Google Communication Tools is a software suite designed to help you organize and improve your conversations with customers.
GCT gives you the flexibility to use whatever communication tools you prefer, while allowing you to stay organized and streamline your communications.
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Google Communication Tools
Google has one of the most enviable company cultures of any business in the world. But what makes Google a truly great place to work is its spirit of collaboration and drive for teamwork. That same culture is reflected in its roster of cloud tools built for team productivity.
Let’s look at several of those Google collaboration tools.
- Gmail
Gmail is a user-friendly email provider that offers 15 GB of storage space per account. What you might not know is it also allows for collaboration through a delegation option. Delegates can read and send email on your behalf while accessing the account.
To set this up, follow these simple steps:
Click the Settings button (gear icon) and choose
Select the Accounts and Import tab at the top.
Scroll down to Grant access to your account.
Make your selections for the Mark as read and Sender information
Click Add another account, enter the Gmail address for the person you are delegating to, and click Next Step.
Confirm the email address and click Send email to grant access.
You’ll be directed back to your Gmail settings where you’ll see the person’s email address in that section. It will display as Pending until they accept the invitation and will then change to reflect that.
Gmail Grant AccessT o Delegate
Your delegate has seven days to accept your invitation. Once they do, they will see your account listed beneath theirs with the word Delegated. They simply click that to manage your inbox.
Google Switch Account Delegated
Download: Gmail for Android | iOS (Free)
- Google Calendar
Google Calendar is a great way to visually organize your busy life. The tool also supports sharing. Make some or all of your calendars public, so people can see when you’re free.
Want to share a calendar with just one person? It’s easy!
Click the options button (three dots) to the right of the relevant calendar in the main list and select Settings and Sharing.
On the next page, scroll down to the Share with specific people
Click Add people and then enter the person’s email address.
Choose the Permissions dropdown box and pick the privilege you want to allow. You can also change this afterward in the same section of the settings.
Click Send.
Google Calendar ShareWith Specific People
You can also share your using a link. On the same calendar Settings page, scroll down to Integrate calendar.
You’ll see different URL options for your calendar as a public URL, public URL in iCal format, and secret URL in iCal format.
Google Calendar Integrate Links
Copy the generated URL and send it to colleagues, friends, or other people you know. Be aware, anyone who gets the link can access the calendar.
The sharing capability of Google Calendar is fantastic for planning meetings, study sessions, or other collaborative activities.
Download: Google Calendar for Android | iOS (Free)
- Google Sheets
Google Sheets is a spreadsheet app you can use with others simultaneously. Advantages like conditional formatting and built-in spreadsheet formulas save time for you and collaborators. You can even see other people make edits in real time.
To share your spreadsheet, follow these steps:
Click the Share button on the upper right.
Add the email addresses of the people you want to access the spreadsheet.
Click the pencil icon and specify whether people can view the sheet, edit it, or comment on it.
Alternatively, you can use the Get a shareable link option and send the link manually. Choose the viewing and editing permissions when doing so and you can group message or email the link to your team.
Click Done when you finish.
Google Sheets Share Options
Want to send a notification to a collaborator in the sheet? Just right-click the cell in your sheet and pick Comment. Then type a plus sign followed by the collaborator to send a notification to their email address.
Google Sheets Comment Mention
Download: Google Sheets for Android | iOS (Free)
- Google Docs
Google Docs works perfectly for putting your head together with teammates. Use it while writing to-do lists, brainstorming for projects, or anything else that’s better with input from others.
Share a document with people via the same process you use for Google Sheets (above). You can also use the shareable link option in the corner of the sharing box.
Another option you have when sharing Google Docs or Google Sheets are some advanced settings.
Click the Share button on the top right.
In the popup window, click Advanced.
Here you’ll see the link to share, those who have access, and an option to invite more people.
Under Owner settings, you can check the boxes for those additional options. So you can prevent editors from changing access or adding others and disable options for commenters and viewers to download, print, or copy it.
Google Docs Advanced Sharing Options
While looking at the document, pay attention to the colorful, flag-like icons with people’s names. They tell you who’s responsible for making changes.
Download: Google Docs for Android | iOS (Free)
- Google Slides
Getting ready for a group presentation? Avoid endless phone calls and emails about how to proceed, and collaborate with Google Slides instead. Select an appealing template to save design time and make your words pop with hundreds of font possibilities.
Like Google Docs and Sheets, this collaboration facilitator allows in-the-moment editing by any authorized individual. Simply follow the now-familiar process for granting privileges with the Share button on the upper right of the window.
google slides presentation
Download: Google Slides for Android | iOS (Free)
- Google Keep
Think of Google Keep as a beautifully basic project management tool. You can depend on it as a place for notes, drawings, lists, pictures, and audio clips.
Start sharing by clicking the Collaborator icon at the bottom of the note.
Enter the person’s name or type in their email address.
Click Save.
Google Keep Note Collaborator Button
When you open Google Keep, you’ll see the last person who edited the note along with when.
Download: Google Keep for Android | iOS | Chrome (Free)
- Google Hangouts (Chat)
Google Hangouts, to be renamed Google Chat, is a messaging app. Use it to talk to one person at a time through text or up to 150 individuals.
You can also launch a video chat with as many as 10 people. Start a new conversation by clicking the plus sign. Then, add people by name, email address, or phone number. Finally, choose whether you want a message-based conversation, phone call, or video call.
Google Hangouts Main
Let more people join by clicking the person icon and clicking the Invite People icon on the top. Then, follow the same process you initially did when creating the chat.
Download: Google Hangouts for Android | iOS (Free)
- Google Meet
Google Meet is very similar to Google Hangouts as both offer a video call service. However, Google Meet is intended for professionals and is a paid service, although currently free due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Google Hangouts, on the other hand, is more for consumers.
It can accommodate up to 250 participants per call for G Suite users (see below) and 100 with a personal Google account. Plus, you can check out the live streaming and recording features.
Google Meet Meeting Ready
Starting or joining a meeting with Google Meet is simple. Just head to the website, hit Start a meeting or Enter meeting code, and you’re on your way.
Download: Google Meet for Android | iOS (Free)
google communication strategy
Since time immemorial, communication has been of a paramount role in leadership and management. Communication is simply described as the process through which information is transferred from one party to another in a form that is understandable to both the sender and receiver. Communication has become the backbone of all organizational operations and activities as, without it, nothing can transpire (Vangelisti, 2018). Communication enables the managers to complete their basic managerial functions through close collaboration with the employees. This paper will summarize, analyze, and integrate the communication strategy of Google Company into my former or current workplace.
Google employs an open communication culture. Specifically, Google embraces corporate communication strategy. Google is currently one of the best companies in terms of performance and stakeholder satisfaction. As a matter of fact, Google is the best company that every employee admires to work at (Steyn, 2017). Google must, therefore, have a strong communication strategy that facilitates efficiency in operational activities. To ensure that there is effective implementation of the corporate communication strategy; Google employs a two-way communication channel encompassing the internal, external and recruiting campaign techniques. The corporate communication strategy was implemented by the department of communication in Google. The major aims of the corporate communication strategy are achieving the general objectives of the company with accessible resources and augment the challenge of re-entering the Chinese market. The corporate strategy deploys proactive external and internal communications to meet the communication purpose of Google, build and expand the reputation of Google, with a precise focus on effectiveness and value for cash. The Google corporate communication culture is utilized when it comes to marketing communication, recruiting process, internal communications, and media connections. The corporate communication culture of Google has all the fundamental processes, rules and regulations that must be followed when delivering any message.
The truth is that the communication strategy of Google has been successful in achieving the set goals and objectives of the company. The corporate communication strategy has not only been effective in internal communications but also in the external communications (Kelly, 2015). The corporate communication strategy ensures that there is transparency, accountability, and collaboration in all the organizational activities. Communication is currently the only tool that organizations can utilize to realize their full potential. Google has always been going the extra mile to ensure that effective communication channels are utilized to communicate to all organizational stakeholders. The communication department of Google always operates with the “users first” motto which has led to growth and development in the organization. Employees at Google are treated as the think tanks of the organization. Google uses ultra-modern methods to communicate with the employees and other stakeholders as it is an IT facilitated firm. Employees at Google have the freedom to express their innovative ideas and views without any restrictions. The corporate communication strategy links the top and supportive management (Kelly, 2015). The Google HQ is the platform that is utilized by the top managers to communicate personally to all the employees once every week. Downward communication on Google ensures that all employees still operate 24/7. This is when they are still at home and in the workplace. The employees in Google still get work-related emails and video meetings while still at home. Diagonal communication is also part of the corporate communication strategy. The diagonal communication employs similar strategies as downward and upward communication.
Conclusion
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