Say what? Technology is tearing up the rule book about contact with customers - so make sure you are ahead of the game F rom the humble telephone to being able to communicate with someone in the middle of the rainforest, telecommunications technology is changing the way businesses operate. From sales to marketing, finance to recruitment, it is crucial to the success of any business. The earliest use of telecoms in business was the telephone. Landlines may now seem old-fashioned but at the time were a huge breakthrough (taking off domestically in the UK in the 1960s), as they allowed businesses to communicate regardless of distance. In the late 1970s and early 1980s the fax machine also became widely used by business for instantly sending information that was on paper. Items that used to be sent through the post could be faxed - making it quicker and more direct than the post. Now, the digital revolution we are living through has changed the way we live. Here are some of the ways digital can be used and some tips on how you can use what's still to come to take your business to another level. TO TRANSMIT DATA Data transmission is one of the most basic purposes of telecommunications. There are numerous ways to connect with suppliers, partners and customers, or store your own intellectual property. And in today's data-driven world, the technology which allows you to gather and analyse customer information and preferences is crucial. One of the most obvious and cheapest forms of data transmission is email. A 82