Blog

Advantages and Disadvantages of Oral Communication

These are the advantages and disadvantages of oral communication explained below:

1. Advantages of Oral Communication
2. Disadvantages of Oral Communication

Advantages of Oral Communication

The advantages of oral communication are as follows:

1. Immediate Transmission
2. Time-Saving
3. Cost Savings
4. Effectiveness
5. Immediate Feedback
6. A Relationship Develops
7. Interacting With Groups
8. Message Can Be Changed

Immediate Transmission

Oral Communication provides immediate feedback and clarification. People listening to the speaker can ask questions and makes comments to add to the clarification. People listening to the speaker can ask questions, makes comments, add to the information provided, and so on. Both the speaker and the listener/listeners by turn can enter into a kind of short dialogue and make the whole communication event purposeful.

Time-Saving

Oral communication is a time-saving device. While a letter, dictate and typed, entered in the diary, put in the envelope, and carried to the person addressed will take a long time, oral transmission of the message makes the communication immediately effective.

Cost Savings

Cost is involved in any communication. When communication is needed within the organization and if it is completed in orally, it has not needed any paper, pen or stamp, or computer. So the transmission of information by oral communication saves money for the organization.

Effectiveness

Oral Communication is the most effective tool of persuasion as it lends a personal touch to the whole business. Resolving a conflict will not be possible in the absence of oral communication. Unless a manager/supervisor‘ talks’ to the workers in a persuasive tone, the conflict will remain there. No exchange of letters can achieve what a meeting can.

Immediate Feedback

The speaker can get immediate feedback on whether it is creating a favorable impression on the receiver or whether the receiver will protest or whether the receiver has clearly understood his meaning or is feeling perplexed or baffled and he can mold and adjust his message accordingly.

A Relationship Develops

It is mostly carried out and helps to promote friendly relations between the parties communicating with each other.

Interacting With Groups

It is very effective in interacting with groups. The speaker can immediately understand the group’s reaction and arrive at a satisfactory conclusion by putting his views across and exchanging points.

Message Can Be Changed

Oral communication provides ample scope to the sender of the message to make himself clear by suitably changing his words, voice, tone, pitch, etc. On the other hand, the words are once written cannot be changed. In other words, the message once transmitted in written form cannot be retracted. Oral communication, on the other hand, has the advantage of on-the-spot adaptation/improvement.

Disadvantages of Oral Communication

Oral communication contains many advantages. Following are the disadvantages of oral communication:

1. No record
2. Expensive
3. Inaccuracy
4. Limited Use
5. Probability of Omitting Main Subject
6. Confused Speech
7. No Legal Validity
8. Late Decision
9. Less Important
10. Lack of Secrecy

No record

In oral communication, messages are difficult to record. So it is impossible to preserve the message for the future.

Expensive

It is also an expensive medium of communication. Sometimes the audience can be managed by paying T. A and D. A. On the other hand, Technological devices that are used in this system are costly.

Inaccuracy

There is very possibility of inaccurate messages to reach the destination. So, the reverse result of the expected plan may have occurred.

Limited Use

The scope of usage of oral communication is limited. It is not suitable for lengthy messages. It should be sued for short messages.

Probability of Omitting Main Subject

Sometimes, the main subject may be omitted to express a word for communicating. So, the expected result may not be achieved.

Confused Speech

Sometimes the receiver fails to understand the meaning of a message due to the habitual productions of the speaker.

No Legal Validity

There is no any legal validity of the oral message. As the oral messages are not taped and kept records, they can be denied easily if the situation goes against the speaker.

Late Decision

It takes time to reach a decision. In the beginning stage, sometimes is killed in the discussion of any personal matters. Besides some time is also wasted on the irrelevant discussion. In this way, decision-making is delayed.

Less Important

In oral communication, meaningless speech can mislead the main effects of the communication. But when the information comes out in writing, we take it seriously.

Lack of Secrecy

In oral communication, important and secret information may be disclosed.

Read More Related Articles

FAQ Related to Advantages and Disadvantages of Oral Communication