Commercial communication choices
Select written, oral, electronic or visual communication by considering urgency, cost, security, distance and the message's importance.
Section Paper 2 · Written
Exam scope and assessment notes
This original lesson maps Cambridge IGCSE Commerce 0715 for exams in 2028 and 2029. Examples, businesses, figures and practice questions are original StudyForA material, not Cambridge questions, mark schemes or endorsements. Practice supports the knowledge, application, data interpretation, analysis and evaluation skills in the syllabus; it is self-checked and does not produce an official Cambridge grade. Full timed papers, examination-centre entry advice and review by a qualified Commerce teacher remain outside this pathway.
Before you begin
- No prior Commerce study is assumed. Work from the facts in each scenario and show calculations before making a commercial judgement.
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
Which factor may make video conferencing unsuitable?
What you will learn
- Distinguish written, oral, electronic and visual communication and identify common methods.
- Select among letters, telephone, face-to-face, video meetings, email, web chat, social media and posters for a stated need.
- Explain how urgency, cost, security, distance, network access and message importance affect the choice.
Choose the channel to fit the message
Written communication creates a record; oral communication allows immediate exchange; electronic methods can cross distance quickly; visual communication can make a message easier to notice or understand. One method may belong to more than one category: an email is electronic and written, while a video call is electronic and oral.
Letters suit formal records when time allows; telephone and face-to-face discussion support quick clarification; video conferencing supports distant conversation; email suits asynchronous detail; web chat can resolve short queries; social media can reach a public audience; posters can communicate a short local message.
Check constraints and consequences
Urgency favours a channel that reaches the intended recipient quickly. Cost, security, distance and network availability may rule out an otherwise convenient option. Important or confidential messages need appropriate identity checks and access controls.
A public post is suitable for general information but not private account details. A brief message may not provide enough context for a complex dispute. Confirm that the recipient understood and that the record is stored appropriately when evidence matters.
Sources for this lesson
Pause and explain
A firm needs to announce a temporary shop closure to passers-by. Which method is appropriate?
Worked example
A supplier must tell one overseas customer today that a shipment is delayed, then keep an agreed record. Recommend a method and justify it.
Show the worked solution
- An email can reach the customer across distance and preserve details in writing.
- A phone or video call may be added for urgent clarification.
- Use verified contact details and document the agreed next action.
Answer Send a concise email to a verified contact to provide a written record, and call if the customer needs immediate discussion. Confirm the new delivery date and agreed action in writing. A public social post would disclose too much and could miss the specific customer.
Try a topic test
Choose Easy, Normal or Difficult. Save your answers and open worked review after finishing.
Test this topic →From guided practice to a new situation
Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
Choose a communication method for telling all customers that a store will close early today. State one safeguard.
Give me a hint
The audience is broad and the notice is time-sensitive.
Compare my reasoning
- Use a channel customers can access quickly, such as the business's social account and website.
- Place a visible notice at the physical store for people who are already travelling there.
- Give the date, affected location and reopening time; check the notice is accurate.
Use a current social post or website banner for broad, quick reach and a printed notice at the store. State which location and date are affected and the reopening time. Check that every channel shows the same information.
Look for these in your work
- Channel fits the audience
- Time and location are clear
- Consistency check included
A customer sends a sensitive complaint through public social media. Explain how the business should respond.
Give me a hint
Acknowledge publicly without repeating personal details, then move to a secure private channel.
Compare my reasoning
- Acknowledge the complaint politely and avoid disclosing account or payment details in public.
- Invite the customer to use a verified private support route.
- Keep an appropriate record, investigate the issue and explain the next step.
The business should acknowledge the concern without exposing personal information, move the discussion to a verified private channel and record the case for follow-up. It should not promise a resolution before checking the facts.
Look for these in your work
- Privacy protected
- A secure contact route offered
- Follow-up described
A company has a complex delivery dispute involving several teams in different countries. Compare email, a video meeting and a short public post.
Give me a hint
Consider context, clarification, written record, audience and confidentiality.
Compare my reasoning
- A video meeting can clarify complex issues and allow questions across distance.
- Email can circulate documents and record decisions, but long threads may obscure responsibilities.
- A public post is unlikely to be suitable because the dispute is specific and may include confidential details.
A video meeting can support immediate clarification, followed by a concise email that records responsibilities and deadlines. A public post is unsuitable because it cannot handle the details privately. The company should verify participants and share documents through an authorised channel.
Look for these in your work
- Methods compared
- Record and clarification balanced
- Confidentiality considered
Common mistakes
- Choosing a channel solely because it is modern
- Using public social media for confidential customer information
- Assuming a sent message was received and understood
- Ignoring network access or language needs
What can you explain now?
Why might a business use both a call and an email for an urgent change?
Compare with the explanation
The call supports quick clarification and the email keeps a written record.
Urgent oral communication can be followed by written confirmation to reduce misunderstanding.
After trying it yourself, choose your next review. This is your self-assessment.
Your review choice appears on Today. Sign in to sync it across devices.
Make it stick
Name three factors that can change a business's communication choice and explain one.
If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.