Business Communication 
Since AI entered the picture, keeping up with the latest business communication trends can be challenging. Combined with the rise of AI, shifts in remote work, and evolving customer preferences, we’re seeing innovative paths and technologies that help make internal and external communication more effective.
Here are 10 of the top business communication trends to help you build your team’s communication strategy, now and in the future.
1. AI Continues to Enhance Daily Workflows
Now that we’re in the age of artificial intelligence, it’s actually pretty cool. Businesses and customers alike have embraced these new technologies with open arms and are using AI to boost customer experience and streamline business communications.
In fact, in our 2024 State of Customer Experience Report, business leaders said that when customers are shown responses written by humans and ones written by generative AI, 57% of customers actually preferred the AI-generated response. Common AI tools used for business communication include bots like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, which help generate emails, reports, and knowledge base articles.
From AI call centers and chatbots to generative AI and intelligent virtual agent assistance, AI-based tech is transforming industries and changing the way we communicate and collaborate.
| How to achieve this trend: 🔹 Introduce AI-driven tools for automating routine tasks like scheduling, report generation, and knowledge base updates. 🔹 Leverage intelligent virtual agents for customer interactions to ensure personalized, 24/7 support while reducing human workloads. 🔹 Regularly update and train teams on AI to enhance adoption and maximize effectiveness. |
2. Unified Communications Is Going Mainstream
Distributed communication channels lead to disjointed experiences. Grammarly’s State of Business Communication Report highlights several challenges faced by business professionals:
- 54% struggle with managing numerous work communications
- 55% report spending an excessive amount of time writing and interpreting messages
- 53% experience anxiety over misinterpreting those messages
Rather than providing multiple business communication tools that can lead to fragmented conversations, IT managers are now tasked with selecting tools that unify communication channels—voice, video conferencing, automation, team messaging, and more—into comprehensive UCaaS solutions. These digital Swiss Army knives streamline interactions, enable quicker, smarter decisions, and empower remote and hybrid workforces like never before.
By sticking with familiar tools, teams can save on training, reduce errors, and limit workflow delays, but there’s always room for improvement.
- Are you maximizing your tools’ functionality?
- Should you expand their effectiveness with third-party integrations?
- Are you leveraging automation?
Embrace efficiency and effective communication by making the most of your existing tech stack.
| How to achieve this trend: 🔹 Invest in a UCaaS solution to unify business communication tools into a single platform. 🔹 Integrate third-party apps and workflows into your communication stack. 🔹 Analyze usage patterns to eliminate redundant tools, ensure cost efficiency, and streamline team processes. |
3. Reducing Workplace App Distractions Is a Growing Focus
An excess of email and app notifications might be sapping workplace productivity. A study by Insightful found that 79% of workers say they can’t go an hour without being distracted during the workday — meaning it’s time to carve out more distraction-free time to get stuff done.
Providing tools that enable employees to mute app notifications helps limit distractions at work. This can eliminate your team’s endless cycle of low-productivity days, which lead to employee dissatisfaction, low engagement, and burnout.
| How to achieve this trend: 🔹 Allow employees to customize alerts, notifications, and focus modes across tools. 🔹 Consolidate communication apps to reduce task-switching and simplify workflows. 🔹 Designate regular “deep work” time periods to help employees focus without interruptions. |
4. Asynchronous Work Is Driving Faster Workflows
Asynchronous communication is the new productivity powerhouse, with 64% of people believing it drives their most productive hours. With fewer low-priority meetings and less emphasis on real-time replies, async communication allows teams to focus on deep work cycles that boost productivity, especially within remote and hybrid teams.
For example, businesses use asynchronous communication tools like Loom to let teams share detailed updates or explain complex ideas through recorded screencasts, prioritizing clarity over the urgency of real-time replies.
| How to achieve this trend: 🔹 Use tools like Loom or Slack threads to share updates and feedback. 🔹 Set clear response time expectations for asynchronous communications. 🔹 Encourage knowledge sharing through accessible documentation and asynchronous meeting notes. |
5. Video Meeting Fatigue Is Pushing Businesses To Find Better Alternatives
Virtual meetings are one of the top workplace distractions. Not only are they exhausting for workers, but they also prevent them from getting into a deep work groove and completing tasks that require more focus.
Shopify and Slack were some of the first companies to reduce virtual meetings and implement “meeting-free” days that helped employees stay focused. The “less is more” approach has garnered positive results, causing other companies to jump on the bandwagon, making this one of the top business communication trends.
| How to achieve this trend: 🔹 Implement meeting-free days. 🔹 Utilize asynchronous video updates instead of real-time meetings. 🔹 Set and stick to meeting agendas. |
6. Collaboration Between Remote, Hybrid, and In-Person Teams Is Getting Better
Remote and hybrid models have been trending for years and have since become the norm. Virtual teams with the right arsenal for seamless work-from-anywhere experiences result in higher productivity, lower burnout rates, and greater customer satisfaction. Cloud-based business communication tools, like virtual call center software, make remote work feel as natural and efficient as being in the office.
| How to achieve this trend: 🔹 Use cloud-based collaboration tools like shared workspaces and video conferencing platforms. 🔹 Provide equal access to resources and updates for all employees to prevent information silos between on-site and remote staff. 🔹 Host regular cross-team activities to strengthen team relationships. |
7. Data Integration Is Redefining Customer Experience Strategies
Having a 360-degree view of every customer interaction across your business channels is crucial. As a top business communication trend, integrating customer conversations across systems ensures a seamless and contextual experience, avoiding the pitfalls of fragmented interactions.
This approach adapts to customer preferences and leverages AI to deliver more intelligent customer experiences. Unifying customer data enables businesses to tailor each interaction, aligning with the growing expectation for omnichannel communication. Watch customer satisfaction rise as you implement these initiatives.
| How to achieve this trend: 🔹 Implement a unified customer data platform (CDP) to gather and centralize customer insights across all touchpoints. 🔹 Use AI analytics to surface actionable insights. 🔹 Streamline omnichannel communication. |
8. Communication Security Is High-Priority
With remote communication as the new standard, securing sensitive business chats is more critical than ever. As data privacy regulations evolve and customer concerns about data usage grow, companies must prioritize transparency in collecting, storing, and using personal information. This trend isn’t just about compliance. It’s also about building trust.
Customers expect privacy protections and clear explanations, especially when AI is involved and how these tools handle their data. For businesses managing personal or medical information, ensuring communication technology meets strict privacy standards, like HIPAA, is non-negotiable. Staying ahead of emerging security expectations can safeguard your brand reputation and keep your business in line with this essential business communication trend.
| How to achieve this trend: 🔹 Implement end-to-end encryption and regular compliance checks to meet evolving privacy regulations. 🔹 Communicate openly with customers about how their data is handled, including its use in AI-powered applications. 🔹 Stay proactive about security updates in all communication technologies to prevent breaches and protect sensitive information. |
9. Mobile-First Communication Is Shaping the Future of Workplace Interactions
Mobile-first communication has moved from an optional strategy to a workplace necessity. As businesses continue to embrace remote and hybrid work models, employees and contact center agents need tools to stay connected and productive on the go. In addition to mobile accessibility, this trend is also about seamless integration.
Customers expect fast responses, and a mobile-first platform means agents can manage interactions effortlessly — whether they’re in the office or working remotely. With features like mobile app support for call center operations, businesses can provide exceptional 24/7 customer support. The result is faster response times, improved flexibility, and — best of all — happier customers.
| How to achieve this trend: 🔹 Ensure platforms are optimized for mobile use. 🔹 Offer training and support for mobile tools. 🔹 Leverage mobile analytics to monitor agent productivity and CSAT. |
10. Conversational Commerce Is on the Rise
The way businesses engage with customers is evolving, and this business communication trend is leading the shift. Customers expect real-time, personalized interactions through their preferred channels—whether it’s messaging apps, live chat, or social media. Conversational commerce helps businesses meet these expectations by providing seamless, tailored experiences that drive engagement, increase sales, and make the customer experience better.
For contact centers, this means adopting tools that support these conversations and enhance them with smart automation, such as chatbots and AI-driven insights. Streamlining these interactions allows businesses to reduce friction in the customer journey and close sales faster. As conversational commerce continues to rise, the ability to meet customers where they are will set businesses apart from the competition.
| How to achieve this trend: 🔹 Integrate messaging channels like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and live chat into your contact center solutions. 🔹 Automate repetitive inquiries using AI chatbots while maintaining the ability for customers to escalate to a human agent. 🔹 Focus on real-time personalization by using data insights to tailor offers and suggestions to individual customer preferences. |
6 Trending Business Cloud-Based Communication Tools
1. Nextiva
Nextiva serves as your all-in-one communications tool for managing all types of business communication. Its suite of asynchronous tools, such as VoIP phone services, video conferencing, chatbots, team chat, instant messaging apps, and social media management, makes it hard to overlook.
Fit for small and large businesses, Nextiva can easily scale up or down while delivering unmatched reliability and taking the pain out of business communication.
Recognized by Gartner Peer Insights “Voice of the Customer” in 2023, alongside Zoom, Cisco, and Google Meet, Nextiva believes in providing business communication tools that give organizations, large or small, a chance to level the playing field.
2. Five9
Enhanced with AI, Five9 is an all-in-one cloud-based contact center solution, enabling customer service teams to engage with their customers through voice, chat, email, and social media communication channels.
Rather than having support and service teams bounce between a dozen different tools, Five9 aims to provide a comprehensive enterprise contact center solution.
Nextiva is also a certified Five9 partner to bridge the gap between business phone systems and its advanced contact center software.
Related: The 7 Best Five9 Alternatives That Are Easy to Use
3. Asana
Project management tools don’t get any better than Asana. With its easy-to-use interface, friendly user experience, and long list of must-have features, you’ll want to spend more time than usual ticking off tasks on your daily to-do list.
What makes Asana stand out from other tools is its intense focus on eliminating distractions while keeping stakeholders informed. It also has dedicated apps for desktop and mobile devices.
4. Workvivo
Workvivo is a Zoom-owned employee experience platform designed to engage, excite, and connect a company’s employees. Its unique features include activity feeds, podcasts, internal news articles, employee directories, live streaming, events calendars, and more.
As employees seek a stronger sense of community and connection, Workvivo is one of the platforms for improving team communication.
5. Loom
With Loom, employees can create and share video recordings with just one click. It’s an ideal tool for teams that prefer an asynchronous tech stack or remote companies with employees located in different time zones.
Use Loom to walk your employees through a complex process or quickly share a recap of an important meeting and send it to the entire team.
Loom’s easy-to-use editing tools make it a breeze to edit your screen-sharing clip, ensuring that the video communicates your message clearly and addresses the needs of your target audience.
6. Kustomer
As an all-in-one CRM platform, Kustomer streamlines the way customer service teams interact with customers. Whether by phone, email, or chat, the platform provides a full picture of each customer and their interactions.
Kustomer allows your teams to serve your customers faster and with an added personal touch — and they take care of those repetitive tasks, too.
Unify Business Communication With Nextiva
Using too many communication apps hinders your team’s performance, leading to burnout, uncertainty, and reduced focus.
Instead, embrace simplicity and elevate business productivity with Nextiva.
With it, you consolidate several asynchronous communication tools, such as voice, video calls, messaging, and customer management, into a single platform.
A smarter strategy this year is to use fewer disparate apps so they can work smarter and be more effective at helping customers.
Business Communication Trends FAQs
In business communication, things are getting smarter and more user-friendly. Top trends are to leverage all-in-one messaging platforms, reduce employee distractions, and adopt flexible communication methods.
With a cloud-based communication app such as Nextiva, companies can keep their messages safe from personal apps such as WhatsApp or text messaging. Workplace communications shouldn’t occur over personal channels.
Finally, as the number of dispersed workers increases, there is more demand for flexible tools and a greater need to secure remote collaboration tools.
Looking ahead, employees can expect to use corporate communication tools that are increasingly personalized to their roles. By 2030, one-third of employees will be armed with different communication tools tailored to their specific responsibilities, supercharging speed and productivity while helping to reduce critical errors.
Examples of modern business communication tools include Nextiva, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Asana.
AI will continue to dominate, with augmented reality, IoT, and generative AI integrations becoming essential features of digital communication tools in the future.
Choose an all-in-one business communication platform to optimize your team’s communication strategy. Asynchronous tools, such as Nextiva, streamline external and internal communication by gathering phone calls, video conferencing, team chat, and social media channels into one easy-to-use dashboard.
However, consider the importance of face-to-face communication and in-person meetings. These allow for non-verbal cues to come through and build a tight-knit connection between coworkers.
