Welcome to the OCASI Conference The Heart of the Matter ndash Conducting a Needs Assessment

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services ndash 211 Toronto

416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Session Objectives

To review and examine in detail the information assessment and referral process

To understand the importance of how to ask the right questions in the right way

To review the AIRS Standards as they relate to conducting and assessment

To polish our interpersonal and communication

skills

What is an assessment

In simple terms an assessment is the process of helping an inquirer identify analyze and prioritize his or her needs

People contact your settlement service because they need help getting the information they need to help themselves They have a reason for contacting you and they are the ones initiating the inquiry Your job during the assessment is to find that reason ndash which is often not as easy as it sounds

Assessment involves understanding the nature and extent of a clientrsquos situation

What an information and referral assessment isnrsquot

A clinical evaluation an aptitude test a language proficiency assessment a health diagnosis a legal opinion or instructions on what the client should do

It is important for settlement workers to understand the limitations of their knowledge skill and authority

What the AIRS Standards say

IampR specialists shall Identify themselves and their program per agency guidelines

Establish rapport with the inquirer and use active listening skills to discern the presenting problem

Respond to each inquirer in a professional non-judgmental and culturally-appropriate manner 1048766

Make an accurate assessment of the inquirerrsquos problems and needs asking relevant questions to elicit information necessary for an accurate referral

1048766

What the AIRS Standards say

Present the client with various approaches to addressing the problem

Explore the clientrsquos own resources (eg friends family faith-based community)

Effectively utilize the resource information system to identify resources to meet the clientrsquos needs

Recognize the clientrsquos right to make his or her own choices

Understanding your clients and their expectations

Some people may be able to clearly state their situation

Others may struggle to describe why they are contacting the service especially if their predicament is complex serious painful or recent

The initial stated reason for contacting a settlement agency service may not even be the lsquorealrsquo or lsquoeventualrsquo reason for the contact as depending on the flow of the process the underlying reason may or may not emerge

Understanding your clients and their expectations

The following are some typical types of questions that settlement workers encounter

I am looking for employment Can you help me

What type of language training is available

I am looking for affordable housing

What type of health services are available

Icebreaking Exercise Draw a diagram of the IampR process in the space below

Break up into groups of 8 to 10 people Spend 10 to 15 minutes to discuss and clearly

identify all of the steps in the IampR process from the start of the inquiry to the end of the inquiry

Clearly label each step Step 1 Step 2 etc What specific questions would you ask Why Discuss the reasons for each of the steps your group

identified

Landscape of IampR Process Models

There are many different ways to describe the IampR process

Flow-Charts and Decision-Trees

Complex written Step-by-Step Instructions

The 3C Model (Contact Clarification and Closure)

The A to B Model

Anatomy of an Inquiry

Identify LineIdentify Line

GreetingGreeting

PreparationPreparation

ListenListen

Gather InformationGather Information

Provide Information and Referral

Provide Information and Referral

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

CloseClose Wrap UpWrap Up

The Preparation Process Are we ready

Understand your tools

Understand that you can not predict the next inquiry

Understand the complexity of the human services system

Keep your-information up-to-date

Know where to find information when you need it

Understand the limitations of your knowledge skill and authority

What is ClientCustomer Service

bull Client service can be described as a series of activities designed to enhance the level of client satisfaction mdash that is the feeling that a product or service has met the clientrsquos expectation

bull It involves responding promptly and accurately to client requests in such a way that each client feels valued respected and understood

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Session Objectives

To review and examine in detail the information assessment and referral process

To understand the importance of how to ask the right questions in the right way

To review the AIRS Standards as they relate to conducting and assessment

To polish our interpersonal and communication

skills

What is an assessment

In simple terms an assessment is the process of helping an inquirer identify analyze and prioritize his or her needs

People contact your settlement service because they need help getting the information they need to help themselves They have a reason for contacting you and they are the ones initiating the inquiry Your job during the assessment is to find that reason ndash which is often not as easy as it sounds

Assessment involves understanding the nature and extent of a clientrsquos situation

What an information and referral assessment isnrsquot

A clinical evaluation an aptitude test a language proficiency assessment a health diagnosis a legal opinion or instructions on what the client should do

It is important for settlement workers to understand the limitations of their knowledge skill and authority

What the AIRS Standards say

IampR specialists shall Identify themselves and their program per agency guidelines

Establish rapport with the inquirer and use active listening skills to discern the presenting problem

Respond to each inquirer in a professional non-judgmental and culturally-appropriate manner 1048766

Make an accurate assessment of the inquirerrsquos problems and needs asking relevant questions to elicit information necessary for an accurate referral

1048766

What the AIRS Standards say

Present the client with various approaches to addressing the problem

Explore the clientrsquos own resources (eg friends family faith-based community)

Effectively utilize the resource information system to identify resources to meet the clientrsquos needs

Recognize the clientrsquos right to make his or her own choices

Understanding your clients and their expectations

Some people may be able to clearly state their situation

Others may struggle to describe why they are contacting the service especially if their predicament is complex serious painful or recent

The initial stated reason for contacting a settlement agency service may not even be the lsquorealrsquo or lsquoeventualrsquo reason for the contact as depending on the flow of the process the underlying reason may or may not emerge

Understanding your clients and their expectations

The following are some typical types of questions that settlement workers encounter

I am looking for employment Can you help me

What type of language training is available

I am looking for affordable housing

What type of health services are available

Icebreaking Exercise Draw a diagram of the IampR process in the space below

Break up into groups of 8 to 10 people Spend 10 to 15 minutes to discuss and clearly

identify all of the steps in the IampR process from the start of the inquiry to the end of the inquiry

Clearly label each step Step 1 Step 2 etc What specific questions would you ask Why Discuss the reasons for each of the steps your group

identified

Landscape of IampR Process Models

There are many different ways to describe the IampR process

Flow-Charts and Decision-Trees

Complex written Step-by-Step Instructions

The 3C Model (Contact Clarification and Closure)

The A to B Model

Anatomy of an Inquiry

Identify LineIdentify Line

GreetingGreeting

PreparationPreparation

ListenListen

Gather InformationGather Information

Provide Information and Referral

Provide Information and Referral

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

CloseClose Wrap UpWrap Up

The Preparation Process Are we ready

Understand your tools

Understand that you can not predict the next inquiry

Understand the complexity of the human services system

Keep your-information up-to-date

Know where to find information when you need it

Understand the limitations of your knowledge skill and authority

What is ClientCustomer Service

bull Client service can be described as a series of activities designed to enhance the level of client satisfaction mdash that is the feeling that a product or service has met the clientrsquos expectation

bull It involves responding promptly and accurately to client requests in such a way that each client feels valued respected and understood

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

What is an assessment

In simple terms an assessment is the process of helping an inquirer identify analyze and prioritize his or her needs

People contact your settlement service because they need help getting the information they need to help themselves They have a reason for contacting you and they are the ones initiating the inquiry Your job during the assessment is to find that reason ndash which is often not as easy as it sounds

Assessment involves understanding the nature and extent of a clientrsquos situation

What an information and referral assessment isnrsquot

A clinical evaluation an aptitude test a language proficiency assessment a health diagnosis a legal opinion or instructions on what the client should do

It is important for settlement workers to understand the limitations of their knowledge skill and authority

What the AIRS Standards say

IampR specialists shall Identify themselves and their program per agency guidelines

Establish rapport with the inquirer and use active listening skills to discern the presenting problem

Respond to each inquirer in a professional non-judgmental and culturally-appropriate manner 1048766

Make an accurate assessment of the inquirerrsquos problems and needs asking relevant questions to elicit information necessary for an accurate referral

1048766

What the AIRS Standards say

Present the client with various approaches to addressing the problem

Explore the clientrsquos own resources (eg friends family faith-based community)

Effectively utilize the resource information system to identify resources to meet the clientrsquos needs

Recognize the clientrsquos right to make his or her own choices

Understanding your clients and their expectations

Some people may be able to clearly state their situation

Others may struggle to describe why they are contacting the service especially if their predicament is complex serious painful or recent

The initial stated reason for contacting a settlement agency service may not even be the lsquorealrsquo or lsquoeventualrsquo reason for the contact as depending on the flow of the process the underlying reason may or may not emerge

Understanding your clients and their expectations

The following are some typical types of questions that settlement workers encounter

I am looking for employment Can you help me

What type of language training is available

I am looking for affordable housing

What type of health services are available

Icebreaking Exercise Draw a diagram of the IampR process in the space below

Break up into groups of 8 to 10 people Spend 10 to 15 minutes to discuss and clearly

identify all of the steps in the IampR process from the start of the inquiry to the end of the inquiry

Clearly label each step Step 1 Step 2 etc What specific questions would you ask Why Discuss the reasons for each of the steps your group

identified

Landscape of IampR Process Models

There are many different ways to describe the IampR process

Flow-Charts and Decision-Trees

Complex written Step-by-Step Instructions

The 3C Model (Contact Clarification and Closure)

The A to B Model

Anatomy of an Inquiry

Identify LineIdentify Line

GreetingGreeting

PreparationPreparation

ListenListen

Gather InformationGather Information

Provide Information and Referral

Provide Information and Referral

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

CloseClose Wrap UpWrap Up

The Preparation Process Are we ready

Understand your tools

Understand that you can not predict the next inquiry

Understand the complexity of the human services system

Keep your-information up-to-date

Know where to find information when you need it

Understand the limitations of your knowledge skill and authority

What is ClientCustomer Service

bull Client service can be described as a series of activities designed to enhance the level of client satisfaction mdash that is the feeling that a product or service has met the clientrsquos expectation

bull It involves responding promptly and accurately to client requests in such a way that each client feels valued respected and understood

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

What an information and referral assessment isnrsquot

A clinical evaluation an aptitude test a language proficiency assessment a health diagnosis a legal opinion or instructions on what the client should do

It is important for settlement workers to understand the limitations of their knowledge skill and authority

What the AIRS Standards say

IampR specialists shall Identify themselves and their program per agency guidelines

Establish rapport with the inquirer and use active listening skills to discern the presenting problem

Respond to each inquirer in a professional non-judgmental and culturally-appropriate manner 1048766

Make an accurate assessment of the inquirerrsquos problems and needs asking relevant questions to elicit information necessary for an accurate referral

1048766

What the AIRS Standards say

Present the client with various approaches to addressing the problem

Explore the clientrsquos own resources (eg friends family faith-based community)

Effectively utilize the resource information system to identify resources to meet the clientrsquos needs

Recognize the clientrsquos right to make his or her own choices

Understanding your clients and their expectations

Some people may be able to clearly state their situation

Others may struggle to describe why they are contacting the service especially if their predicament is complex serious painful or recent

The initial stated reason for contacting a settlement agency service may not even be the lsquorealrsquo or lsquoeventualrsquo reason for the contact as depending on the flow of the process the underlying reason may or may not emerge

Understanding your clients and their expectations

The following are some typical types of questions that settlement workers encounter

I am looking for employment Can you help me

What type of language training is available

I am looking for affordable housing

What type of health services are available

Icebreaking Exercise Draw a diagram of the IampR process in the space below

Break up into groups of 8 to 10 people Spend 10 to 15 minutes to discuss and clearly

identify all of the steps in the IampR process from the start of the inquiry to the end of the inquiry

Clearly label each step Step 1 Step 2 etc What specific questions would you ask Why Discuss the reasons for each of the steps your group

identified

Landscape of IampR Process Models

There are many different ways to describe the IampR process

Flow-Charts and Decision-Trees

Complex written Step-by-Step Instructions

The 3C Model (Contact Clarification and Closure)

The A to B Model

Anatomy of an Inquiry

Identify LineIdentify Line

GreetingGreeting

PreparationPreparation

ListenListen

Gather InformationGather Information

Provide Information and Referral

Provide Information and Referral

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

CloseClose Wrap UpWrap Up

The Preparation Process Are we ready

Understand your tools

Understand that you can not predict the next inquiry

Understand the complexity of the human services system

Keep your-information up-to-date

Know where to find information when you need it

Understand the limitations of your knowledge skill and authority

What is ClientCustomer Service

bull Client service can be described as a series of activities designed to enhance the level of client satisfaction mdash that is the feeling that a product or service has met the clientrsquos expectation

bull It involves responding promptly and accurately to client requests in such a way that each client feels valued respected and understood

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

What the AIRS Standards say

IampR specialists shall Identify themselves and their program per agency guidelines

Establish rapport with the inquirer and use active listening skills to discern the presenting problem

Respond to each inquirer in a professional non-judgmental and culturally-appropriate manner 1048766

Make an accurate assessment of the inquirerrsquos problems and needs asking relevant questions to elicit information necessary for an accurate referral

1048766

What the AIRS Standards say

Present the client with various approaches to addressing the problem

Explore the clientrsquos own resources (eg friends family faith-based community)

Effectively utilize the resource information system to identify resources to meet the clientrsquos needs

Recognize the clientrsquos right to make his or her own choices

Understanding your clients and their expectations

Some people may be able to clearly state their situation

Others may struggle to describe why they are contacting the service especially if their predicament is complex serious painful or recent

The initial stated reason for contacting a settlement agency service may not even be the lsquorealrsquo or lsquoeventualrsquo reason for the contact as depending on the flow of the process the underlying reason may or may not emerge

Understanding your clients and their expectations

The following are some typical types of questions that settlement workers encounter

I am looking for employment Can you help me

What type of language training is available

I am looking for affordable housing

What type of health services are available

Icebreaking Exercise Draw a diagram of the IampR process in the space below

Break up into groups of 8 to 10 people Spend 10 to 15 minutes to discuss and clearly

identify all of the steps in the IampR process from the start of the inquiry to the end of the inquiry

Clearly label each step Step 1 Step 2 etc What specific questions would you ask Why Discuss the reasons for each of the steps your group

identified

Landscape of IampR Process Models

There are many different ways to describe the IampR process

Flow-Charts and Decision-Trees

Complex written Step-by-Step Instructions

The 3C Model (Contact Clarification and Closure)

The A to B Model

Anatomy of an Inquiry

Identify LineIdentify Line

GreetingGreeting

PreparationPreparation

ListenListen

Gather InformationGather Information

Provide Information and Referral

Provide Information and Referral

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

CloseClose Wrap UpWrap Up

The Preparation Process Are we ready

Understand your tools

Understand that you can not predict the next inquiry

Understand the complexity of the human services system

Keep your-information up-to-date

Know where to find information when you need it

Understand the limitations of your knowledge skill and authority

What is ClientCustomer Service

bull Client service can be described as a series of activities designed to enhance the level of client satisfaction mdash that is the feeling that a product or service has met the clientrsquos expectation

bull It involves responding promptly and accurately to client requests in such a way that each client feels valued respected and understood

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

What the AIRS Standards say

Present the client with various approaches to addressing the problem

Explore the clientrsquos own resources (eg friends family faith-based community)

Effectively utilize the resource information system to identify resources to meet the clientrsquos needs

Recognize the clientrsquos right to make his or her own choices

Understanding your clients and their expectations

Some people may be able to clearly state their situation

Others may struggle to describe why they are contacting the service especially if their predicament is complex serious painful or recent

The initial stated reason for contacting a settlement agency service may not even be the lsquorealrsquo or lsquoeventualrsquo reason for the contact as depending on the flow of the process the underlying reason may or may not emerge

Understanding your clients and their expectations

The following are some typical types of questions that settlement workers encounter

I am looking for employment Can you help me

What type of language training is available

I am looking for affordable housing

What type of health services are available

Icebreaking Exercise Draw a diagram of the IampR process in the space below

Break up into groups of 8 to 10 people Spend 10 to 15 minutes to discuss and clearly

identify all of the steps in the IampR process from the start of the inquiry to the end of the inquiry

Clearly label each step Step 1 Step 2 etc What specific questions would you ask Why Discuss the reasons for each of the steps your group

identified

Landscape of IampR Process Models

There are many different ways to describe the IampR process

Flow-Charts and Decision-Trees

Complex written Step-by-Step Instructions

The 3C Model (Contact Clarification and Closure)

The A to B Model

Anatomy of an Inquiry

Identify LineIdentify Line

GreetingGreeting

PreparationPreparation

ListenListen

Gather InformationGather Information

Provide Information and Referral

Provide Information and Referral

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

CloseClose Wrap UpWrap Up

The Preparation Process Are we ready

Understand your tools

Understand that you can not predict the next inquiry

Understand the complexity of the human services system

Keep your-information up-to-date

Know where to find information when you need it

Understand the limitations of your knowledge skill and authority

What is ClientCustomer Service

bull Client service can be described as a series of activities designed to enhance the level of client satisfaction mdash that is the feeling that a product or service has met the clientrsquos expectation

bull It involves responding promptly and accurately to client requests in such a way that each client feels valued respected and understood

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Understanding your clients and their expectations

Some people may be able to clearly state their situation

Others may struggle to describe why they are contacting the service especially if their predicament is complex serious painful or recent

The initial stated reason for contacting a settlement agency service may not even be the lsquorealrsquo or lsquoeventualrsquo reason for the contact as depending on the flow of the process the underlying reason may or may not emerge

Understanding your clients and their expectations

The following are some typical types of questions that settlement workers encounter

I am looking for employment Can you help me

What type of language training is available

I am looking for affordable housing

What type of health services are available

Icebreaking Exercise Draw a diagram of the IampR process in the space below

Break up into groups of 8 to 10 people Spend 10 to 15 minutes to discuss and clearly

identify all of the steps in the IampR process from the start of the inquiry to the end of the inquiry

Clearly label each step Step 1 Step 2 etc What specific questions would you ask Why Discuss the reasons for each of the steps your group

identified

Landscape of IampR Process Models

There are many different ways to describe the IampR process

Flow-Charts and Decision-Trees

Complex written Step-by-Step Instructions

The 3C Model (Contact Clarification and Closure)

The A to B Model

Anatomy of an Inquiry

Identify LineIdentify Line

GreetingGreeting

PreparationPreparation

ListenListen

Gather InformationGather Information

Provide Information and Referral

Provide Information and Referral

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

CloseClose Wrap UpWrap Up

The Preparation Process Are we ready

Understand your tools

Understand that you can not predict the next inquiry

Understand the complexity of the human services system

Keep your-information up-to-date

Know where to find information when you need it

Understand the limitations of your knowledge skill and authority

What is ClientCustomer Service

bull Client service can be described as a series of activities designed to enhance the level of client satisfaction mdash that is the feeling that a product or service has met the clientrsquos expectation

bull It involves responding promptly and accurately to client requests in such a way that each client feels valued respected and understood

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Understanding your clients and their expectations

The following are some typical types of questions that settlement workers encounter

I am looking for employment Can you help me

What type of language training is available

I am looking for affordable housing

What type of health services are available

Icebreaking Exercise Draw a diagram of the IampR process in the space below

Break up into groups of 8 to 10 people Spend 10 to 15 minutes to discuss and clearly

identify all of the steps in the IampR process from the start of the inquiry to the end of the inquiry

Clearly label each step Step 1 Step 2 etc What specific questions would you ask Why Discuss the reasons for each of the steps your group

identified

Landscape of IampR Process Models

There are many different ways to describe the IampR process

Flow-Charts and Decision-Trees

Complex written Step-by-Step Instructions

The 3C Model (Contact Clarification and Closure)

The A to B Model

Anatomy of an Inquiry

Identify LineIdentify Line

GreetingGreeting

PreparationPreparation

ListenListen

Gather InformationGather Information

Provide Information and Referral

Provide Information and Referral

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

CloseClose Wrap UpWrap Up

The Preparation Process Are we ready

Understand your tools

Understand that you can not predict the next inquiry

Understand the complexity of the human services system

Keep your-information up-to-date

Know where to find information when you need it

Understand the limitations of your knowledge skill and authority

What is ClientCustomer Service

bull Client service can be described as a series of activities designed to enhance the level of client satisfaction mdash that is the feeling that a product or service has met the clientrsquos expectation

bull It involves responding promptly and accurately to client requests in such a way that each client feels valued respected and understood

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Icebreaking Exercise Draw a diagram of the IampR process in the space below

Break up into groups of 8 to 10 people Spend 10 to 15 minutes to discuss and clearly

identify all of the steps in the IampR process from the start of the inquiry to the end of the inquiry

Clearly label each step Step 1 Step 2 etc What specific questions would you ask Why Discuss the reasons for each of the steps your group

identified

Landscape of IampR Process Models

There are many different ways to describe the IampR process

Flow-Charts and Decision-Trees

Complex written Step-by-Step Instructions

The 3C Model (Contact Clarification and Closure)

The A to B Model

Anatomy of an Inquiry

Identify LineIdentify Line

GreetingGreeting

PreparationPreparation

ListenListen

Gather InformationGather Information

Provide Information and Referral

Provide Information and Referral

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

CloseClose Wrap UpWrap Up

The Preparation Process Are we ready

Understand your tools

Understand that you can not predict the next inquiry

Understand the complexity of the human services system

Keep your-information up-to-date

Know where to find information when you need it

Understand the limitations of your knowledge skill and authority

What is ClientCustomer Service

bull Client service can be described as a series of activities designed to enhance the level of client satisfaction mdash that is the feeling that a product or service has met the clientrsquos expectation

bull It involves responding promptly and accurately to client requests in such a way that each client feels valued respected and understood

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Landscape of IampR Process Models

There are many different ways to describe the IampR process

Flow-Charts and Decision-Trees

Complex written Step-by-Step Instructions

The 3C Model (Contact Clarification and Closure)

The A to B Model

Anatomy of an Inquiry

Identify LineIdentify Line

GreetingGreeting

PreparationPreparation

ListenListen

Gather InformationGather Information

Provide Information and Referral

Provide Information and Referral

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

CloseClose Wrap UpWrap Up

The Preparation Process Are we ready

Understand your tools

Understand that you can not predict the next inquiry

Understand the complexity of the human services system

Keep your-information up-to-date

Know where to find information when you need it

Understand the limitations of your knowledge skill and authority

What is ClientCustomer Service

bull Client service can be described as a series of activities designed to enhance the level of client satisfaction mdash that is the feeling that a product or service has met the clientrsquos expectation

bull It involves responding promptly and accurately to client requests in such a way that each client feels valued respected and understood

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Anatomy of an Inquiry

Identify LineIdentify Line

GreetingGreeting

PreparationPreparation

ListenListen

Gather InformationGather Information

Provide Information and Referral

Provide Information and Referral

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

Summarize and Confirm Understanding

CloseClose Wrap UpWrap Up

The Preparation Process Are we ready

Understand your tools

Understand that you can not predict the next inquiry

Understand the complexity of the human services system

Keep your-information up-to-date

Know where to find information when you need it

Understand the limitations of your knowledge skill and authority

What is ClientCustomer Service

bull Client service can be described as a series of activities designed to enhance the level of client satisfaction mdash that is the feeling that a product or service has met the clientrsquos expectation

bull It involves responding promptly and accurately to client requests in such a way that each client feels valued respected and understood

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

The Preparation Process Are we ready

Understand your tools

Understand that you can not predict the next inquiry

Understand the complexity of the human services system

Keep your-information up-to-date

Know where to find information when you need it

Understand the limitations of your knowledge skill and authority

What is ClientCustomer Service

bull Client service can be described as a series of activities designed to enhance the level of client satisfaction mdash that is the feeling that a product or service has met the clientrsquos expectation

bull It involves responding promptly and accurately to client requests in such a way that each client feels valued respected and understood

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

What is ClientCustomer Service

bull Client service can be described as a series of activities designed to enhance the level of client satisfaction mdash that is the feeling that a product or service has met the clientrsquos expectation

bull It involves responding promptly and accurately to client requests in such a way that each client feels valued respected and understood

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

What Clients Value

Whether clients are shopping in a retail store or accessing settlement services there are three key areas that concern them

Product

Did I get what I needed

Is it a quality product

Process

Was it easy to get what I needed

Did I get it when I needed it

People

Were the people responsive efficient friendly

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Client Satisfaction

The Client Satisfaction Equation

Service Expectations + ExperienceProcess + Outcomes

= Client Satisfaction Level

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Five Drivers of Satisfaction

The five ldquodrivers of satisfactionrdquo are the elements that most strongly influence citizensrsquo perceptions of service quality across the many services provided by government

1) Timeliness

2) KnowledgeCompetence

3) CourtesyComfort

4) Fairness

5) Outcome

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

The Assessment Process Letrsquos Get started

The Greeting Check yourself and your tone Understand the importance of introduction and

agency identification Develop rapport and trust by showing empathy Statistics show that you have anywhere between

5 to 30 seconds to make a first impressionhellipmake it a good one

Smile as you talk (it changes how you feel amp sound)

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Interpersonal Skills

It is important for all settlement workers to know that

Each interaction is an opportunity to increase client satisfaction with your agency by providing excellent service and problem resolution

Each interaction is an opportunity to solve the clientrsquos problem and build the clientrsquos trust and loyalty

Each interaction is an opportunity for the settlement service to develop a better understanding of the needs and wants of its clients

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

What are Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the mental and communicative processes applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results

Simply put interpersonal skills are how we relate to others

Effective interpersonal skills include being able to support and encourage others being able to give and receive constructive criticism as well as being able to negotiate These skills and aptitudes also involve active listening valuing others opinions and being able to convey your point clearly

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Listen

Without question listening is the most critical aspect of any interaction that you have with your clients Everything flows from your ability to listen carefully by giving the caller your undivided attention and focus

There are a number of active listening skills and techniques that you can apply to interactions with callers as well as common pitfalls to avoid which we will be addressing later on in the training

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Active Listening

bull Listening is the single most important skill for a 311 CSR to have because it shapes our understanding dictates appropriate responses and fosters a positive interaction with the client

bull Actively listening to what the client is saying and ldquoreally hearingrdquo them is absolutely essential to providing the client with quality service

bull How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your interactions with others

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Active Listening Techniques

Prepare to listen Mirror Paraphrase Reflect feelings Nonverbal cues Minimal encouragers Verbal Tracking

Validate Empathy Accept responsibility

for understanding Donrsquot tune out ldquodryrdquo or

familiar subjects Be a physically

involved listener Summarize

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Habits of Ineffective Listeners

On-Off Listening

Pseudo-Listening

Red Flag Listening

Rehearsing

Too complicated for me Listening

Open Ears ndash Closed Mind Listening

Interrupting

Donrsquot Rock the Boat Listening

Tolerating or Creating distractions

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Listening Barriers ndash Pitfalls to Avoid

bull The Driftbull Jumping to Conclusionsbull Interruptionsbull Overreacting to ldquopush buttonrdquo or trigger wordsbull Rehearsingbull Listening for a point of disagreementbull Listening only to the easy material

How well do you really listen Circulate the ABC Listening Exercise Sheet

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Exercise

Listen carefully to the following traffic report

How many of the following questions would you be able to answer based on hearing this report

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

3 Listening Modes

Competitive or Combatative Listening (We are more in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring the customerrsquos point of view)

Passive or Attentive Listening ( We are attentive and passively listen We assume that we heard and understand correctly but stay passive and do not verify the information)

Active or Reflective Listening (In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the customer is thinking feeling wanting or what the message means and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own message)

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Gather Information The Art of Effective QuestioningIn many service interactions the settlement worker has

to gather information from the client before they are able to give information to the client

This involves asking the right questions in the right way

It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a number of questions to understand the details of their situation

There should always be a reason for every question you ask the client and it is important to let the client know why you are asking

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Effective Questioning

bull Effective questions open the door to knowledge and understanding

bull Effective questioning can also help you control the interaction to get the information you need Rather than the client telling you their story at length (their control) they tell their story by responding to your questions (your control)

bull This helps you to get to the heart of the matter quickly and usually reduces the call time This is part of the call control strategy

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Effective Questioning can help you

bull get the factsbull gather better informationbull connect with callers in a more meaningful waybull guide the conversation in a particular directionbull confirm that yoursquove understood what the caller

has saidbull get information about what the caller is thinking

and feeling

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

The Art of Questioning in IampR

Settlement workers must know what questions to ask and how to ask them

Avoid asking dichotomous or ldquoWhyrdquo questions

Questions should be presented or framed in context

There should be a sequence to you questions that seems logical to the client

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Effective Two-Way Communicationbull Effective communication can be described as the

process of understanding and being understood

bull Effective communication exists between two people when the receiver interprets and understands the senderrsquos message in the same way the sender intended it

bull Since settlement workers will be spending 75 or more of their time actively communicating with clients effective communication is crucial

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker

bull Voice volume too low to be heardbull Making the message too complex either by

including too many unnecessary details or too many issues

bull Getting lost forgetting the point or the purpose of the interaction

bull Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message or how the person might react

bull Using buzz words jargon or slang

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Sources of Difficulty by the Listener

bull Being preoccupied and not listening bull Being so interested in what you have to say that

you listen mainly to find an opening to get the floor

bull Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying

bull Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said

bull Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message

bull Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Sensitivity to Different Accents and Languagesbull The aim of the settlement services is to serve

everyone effectively regardless of the clientrsquos background language race religion or ethnicity

bull It is important for the settlement worker try to focus on the content of the clientrsquos message and not on the accent

bull There is a difference between barely being able to

understand someone and having to work hard to understand someone

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Referrals

bull Referrals involve assessing the clientrsquos needs and directing them to one or more appropriate divisions or organizations capable of meeting those needs

bull In some cases the client may not be clear about what they need mdash they may not express themselves clearly or they may not really know what they need

bull You canrsquot help a caller if you donrsquot know what they want

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Referrals

A referral involves

1048766 Identifying organizations and programs capable

of meeting the inquirerrsquos assessed needs

1048766 Providing enough information about each

organization to help an inquirer make an informed choice (and sometimes helping inquirers for whom services are unavailable to identify or explore alternative solutions)

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Group Exercise Eligibility Criteria

Identify 8 different types of eligibility criteria and identify specific programs or services that use that type of eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive the program or service

Example Income Level is used as part of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Works Program

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Closure Develop an Action Plan

Carry out appropriate action by providing information andor referral on available resources

Summarize to ensure understanding End on a positive note Invite the client to reconnect with you if required DocumentRecord Inquiry Follow-up if appropriate

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Exercises and Simulations

Let us process the following real-life situations These questions have been taken and slightly modified from the Settlementorg Discussion Board

How would you handle these situations

What additional information do you require in order to get a better understanding of the situation

What questions would you ask How would you ask them

What would be some possible referrals

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Faed Hendry

Manager ndash Training and Outreach

Findhelp Information Services

543 Richmond Street West ndash Suite 125

Toronto Ontario M5V 1Y6

Tel 416-392-4544

fhendryfindhelpca

Moments of Truth ndash A Telephone CallService Expectation Experience

EnhancerExperience Detractor

My call will be answered within a reasonable timeframe

My call was answered within 3 rings

I was put on hold for 20 minutes

I wondered if Irsquod been disconnected

I will have to call only once

The person who answered was able to help me

The person who answered transferred me to the right person to help me

I had to call more than once to get through

I had to call two other places before I finally got what I wanted

The person will listen and respond to me in a way that lets me know she understands my problem

The person listened to me

The person asked questions to get more information

The person cut me off as I was explaining my problem

The person transferred me to the wrong place

The Power of Attitude

The single biggest difference between an effective IampR Specialist and a mediocre one is attitude

Ability is what you are capable of doing Motivation determines what you dohellip But Attitude determines how well you do it

• Welcome to the OCASI Conference The Heart of the Matter ndash Conducting a Needs Assessment

The Power of Attitude

The single biggest difference between an effective IampR Specialist and a mediocre one is attitude

Ability is what you are capable of doing Motivation determines what you dohellip But Attitude determines how well you do it

• Welcome to the OCASI Conference The Heart of the Matter ndash Conducting a Needs Assessment

• Welcome to the OCASI Conference The Heart of the Matter ndash Conducting a Needs Assessment