives written correspondence for review even decades later
Can be used on any mobile device with an internet connection
Is free (beyond your subscription fees to an internet provider)
Is semi-permanent in that emails exist somewhere on a server even if deleted by both sender and receiver
Gives the illusion of privacy: messages can be forwarded to anyone, monitored (e.g., by your company or an outside security agency), retrieved by law enforcement agencies with a warrant, or hacked even if both you and the receiver delete them
Can be slow when used for back-and-forth dialogue
Tone may be misread (e.g., jokes misunderstood) due to the absence of nonverbal cues
May be sent automatically to the recipient’s spam folder or otherwise overlooked or deleted without being read given the volume of emails some people get in a day
Subject to errors such as hitting “Send” prematurely or replying to all when only the sender should be replied to
Subject to limits on document attachment size
Subject to spam (unsolicited emails) or phishing attacks (scams that activate when you’re tricked into clicking on an email message link that downloads malware to your computer)
Regretted emails can’t be taken back or edited
Requires a working internet connection on a computing device, which isn’t available everywhere in the world
Reply within 24 hours or sooner if company policy requires it
Follow conventions for writing a clear subject line; salutation; message opening, body, and closing; closing salutation, and e-signature
Netiquette: be as kind as you should be in person; don’t write emails angrily (flaming)
Edit to ensure coverage of the subject indicated in the subject line with no more or less information than the recipient needs to do their job
Proofread to ensure correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling because errors compromise your credibility
Avoid confusion due to vagueness that requires the recipient to respond with a request for clarification
Use generative AI to assist with meeting the above expectations if you are not well practiced in meeting them otherwise
Quickly deliver a message that doesn’t require an immediate response
Send messages and receive responses in writing for future review (lay down a “paper trail”)
Use when confidentiality isn’t a top priority
Send electronic documents as attachments
Send the same message to several people at once, including perhaps people whose email address you need to hide from the others (using BCC) to respect their confidentiality
Channel: Text and instant/direct message (IM/DM)
Advantages
Disadvantages
Expectations
Appropriate Use
Enables the rapid exchange of concise written messages
Can be done quietly so as to not be overheard
Inexpensive
Autocomplete and autocorrect features help achieve efficiencies in typing speed and spelling
Nonverbal characters such as emojis can clarify tone and complexity of feeling
Plenty of instant message applications are available, such as Snapchat, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger
Often used to avoid human contact when telephone or in-person communication is available and more appropriate
Encourages informality with lazy abbreviations, acronyms, poor grammar, and lack of punctuation
Can be more time-consuming to compose messages with only two thumbs (despite efficiencies gained with the autocomplete feature) compared to typing with 10 fingers on a tactile computer keyboard
Can be misinterpreted for tone when used to communicate complex ideas
May undermine your credibility in certain situations if you use emojis as nonverbals to clarify tone
Gives the illusion of privacy: texts exist on servers and can thus be retrieved by third parties even if deleted by both sender and receiver
Tempts users with poor impulse control to text recklessly while driving or walking, or rudely in front of people interacting with them in person
Respond immediately or as soon as possible, since the choice to text or IM/DM is usually for rapid exchange of information
Be patient if the recipient doesn’t respond immediately; they may be busy with real-life tasks
Proofread when used for professional purposes as confusion due to writing errors can be costly when acted upon immediately
Use only when safe to do so; never text while driving because the distraction turns your vehicle into a lethal weapon; avoid texting while walking because your inattention to your surroundings makes you an annoyance to other pedestrians and look like a slave to technology
Use for exchanging short messages quickly with someone physically distant
Get an information exchange in writing for reference later
Use when confidentiality isn’t a top priority
Use only when relatively alone and not operating machinery—i.e., when you aren’t required to pay attention to the people around you, your surroundings, or a complex and/or potentially dangerous task
Channel: Microblog (e.g., tweet or X post)
Advantages
Disadvantages
Expectations
Appropriate Use
Enables users to reach a large audience for marketing using hashtags for categorizing posts and by developing a following of other smartphone users
Enables users to rapidly broadcast real-time news, information (including images and videos), ideas, and updates
Enables users to rapidly send and reply to direct messages (like texting and IMing)
Encourages conciseness with a 280-character limit (previously 140 before 2018) on X posts (formerly tweets) or 300 on Bluesky posts
Able to link people to webpages for more information
Suffers from many of the same disadvantages as texting or IM/DMing (see above)
Forces conciseness with character limits, making it inappropriate to communicate complex ideas or extensive information
Renders users vulnerable to misinformation, disinformation, and information overload
Makes users susceptible to cyberbullying, harassment, scams, and cybersecurity breaches (hacks)
Ineffective for converting followers into customers or clients
Strike a balance in posting frequency—not too seldom, not too often—when using microblogging for business purposes
Be concise but also clear and grammatically correct
Maximize potential by using hashtags and links to usher users towards further information
Post company promotional photos to reach younger demographics
Channel: Article, essay, or blog
Advantages
Disadvantages
Expectations
Appropriate Use
Gives writers the room to express complex ideas and develop arguments about any topic at length
Enables writers to reach a potentially large online audience as a blog or article published in an online media outlet
Can spark dialogue if a comments section is enabled below if posted online
Tend to be monologues without the possibility of feedback
Requires advanced writing abilities
Repels audiences with short attention spans who avoid lengthy text
Repels audiences who are wary of blogs because they are a genre overpopulated by people’s ill-formed opinions
Organize with a clear topic thesis supported by a logical flow of convincing arguments built around credible evidence
Edit and proofread to ensure correctness, conciseness, and reader-friendly flow; use AI to help with this if necessary
Enable comments for feedback and dialogue
Articulate thoughts on topics that require lengthy development
Channel: Letter
Advantages
Disadvantages
Expectations
Appropriate Use
Shows respect through formality and effort
Ensures confidentiality when sealed in an envelope and delivered to the recipient’s physical address by a reputable carrier (it is illegal to open someone else’s mail)
Can introduce other physical documents (enclosures)
Slow to arrive at the recipient’s address depending on how far away it is from the sender
Can be intercepted or tampered with in transit (albeit illegally)
May be overlooked as junk mail
Time consuming to print, sign, seal, and send for delivery
Mail postage is more costly than email
Follow conventions for different types of letters (e.g., block for company letters, modified block for personal letters) and providing the sender’s and recipient’s address, date, recipient salutation, closing salutation, and author’s signature
Use company letterhead template when writing on behalf of your organization
Provide a formal, permanent, confidential written message to a single important person or organization
Use for job applications (cover letter), persuasive messages (e.g., fundraising campaigns), bad-news messages, matters with possible legal implications (e.g., claims), and responses to letters
Use for non-urgent matters that require some confidentiality
Channel: Memo
Advantages
Disadvantages
Expectations
Appropriate Use
Provides a written record of group decisions, announcements, policies, and procedures within an organization
Can also be a format for delivering small reports (e.g., conference report) and recording negotiating terms in agreements between organizations (e.g., memorandum of understanding)
Can be posted on a physical bulletin board and/or emailed
Requires a good archiving system to make memos easily accessible for those (especially new employees) needing to review a record of company policies, procedures, etc.
Use template with company letterhead
Follow the same conventions as email, except omit the opening and closing salutations and e-signature
Use for a written record of decisions, announcements, policies, procedures, and small reports shared within an organization
Post a printed version on an office bulletin board and email to all involved
Channel: Report / presentation
Advantages
Disadvantages
Expectations
Appropriate Use
Allows the presentation of a high volume of information presenting research and analysis
Can take various forms, such as a document booklet or proposal for reading alone, or a slide deck (made with software such as MS PowerPoint, Canva, or Google Slides) for presenting
Can be time-consuming to write with proper research documentation and visual content, as well as to prepare for presentation, depending on the length
Can be time-consuming for the busy professional to read or an audience to pay attention to, depending on the length
Can be boring if not written or designed to engage the audience
Follow conventions for organizing information according to the size of the report (or length of presentation), audience, and purpose
Augment with visuals
Engage audiences with effective oral delivery (for presentations) and visual appeal
Provide thorough business intelligence on topics important to an organization’s operation
Appeal to internal or external audiences
Persuade audiences with convincing, well-developed arguments (e.g., proposal reports or marketing pitches)
Channel: Fax
Advantages
Disadvantages
Expectations
Appropriate Use
Fast delivery of letters and forms
Enables authorization through the use of company letterhead
Limited to 8.5×11-inch formats
Can be expensive with the purchase of fax machines, paper rolls that need regular replacing, and possibly long-distance phone charges
Used by only a few remaining industries since being adopted in the 1980s and ’90s
Keep it short
Use only if required in an industry that still relies on fax
Integrate with modern communications technologies to improve document flow
Use when confidentiality is critical
Use for sending forms, requisitions, work orders, and letters in industries that still use fax, such as healthcare, legal services, government, law enforcement, finance, banking, real estate, and insurance (Modern Diplomacy, 2025)
Channel: Phone, VoIP, voicemail, and conference call
Advantages
Disadvantages
Expectations
Appropriate Use
Enables audio-only dialogue between speakers anywhere in the world
Enables conversation across distantly separated people, saving time compared with written dialogue by email or text
Can send one-way voicemail messages or leave them when the recipient isn’t available
Can be conducted cheaply over the internet (with Voice over Internet Protocol [VoIP]) and easily on smartphones
Enables group meetings with distantly separated participants if phones are equipped for conference calls among multiple users
Makes dialogue somewhat difficult in the absence of nonverbal visual cues
Can be frustrating if the receiver of a call doesn’t pick up the phone and “phone tag” ensues, so the timing must be right on both ends
May be complicated by time-zone differences and additional expenses when calling long-distance if VoIP isn’t available
Fails to record the content of information exchanges unless special recording or transcribing equipment is used
Follow conventions for initiating, conducting, and ending audio-only conversation
Strike a balance between brevity and providing a thorough description of the reason for the call and your contact information when recording a voicemail or voice memo
Record a professional call-back message cuing callers to leave a voicemail when you are not available to take a call
Respond to voicemail as soon as possible since you were called with the hope that you would be available to talk immediately
Be careful with confidential information over the phone, and don’t discuss confidential information when leaving a voicemail
Use when quick dialogue is necessary between speakers physically distant from each other
Conference call when members of a team can’t be physically present for a meeting, phones with conference-calling capability are present, and video conferencing is unavailable
Use VoIP to avoid long-distance charges
Leave clear voicemail messages when receivers aren’t available
Use when a record of the conversation isn’t necessary
Use when confidentiality is somewhat important
Channel: Video chat and web conference
Advantages
Disadvantages
Expectations
Appropriate Use
Enables face-to-face one-on-one or group meetings for people physically distant from each other—anywhere from the other side of the office floor to the other side of the planet
Allows participants to see nonverbals that would be unseen in a phone conference meeting
Can be integrated into a real in-person meeting to include physically absent members
Enables inexpensive long-distance communication with common applications such as Zoom, MS Teams, and FaceTime (for Apple devices) compared with long-distance phone calls or travelling for in-person meetings
May be subject to connection problems occasionally resulting in calls cutting in and out, freezing, or split-second delays that result in misleading nonverbal cues and participants talking over each other
Requires a high-speed internet connection, microphone, and webcam all in good working order
Requires that participants be as present and presentable (at least from the waist-up) as they would be for an in-person meeting
Requires webcam positioning to ensure an appropriate camera angle and framing
Requires background control (e.g., using a virtual background, blurring, or webcam placement in a certain area), especially when web conferencing from home, to prevent background distractions or avoid a loss of privacy
Use when in-person meetings are necessary but participants are in different physical locations
Use for job interviews when participants cannot conveniently attend in person
Choosing the correct communication channel on the spectrum of options using the criteria above involves a decision-making process based on the purposes of the communication, as discussed earlier in this chapter (see §2.1). Factors to consider include convenience for both the sender and receiver, timeliness, and cost in terms of both time and money. When choosing to send an email, for instance:
Begin with the thought you need to communicate.
Affirm that it must be in writing for future reference rather than spoken.
Consider that it would be more convenient if it arrived cheaply the instant you hit Send after you finish writing it.
Want to give the recipient the opportunity to respond quickly or at least within the 24-hour norm.
Confirm that it would be better to send your message by email rather than by other electronic channels such as text, instant message (because you have more to say than would fit in either of those formats), or fax because you know the recipient prefers email over fax, as do most people and all but a few professional fields.
All of these decisions may occur to you in the span of a second or so because they are largely habitual. Figure 2.3c charts out that decision-making process for selecting the most appropriate channel among the 12 given in Table 2.3 above.
We will examine the uses, misuses, conventions, and implications of these channels in the chapters ahead, especially Chapters 6 and 7 on written documents in Unit 2, as well as Chapters 10 and 11 on oral communication in Unit 3. For now, however, let’s appreciate that choosing the right channel at the outset of the writing process saves time—the time that you would otherwise spend correcting communication errors and doing damage control for having chosen the wrong one for the situation at hand. If you find yourself forced to meet someone in person to deal with the damage resulting from a toxic email exchange before moving forward, just think how you would already be in the solution phase had you skipped the email flame war and met in person to deal with the situation like adults in the first place.
Key Takeaway
Choose the most appropriate communication channel for the occasion by taking into account the full spectrum of traditional and electronic options, as well as your own and your audience’s needs.
Exercises
For each of the following situations, identify the most appropriate channel for communicating what’s necessary and explain your reasoning.
1. You come up with a new procedure that makes a common, routine task in your organization quicker and easier. Praise for your innovation goes all the way up to the CEO, who now wants you to meet with your counterparts (other employees performing the same job as you) in the seven other branch offices across the country to explain the procedure.
2. A customer emails you for a price quote on a custom job they would like you to do for them. (Your company has a formal process for writing up quotes on an electronic form that gives a price breakdown in PDF form.)
3. You are working with two office colleagues on a market report. Both have been submitting their work late recently and you’re starting to worry about meeting the next major milestone that’s due a few days from now. Neither has been absent because you can see them in their offices as you walk by in the hallway.
4. You are about to close a deal but need quick authorization from your manager across town about a certain discount you would like to apply. You need it in writing just in case your manager forgets about the authorization or anyone else questions it back at the office.
5. Your division recently received word from management that changes to local bylaws mean that a common procurement procedure must be adjusted when dealing with suppliers. Your team meets to go over the changes and the new procedure, but you need to set it down in writing so that everyone in attendance can refer to it, as well as any new hires in the months or years ahead.
6. You have a limited amount of time to discuss a potential funding opportunity with a colleague in another city because the proposal deadline is later in the week, and it’s almost closing time in your colleague’s office. You’ll have to hammer out some details about who will write the various parts of the proposal before you get to work on it tonight.
7. You were under contract with a local entrepreneur to perform major landscaping services. Near the end of the job, you discovered that he dissolved his company and is moving on, but you haven’t yet been paid for services rendered. You want to formally inform him of the charges and remind him of his contractual obligations; in doing so you want to lay down a paper trail in case you need to take him to court for breach of contract.
References
Balamurugan, G., & Vijayarani, M. (2025, February 28). Filtering reality: Navigating Instagram’s influence on adolescent mental health. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 14(84). https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_483_24
Lin, X. Y., & Lachman, M. E. (2021, February 16). Daily stress and affect across adulthood: The role of social interactions via different communication modes. Technology, Mind, and Behavior, 2(1), 10.1037/tmb0000026. https://doi.org/10.1037/tmb0000026
5. Apply appropriate planning strategies to communicate purpose and message effectively (ENL1004 Course Learning Requirement 1.1).
Choose the most appropriate communication channel for the occasion by taking into account the full spectrum of traditional and electronic options, as well as your own and your audience’s needs.
For each of the following situations, identify the most appropriate channel for communicating what’s necessary and explain your reasoning.