Effective Customer Communication Skills

Objectives

• At the end of this training session, you should be able to:• Identify the key components of effective communication• Note the do’s and don’ts of • Face to face communication• Telephone communication and• Written communication

• Determine how to verify that your communication has been effective.

Content• Communicating Effectively with your Customer – • What does it entail?

• Face to Face Communication with the Customer• Telephone Communication with the Customer• Written Communication with the Customer• Has Your Communication Been Effective?

COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY WITH YOUR CUSTOMER – WHAT DOES IT ENTAIL?

Session 1

What is communication?

• Communication is the art of transmitting • information, • ideas and • attitudes from one person to another.

• Communication is the process of meaningful interaction among human beings

What is effective communication?

• Effective Communication . . . • It is two way. • It involves active listening.• It reflects the accountability of the speaker and listener. • It utilizes feedback. • It is clear.• It achieves one or more of the goals of communication

Communication goals

To get and give information

To persuade

To ensure understanding

To get action

To change behaviour

Why is effective communication important?

• Because we rely on Communication for everything•Have you ever • Received appreciation from your client? • Given information to a customer or colleague?• Received a pat at the back for excellent performance? • Smiled back at someone in response to a smile?• Answered a telephone call?• Written a report or letter to your customer?

All these can only be achieved through COMMUNICATION

Why is effective communication important

• Communication creates an image about you and your company as well

• Excellent communication can build positive and long lasting relationships with customers

Most common ways to communicate

COMMUNICATE

Body langua

ge

Writing

Visual

Image

Speaking

Key components of effective communication - sending messagesVerbal Messages

The words we choose

Must be brief, succinct, and organized, free of jargon and do not create resistance in the listener

Para-verbal Messages

How we say the words

It refers to the messages that we transmit through the tone, pitch, and pacing of our voices.

Nonverbal Messages

Our body language

They are the primary way that we communicate emotions Facial Expression Postures and Gestures

Key components of effective communication-receiving messages

• Receiving messages requires

• Involves concentration and energy

• Involves a psychological connection with the speaker

• Includes a desire and willingness to try and see things from another's perspective

• Requires that we suspend judgment and evaluation

Active listening

• Paying attention to the words and feelings that are being expressed

• Maintaining eye contact with the customer

• Body awareness through the use of gestures and responsive expressions – yes, okay, that’s right etc.Verbal

• Giving full physical attention to the speaker;

• Being aware of the speaker's nonverbal messages;

Non verbal

Other components of effective communication

Rate of Speech

Faster rate of speech indicates anger or impatience Slower rate of speech indicates fatigue and disinterest These indications might be misleading however the average rate of speech should be 125-150 words per minuteTone 85% of verbal communication happens through our tone or attitude Energy portrays the Service Attitude Confidence portrays the Care for our Customer

Choice of Words

Be clear and concise do not repeat the sentences more than twice however, repeat it if required Ensure proper sentence formation with correct tense and grammar, it makes you more confident

Components of effective communication• Many of us think “ Communication” means just

speaking • We think about • formulating sentences well, • using eloquent words or • being succinct or funny, but we usually never think about

achieving the goals of our communication

• Those who do realize it are probably the “most effective communicators”

Barriers to communication

• Language • Values and beliefs • Sex/gender and age• Economic status• Educational level• Physical barriers• Attitude • Timing • Understanding of message• Trust

FACE TO FACE COMMUNICATION WITH THE CUSTOMER

Session 2

Face-to-face communicationMost customers prefer face to face communication because it is the most effective.

• These three basic factors in face-to-face communication carry the following percentages of impact in terms of effectiveness:

• words                     7% of impact• tone of voice         38% of impact• body language      55% of impact

Benefits of face-to-face• Opens two-way communication • Allows for immediate response to • questions, •misinterpretations, • feedback, etc.

• Takes advantage of voice and body language to deepen understanding of what is being communicated.

When to use face-to-face

• Face to face is used:•when you have to share or give information that will affect the customer•when the information being communicated needs immediate attention•when you have to answer questions directly and immediately

The Do’s of face-to-face• DO •give your customer your undivided attention • listen, • really listen, • give full attention

•give your customer honest, direct and comprehensive information• treat your customer’s ideas and concerns as critical and serious • Don’t belittle their concerns

The Don'ts of face-to-face• DON’T • tell your customer “what”, • tell them • “why, how, and the larger picture”

•make the conversation one-way. • Invite responses -- discuss and debate

•answer the phone or take a call when a customer is in your office or when talking to a customer. • If you really have to take the call

apologize to the customer first before you do.

The Don'ts of face-to-face

• DON’T • wait too long to ask for or give feedback to your customer, gather information immediately

• hold back bad news. Treat people as intelligent adults, they want to hear the truth

Having a meeting with your customer?

1. Make an agenda and stick to it. • Send it out before the meeting, if possible

2. Be clear about the reasons for and goals of the meeting

3. Watch the time, do not overrun, stick to the agenda

4. Add humor, allow for laughter, have fun • it leads to a much more productive meeting

Meeting “killers” -- why they fail

• Poor Preparation• Ignored agenda• Poor time management• Lack of participation• Strong personalities• Lack of humor and fun• No/poor closing

COMMUNICATING WITH THE CUSTOMER BY TELEPHONE

Session 2

Making A Good Impression• Think of the telephone as the office reception -

the first place the customer visits.• Every call is a performance and you have a new

audience every performance!

• Have an objective in mind before you answer the phone, • ie ‘I want to help’ - don’t just answer it because its ringing.

• Speak with enthusiasm, as if speaking to a friend. • Use inflection in your voice, lower the pitch. This conveys

sincerity and confidentiality.

• Smiling is the one type of ‘body language which translates well on the phone.

Answering the Call• Ensure that you don’t bang the receiver into

anything when picking up the call.• Your customer will hear if that happens and may read

meaning into it

• Answer the call within as few rings as possible.• Speak clearly, identify your company and yourself.

• Don’t start speaking before you put the receiver to your

mouth.

Answering the Call

• Mind Your Manners!• Don’t grab a ringing phone because it shows impatience and lack of interest in the customer.• And other customers may be watching you…

• Don’t bang down the receiver• Don’t stop in the middle of a conversation to ask a colleague a question• Try and stop ‘multi-tasking’ whilst talking on the telephone. • This encourages you to find answers quickly and

ensure that you give the caller 100% attention

Answering the Call

• Mind Your Manners!• Try not to make comments about your callers to other staff - sooner or later another customer will hear you!

• Never, ever, talk about customers in a derogatory manner

Answering the Call

• Speak clearly, try and use the customer’s name if you have it

• Let them ‘hear’ you smile• Provide information, especially numbers, slowly

so the customer can write it down• Ask if there’s anything else you can help with• Remember these are real people even though

you can’t see them

Answering the Call• When you don’t know the answer…

• Never say you don’t know• Be Honest and say ‘I don’t know but I’ll try and find out”• Ask if you may put the caller on hold or take his number and

promise to call him back

• When an absent colleague will know the answer...• Always keep the customer informed as regards what you are doing• Explain how you are going to find out the information - if necessary,

tell the customer when you will call him back• Never use negative language ie ‘um, er, I haven’t a clue’, ‘that’s

not my job• People are usually patient about waiting for an answer if they know

it will be the RIGHT answer

Answering the Call• Answering Two Calls

• If you are on a long call and another line/two lines are ringing...

• If another line rings persistently• See if another colleague can answer the call• Ask the person you are speaking to if they mind if you answer the

other telephone• Politely explain to the second caller that you are busy with another

customer - take their details and promise to call them back as soon as possible

• Go straight back to first caller• Apologise for the interruption• Thank him/her for their patience• Continue with the enquiry• REMEMBER to call back the second customer and apologise for the

delay

Voice Tips• Vary your tone – it makes it more pleasant to

listen to you and you don’t sound monotonous. • Emphasize important words• Use the ‘dramatic’ pause – ie. pause after

important points. • This will stimulate attention and the customer will pay

closer attention.

Angry Callers - The ASAP technique• Acknowledge the person’s feelings and apologise

– • ‘I’m sorry that happened’

• Sympathise - ‘I understand how you feel’• Accept 100% responsibility for the call• Prepare to help - ‘I’ll try and help’ - present a

willing attitude. • Listen, jot down information, try not to interrupt. • Remain calm

• Remember the customer isn’t angry with you!• Don’t take their hostility personal

At the end of the call

• Summarise• State what action you are taking• Use customer’s name if you have it• Ask if there’s anything else you can do• Say thank you• Say good-bye• Try and let the customer hang up first

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION WITH THE CUSTOMER

Session 3

Written communication

• Reports• Letters• Newsletters• Handwritten notes

Benefits of written communication

• Creates a permanent record• Allows you to store information for future

reference• Easily distributed• All recipients receive the same information• Necessary for legal and binding documentation

The Challenges

• May seem extremely formal• Must be well written, straightforward

and concise• Written communications are usually not

read right away

DO’s and DON’Ts (written)• DO -- realize it is not read as soon as it is

received• DO -- make sure that there is enough time

to prepare and send, and for the recipient to receive and digest

• DO -- assess writing skills, if poor -- get help

Do’s and Don’ts…

• DO -- outline key points before producing a draft

• DO -- always draft a written piece and then reduce all unnecessary language -- be brief

• DO -- proof-read very carefully before any document is distributed

Do’s and Don’ts • DON’T -- use this form of communication if

writing is full of errors -- this reflects poorly on the writer

• DON’T -- use if communication is time sensitive. If immediate feedback is necessary -- use email

HAS YOUR COMMUNICATION BEEN EFFECTIVE?

Session 4

Is your communication clear? Have you hit your target?

In most forms of communication, confusion & frustration are caused by failing to be specific …..

Make it clear, brief and concise…..

How can I check if my customer understands?

• Ask questions• Use pauses• Spell out difficult words• Don’t speak too quickly or use idioms• Summarise the information given at the end of

the conversation

How do you ensure YOU understand?

• Concentrate and avoid listening to other conversations at the desk

• Acknowledge other waiting customers• Hold your tongue - don’t ASSUME you know

what the customer wants or jump to conclusions

• Don’t interrupt.• Ask questions and use conversation cues -• ‘Yes’, ‘I see’, ‘I understand’.