CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION TRAINING GUIDE

Megan Evans, Marie Andrews, Kara Shand, Kirsty Day

Why efficient internal and external

communication is important

Internal communication

It is important to have efficient internal communication within the

business for many reasons, for example:

Efficient internal communication is likely to lead to increased

productivity within the business.

Efficient internal communication is likely to create a better

understanding of the businesses values and goals within in

employees and therefore increase the chances of meeting these.

Efficient internal communication is likely to reduce conflict

between members and therefore increase staff morale and

motivation.

Efficient internal communication is likely to increase the

businesses employee retention rates.

(Peetom, 2012)

External communication

It is important to have efficient external communication within the

business for many reasons, for example:

Efficient external communication is likely to increase

customer retention levels within the business (Quirke, 1996, p.75).

Efficient external communication allows for interactivity with

external customers and is therefore likely to lead to efficient

problem resolution (Buttle, 2008, p.217).

How we can improve customer

communication?

Transactional Analysis

Transactional Analysis (TA) is the idea developed by Eric Berne which

demonstrates the different ‘psychological positions and personality

structures of individuals involved in interpersonal interactions’ (Park &

Harrison, 1993, p.21). The three different positions of TA are:

Child ego-state (when an individual replays behaviours from their childhood)

Parent ego-state (when an individual uses behaviours copied from parent-figures)

Adult ego-state (when an individual uses behaviours reflecting grown-up resources) (Stewart, 1989, p. 21)

According to Berne individuals ego states influence the flow of

communication (http://www.communicationandculture.co.uk).

How to use TA to provide excellent customer communication:

Ensure that transaction is complementary, for example when those communicating are both in parent ego-states, as demonstrated in the diagram. By ensuring that transaction is complementary, it is ensured that communication is of a high standard and therefore can continue for as long as those involved require. (http://www.hull.ac.uk).

Help communication by encouraging the customer to shift ego state when and if needed. For example, if behaviours being displayed by the customer because of their current ego state prove to be a barrier to communication, they should be encouraged into another ego state. This can be done by acknowledging the

customers current ego state, for example through a response, and then encouraging them into another ego state through the words and body language that you use. For example, you could invite a person to move into the adult ego state by asking them a question or asking their view on a matter (http://www.hull.ac.uk).

Benefits of TA:

Can help to enable strong and effective communication.

Can help to both encourage and better customer communication and therefore relations.

SERVQUAL

SERVQUAL is the idea based on research by Zeithaml et al that there are

five dimensions that customers use

in order to evaluate the quality of

service that they receive (Allen,

2008). These five dimensions are:

Tangibles (physical facilities including; equipment, employees and communication facilities)

Reliability (ability to perform promised service accurately)

Responsiveness (helping customers and promptly providing service to customers)

Assurance (ability of employees to transmit knowledge, trust and confidence to customers)

Empathy (caring nature shown towards customers) (Kumar et al. 2010 p.354) Dimensions deemed most

important to customers

(http://serviceperformance.com)

How to use SERVQUAL to provide excellent

customer communication:

Tangibles such as employee appearance and uniform should ‘look good’ in order to portray a good impression to customers (Allen, 2008).

In order to show reliability it is important to ‘do what you say you’re going to do when you said you were going to do it’ (Allen, 2008). For example, this could be through ensuring that all work is completed on time.

In order to show responsiveness it is important to respond to customers quickly, this may for example be through responding to e-mails within a certain time frame (Allen, 2008).

In order to show assurance it is important to show customers that employees are experts at the service they are providing. This can for example be through ‘raising customer awareness of your competencies’ (Allen, 2008).

In order to show empathy it is important for employees to show that they care about the customer, this could for example be through actions such as making eye contact and smiling (Kumar et al. 2010 p.354).

Benefits of SERVQUAL:

Enables the business to assess service quality from the customer’s point of view. Also allows the business to establish customer expectations and then track them over a period of time (Naiko & Toorawa, 2012, p.27).

Enables competitor comparisons to be made (Naiko & Toorawa, 2012, p.27).

EMOTIONAL AND INTELLECTUAL QUOTIENT

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

REFERS TO THE ABILITY TO

PERCEIVE, CONTROL AND EVALUATE

EMOTIONS.

Q: Are you emotionally intelligent?

A: do you consider yourself to be

emotionally intelligent, find out by logging

on to

http://www.ihhp.com/?page=freeEQquiz

and taking the free quiz.

Q: Do you understand EQ?

A: every individual possesses a different

level of emotional intelligence, it provides

us with various skill such as the ability to

manage relationships, navigation skill and

leadership qualities with the ability to

empower and inspire others.

Developing EQ promotes:

Self-awareness, enabling you to

recognize emotions as they happen

Emotional management, allows

you to remain aware of your feelings

Two aspects of EQ

Understanding yourself, your goals, intentions, responses, behaviour and all.

Understanding others and their feelings

Five 'domains' of EQ

Knowing your emotions

Managing your own

emotions

Knowing yourself

Recognizing and

understanding other people’s emotions

Managing relationships, i.e.,

managing the emotions of others

ess the organi

Effective communication, gives

you the ability to effectively communicate

your thoughts and express yourself.

Social awareness, gives you the

ability to tune in to the emotions of

others, and remain aware of what’s’ going

on around you.

Conflict resolution, being

emotionally intelligent equips you to

handle conflict and provide resolution.

“Success requires the effective awareness, control

and management of one's own emotions, and

those of other people” – Goleman

Developing our Emotional Intelligence in the five EQ domains, allows us

to enhance our productivity and become more successful at what we do.

It also enables us to help others to be more productive and successful

too. The process and outcomes of Emotional Intelligence development

also contain many elements known to reduce stress for individuals and

organizations, by decreasing conflict, improving relationships and

understanding, and increasing stability, continuity and harmony. The

ability to remain aware of your own emotions and others as well as

effectively expressing your thoughts, enables better customer relations

and communications.

INTELLECTUAL INTELLIGENCE

IQ stands for ‘Intelligence Quotient’ and is a numerical score based on

standardised tests which attempt to measure intelligence.

Q: What’s your IQ?

A: Find out for free by logging on to:

http://www.lumosity.com/landing_pages/109?gclid=CM-

TnJ2647YCFTMdtAodak4AZA

Dr. Arthur Jensen stated that people with scores from:

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Contact Us

[Company Name]

[Street Address]

[City, ST ZIP Code]

[Telephone]

[Email address]

[Web address]

Most IQ tests involve a number of problems which must be solved in a set time frame, under supervision.

The areas tested

consist of verbal knowledge, perceptual speed, short-term memory and spatial visualization

ess the organization's needs

assess

89-100 would be employable as store clerks

111-120 have the ability to become policemen and teachers

121-125 should have the ability to

excel as professors and

managers

125 and higher demonstrate skills

necessary for

eminent professors, executives,

editors

“Actually, the intelligence Quotient is defined as

100 times the mental age (MA) divided by the

chronological age (CA). IQ=100 MA/CA” –

Geocities.com

EQ and IQ are both important. Having a high IQ alone does not

necessarily guarantee success! IQ highlights your ability based on

statistics, whereas EQ acknowledges behavioural and character

elements.

We often see people who are brilliant academically, yet

socially inept.

To be successful and consistently deliver good customer

communications, you must be effectively aware, in control and

have the ability to manage your own emotions as well as the

emotions of others.

Depending on your job role and what you are trying to achieve, EQ and

IQ are both important in a more social job role such as a care worker or

social worker, a higher level of EQ is important, in order to work to your

full potential. In a less sociable job role such as a scientist a high level

intellectual intelligence is key. Enhancing both EQ and IQ = Success

o References

http://www.aboutintelligence.co.uk/what-iq.html (last visited 24/04/13)

http://bettsrecruiting.com/is-emotional-intelligence-more-important-than-

intellectual-intelligence/(last visited 24/04/13)

http://psychology.about.com/od/personalitydevelopment/a/emotionalintell.htm(last

visited 24/04/13)

http://www.aboutintelligence.co.uk/what-iq.html(last visited 24/04/13)

http://www.ihhp.com/?page=freeEQquiz (last visited 24/04/13)

Jensen, Arthur. Straight Talk About Mental Tests. New York: The Free Press, A Division of the Macmillan

Publishing Co., Inc., 1981.

“What Does "IQ" Stand For, and What Does It Mean? Geocities. 27 June 2008 htt References:

. ( ) Eric Berne - Transactional analysis. Available:

http://www.communicationandculture.co.uk/CommStudies/Eric%20Berne%20

%96%20Transactional%20Analysis.ppt [Last accessed 15th Apr 2013]

. ( ) Transactional Analysis and Communication. Available:

http://www2.hull.ac.uk/ifl/docs/UFA-TransactionalAnalysis.doc [Last accessed

16th Apr 2013]

Allen, C. (2008). The 5 Service Dimensions All Customers Care About.

Available: http://serviceperformance.com/the-5-service-dimensions-all-

customers-care-about/ [Last accessed 16th Apr 2013]

Buttle, F (2008). Customer relationship management. Oxford: Taylor & Francis.

Kumar, M. Kee, F. & Charles, V. (2010). Comparative evaluation of critical

factors in delivering service quality of banks. International Journal of Quality &

Reliability Management. Vol. 27, pp. 351 – 376

Naiko, D. & Toorawa, Z. (2012). Servqual model presentation. Available:

http://www.slideshare.net/sandeeprajnaiko/servqual-model-presentation [Last

accessed 15th Apr 2013]

Park, H. & Harrison, J. (1993). Enhancing managerial cross-cultural

awareness and sensitivity: Transactional Analysis revisited. Journal of

Management Development. Vol. 12, pp. 20 – 29

Peetoom, R. (2012). Internal communication – Benefits and problems.

Available: http://zurmo.org/features/internal-communication-benefits-and-

problems [Last accessed 20th Apr 2013]

Stewart, I. (1989). Transactional analysis: image and reality. Employee

Counselling Today. Vol. 1, pp. 21 – 24

Quirke, B. (1996) Putting communication on managements agenda. Journal of

communication management. Vol. 1, pp. 67 – 79

p://www.geocities.com/rnseitz/Definition_of_IQ.html (last visited 24/04/13)

References

http://www.aboutintelligence.co.uk/what-iq.html (last visited 24/04/13)

http://bettsrecruiting.com/is-emotional-intelligence-more-important-than-intellectual-

intelligence/(last visited 24/04/13)

http://psychology.about.com/od/personalitydevelopment/a/emotionalintell.htm(last visited

24/04/13)

http://www.aboutintelligence.co.uk/what-iq.html(last visited 24/04/13)

http://www.ihhp.com/?page=freeEQquiz (last visited 24/04/13)

Jensen, Arthur. Straight Talk About Mental Tests. New York: The Free Press, A Division of

the Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1981.

“What Does "IQ" Stand For, and What Does It Mean? Geocities. 27 June 2008

http://www.geocities.com/rnseitz/Definition_of_IQ.html (last visited 24/04/13)

. ( ) Eric Berne - Transactional analysis. Available:

http://www.communicationandculture.co.uk/CommStudies/Eric%20Berne%20%96%20Tran

sactional%20Analysis.ppt [Last accessed 15th Apr 2013]

. ( ) Transactional Analysis and Communication. Available:

http://www2.hull.ac.uk/ifl/docs/UFA-TransactionalAnalysis.doc [Last accessed 16th Apr

2013]

Allen, C. (2008). The 5 Service Dimensions All Customers Care About. Available:

http://serviceperformance.com/the-5-service-dimensions-all-customers-care-about/ [Last

accessed 16th Apr 2013]

Buttle, F (2008). Customer relationship management. Oxford: Taylor & Francis.

Kumar, M. Kee, F. & Charles, V. (2010). Comparative evaluation of critical factors in

delivering service quality of banks. International Journal of Quality & Reliability

Management. Vol. 27, pp. 351 – 376

Naiko, D. & Toorawa, Z. (2012). Servqual model presentation. Available:

http://www.slideshare.net/sandeeprajnaiko/servqual-model-presentation [Last accessed

15th Apr 2013]

Park, H. & Harrison, J. (1993). Enhancing managerial cross-cultural awareness and

sensitivity: Transactional Analysis revisited. Journal of Management Development. Vol. 12,

pp. 20 – 29

Peetoom, R. (2012). Internal communication – Benefits and problems. Available:

http://zurmo.org/features/internal-communication-benefits-and-problems [Last accessed

20th Apr 2013]

Stewart, I. (1989). Transactional analysis: image and reality. Employee Counselling Today.

Vol. 1, pp. 21 – 24

Quirke, B. (1996) Putting communication on managements agenda. Journal of

communication management. Vol. 1, pp. 67 – 79