This activity is a great one for helping multi-channel teams examine the ways they will need to change their communication style across channels.
Split your team into three. Assign a different communication method for each team – one could be face to face, one could be telephone, and one could be email and live chat. Explain that each group will be exploring the pros and cons of a variety of different communication methods.
Within each group, ask them to get into pairs.
The group examining face to face communication are, in their pairs, to have a normal conversation with no restrictions.
The group examining telephone communication will be simulating this by sitting in pairs, back to back. They will not be able to see each other, but can hear each other.
Finally, the group examining email/live chat will need to sit back to back, but only communicate through messages written on pen and paper.
Based on their conversations, they will need to collectively write a list of pros, cons, and suggested best practices.
Give each group five minutes to communicate with each other, then once the time is up, ask them to start on their lists. Give them ten minutes or so to do this.
Bring the team back together and ask each group to present their findings. Capture key observations on a whiteboard or flip chart.
