Com12: Business Communications. Week 3: Transmission Model versus Process Model versus Cultural Model and include your own experiences for each

Transmission Model means one-way communication where a reply isn't necessary. It expresses communication as a one way street (Dwyer 2013, p. 9). I do this in my current job as a debt collector where I send text messages to martial arts students informing them they missed a direct debit payment, but it will be caught up this week. No need to reply – it is just a courtesy sms.

Process Model means when a message is sent and received by another person. As a debt collector I am required to send emails to students who are in arrears with their martial arts fees. They are required to call and make arrangements to pay off the debt, make a credit card payment, or attend the martial arts school to make a cash payment. A response is always required, because if the student does not respond, they can be send to Debt Collection – depending on the number of times we have attempted contact. As my peers and myself work odd hours, emails are useful because we don't have to wait until business hours to contact the students. We can send them an email any time for them to read at their convenience (Blundel 2004, p. 184).

Cultural Model means the sender needs to be considerate of the receiver's cultural background and beliefs. As a debt collector my communication skills need to be adaptable depending on who I'm speaking with. I speak with my co-workers, my leader, my manager, martial arts school owners and martial arts students who have a debt. When speaking to students who have a debt - I'm in a position of power where I have access to their credit history and sensitive information. I need to show empathy to them and help them arrange payment plans without making them feel worthless, but also without showing pity.

Michelle

Blundel, R 2004, Letters, E-mails and Text Messages. Effective Organisational Communication: Perspectives, Principles and Practices, 2nd Edition. Essex: Pearson Education Ltd.

Dwyer, Judith 2009, Communication in Business Strategies and Skills, 4th edn, Pearson Education Australia, French's Forest, NSW.