Communicating in a Software Development Company

Introduction#

We can all agree that communicating isn’t always easy. Now, how about making it a little harder by managing a group of people who speak different languages, work separately in different projects and when they mean writing they mean writing in code?

Bear with me as we get into the ongoing challenge of directing a Communications Department in a Software Development Company.

Internal Communication: Hello Chaos#

First things first, what does internal communication even mean? Well, to put it simply, it’s about making everything move smoothly, in flow, coordinately and coherently behind doors. Sounds easy, right? Well, it’s way harder than it looks.

I have to say that working with engineers has really changed the perspective I had of them. Yes, I am talking about the stereotypical look of the nerdy guy with glasses and with a computer in hand at all times. Though the latter is actually true, the person behind it is a lot different. Actually, I consider them now as the “cool guys”.

At least from my experience, they are people who love having fun, enjoy every little thing they do and there’s something about not understanding a word they say when they speak to each other about a project that’s exciting. But, when you have to coordinate all teams handling different technologies and not having a clue about communication, that’s when everything changes.

Internal communication was chaotic if we compare it to the books. Meaning their main channel of communication was Slack and WhatsApp and there was no protocol to be seen. Don’t get me wrong, Slack and WhatsApp are good, but if you are a communications student, you might have seen more of Social Media, Boards, Newsletters, and, at least, e-mails. Well, not here.

From the very beginning my job was a challenge and still is. We are just starting with the process and it is nice to work with such proactive people. They are now realizing the importance of having a spokesperson, a communications plan, a head of Marketing, Social Media accounts, and a lot more.

Our messages now have a purpose, a way of organizing them and prioritizing them, and everyone knows how and why a message is sent. It may seem a little too restrictive at times for them, but the more they use it and understand it, the more they get involved with new and creative ideas to communicate.

However, not everything ends with handling the way we do things on the inside, which brings me to another point.

ref: ICPLAN

External Communication: Welcome clients#

Conversations with clients have always been taken care of. Recognizing the importance of them is not necessarily a problem in any company. It’s simple, without them, there’s no service to offer. Yet, it is important to sink deeper into the whys and hows of the communication with clients and the public in general.

NeoCoast has been reinforcing the relationships with all its publics, and turning them into long-lasting and strong partnerships. Here’s the importance of differentiating Communications and Marketing. You can always understand a product or service and sell it best to the client you have already studied, yet making the relationship last is all about communication and handling the media and public affairs too.

Working tight with Sales and Marketing here is crucial. Getting to know what you sell and how we sell it is going to be essential when talking with our stakeholders, but I’m not talking about the characteristics of your product or service or even the channel you use to sell it, but understanding why your offer is better than and different from the competitions.

Initiating that process meant a lot of studying and introspection. Asking the right questions to our clients, getting to know them, our relationship and analyzing our own sales process to find key points and improve them is a challenge.

You may not have heard about the Value Proposition Canvas or the Model Business Canvas, but those are an incredibly great way of getting to know your own company by asking all the right questions; that should give you the shove you need to start. After that, it’s all about keeping the conversations going using all the information you already know about your own company. And never lie.

Remember, it’s not only about finding a client, but selecting the one who is right for you because it fits with your brand, culture, and purpose. That’s what we are working on right now and, even though it may take some time, it is all worth it.

Conclusion#

All in all, there’s a lot to take into account when managing the Communications area of a super complex company. Getting all the information you need is not always as easy as you would think and understanding it is another thing. Nonetheless, if the people you work with help you out, that may be a huge factor. Learning about your company, experiencing the culture and aligning objectives will take time but you shouldn’t feel discouraged. At the end of the day, if the team finds a way to fit in, everything else will follow.