Communicating Effectively with Customers

 

Question:

Identify the best practices for writing e-mails or reports.

• Ensuring that the meaning of the text is accurate
• Ensuring that the message or report uses clear, concise language
• Using clear, concise business language
• Correcting any spelling, grammar, and punctuation issues
• Using defensible language

Question

:

Match customer needs to the techniques that help satisfy them. Each type of need may match to more than one technique.

• Psychological need
• Provide positive feedback and reassurance
• Provide a personalized service
• Use empathic statements
• Address the customer by name
• Provide reassurance and positive feedback
• Business need
• Provide a solution to the problem
• Establish the exact nature of the problem
• Ensure the solution is acceptable to the customer
• Listen for "unspoken" service requests
• Provide a solution to the problem

Question

:

The first step in the call-flow process is to greet the customer after the call.

What is the sequence of the next six steps of the call-flow process?

• Listen to the customer

• Determine the customer's needs

• Respond to the customer's needs

• Get agreement

• Conclude the call

• Follow up with the customer

• Greet the customer
• Listen closely to the customer
• Determine the customer's needs
• Respond to the customers needs
• Get agreement from the customer
• Conclude the telephone call

Question

:

Match each type of communicator to an example of how best to relate to that type.

• Influencer
• Address the customer's social needs  -  Use positive nonverbal cues, like smiles
• Collaborative communicator
• Build options and choices into your conversations  -  Since the customer will automatically look for areas of agreement, avoid making either/or statements
• Analytic communicator
• Do your homework and have your facts in order before approaching the customer  -  Do not try to wing it, as you may immediately lose the customer's respect and it will be hard to regain it
• Direct communicator
• Speak with confidence and focus on the deliverables  -  Talk in specifics instead of broad, vague generalities
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• Question
  :

  Which strategies can you use to adapt to a caller's competency level?

• Ask questions that start with "what," "when," "how," or "why"
• Listen actively to the caller's responses

• Change your vocabulary to mirror the customer's competency level

Question

:

Identify some strategies you can use to adapt to a caller's competency level.

• Actively listen to customers' choice of words and tone when they respond

• Gather detailed information from customers by asking open-ended questions

• Use the same vocabulary as customers to match their competency level

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Expanding Your Communication Skill Set

 

Background: 

You and a colleague are involved in a heated discussion about a complicated work process. Neither of you can agree on the best way forward.

Question

:

What communication strategies can help you resolve this difficult situation?

• Relax and listen carefully to what your colleague is saying

• Consider the situation from your colleague’s perspective

• Use neutral and impersonal language to de-escalate the situation

• Prepare to negotiate to find a mutually agreeable solution

Background

: 

Your manager has invited you to speak at an event to explain a new initiative your team is undertaking.

Question

:

What methods can you use to consider your audience while communicating with them?

• Adjust your style to your audience

• Be aware of the purpose of your communication

• Provide your audience with opportunities to communicate with you

• Identify your audience in advance

Background

: 

One of your short-term goals is to practice using different styles of communication at work.

Question

:

What communication styles should you use to get the best results?

• Analytical communication to help you work with data and metrics

• Expressive communication to help you brainstorm new, innovative solutions

• Social communication to help you connect with others personally

• Functional communication to help you set, execute, and maintain plans

Background

: 

To communicate effectively at work, it’s important to choose the most appropriate format for your message.

Question

:

Match each workplace situation to the most suitable communication format.

Formal format - 

Communicating a precise, official strategy to all employees in a company  -  Providing one-on-one feedback to a specific employee

Semi-formal format - Communicating an important deadline to your project team  -  Explaining a new operational procedure to your team

Informal format - Getting to know a new colleague better  -  Sending a time-sensitive message that requires an urgent response

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