EFFECTIVE TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION SKILLS

FOCUSSERIESEFFECTIVETELEPHONECOMMUNICATIONSKILLSMiaSchiffmanMelansonEFFECTIVETELEPHONECOMMUNICATIONSKILLSMiaSchiffmanMelanson©2000,2003HelpDeskInstituteAllrightsreserved.PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.ISBN:1-57125-075-1HelpDeskInstitute6385CorporateDrive,Suite301ColoradoSprings,CO80919USAU.S.andCanada:[phone]“do’s”..................................................19Threelistening“don’ts”..............................................21Chapter4Effectivespeakingskills......................................................24Threecommunicationbehavioralstyles....................24Thebenefitsofassertiveness......................................26Seven“speakingdo’s”................................................27Fourspeaking“don’ts”..............................................30TableofContentsMiaSchiffmanMelansonhasextensiveexperiencewithinsalesandsupportorganizations,bothasmanagerandconsultant.Forthepastseventeenyears,shehasdevelopedanddeliveredtrainingincustomerservice,telemarketing,coachingandsupervisoryskillsforentrepreneurialorganizationsandFortune500companies.Throughherconsultingfirm,MarketingMastery&Training,Miaworksprimarilywithprofessionalsinhighcustomercontactfunctionswhereperformanceimpactsprofitonadailybasis.Ms.MelansonalsoteachesandevaluatesstudentsatNortheasternUniversity’sGraduateSchoolofBusinesswheresheisanadjunctfacultymember.Beforefoundingherowncompany,shewasMarketingManageratPrimeComputer,whereshewasresponsibleforbothstrategicandtacticalaspectsofmarketingcampaigns,generatingmeasurablerevenueforthecompanyandearningheranExcellenceaward.SheisamemberofWho’sWhointheWorld(1996)andNewEnglandWomenBusinessOwners.AbouttheAuthor67Foryears.SupportCentermanagershavebeentaskedwithmaintainingandimprovingthehigh-techskillsoftheSupportCenterstaff.Byhigh-techskills,Imeanproductknowledgeandproblem-solvingskills.Theseskillsarevitalsincetheprimarytaskofsupportagentsistosolvecustomers’technicalproblems.Inrecentyears,however,theimportanceofhigh-touchskillshasbecomemorefullyrecognized.High-touchskills,orcommunicationskills,areprimarilyspeakingandlisteningskills.Thisbookfocusesonhigh-touchskillsandoffersyourorganizationsomesimpleandefficientwaystoimprovethem.Thischapterexploresthereasonswhyeffectivetelephonecommunicationskillsareneededatyourorganization.Chapter2explains“Howwecreateourimageoverthetelephone.”Inthatchapter,you'llreviewthecomponentsoftelephonecommunicationandtheimportanceofyourtoneofvoice.Chapter3givesyoupractical,easy-to-useadvice,includingdo’sanddon’ts,onhowtobecomeabetterlisteneroverthetelephone.ThenChapter4delvesintowhatittakestobeagoodspeakeroverthetelephone.Thepracticaladviceandvaluabledo’sanddon’tsaresimplewaysofimprovingyourcommunicationskills.Chapter1WhygoodtelephonecommunicationskillsbenefityourorganizationThecustomerrelationshipcompositeFigure1-1showsamodelthatIcallthe“customerrelationshipcomposite.”Inthiscomposite,you’llseethevariousskillsthatinfluenceinteractionswithcustomers.Speakingskillsandlisteningskillsrepresentthetwohigh-touchneeds,whileproblem-solvingskillsandproductknowledgerepresentthetwohigh-techneeds.Allthecomponentsfunctioninatwo-waymanner.Inotherwords,boththeagentandthecustomerexhibitallfourskills.Theagentisnottheonlyonewhohasproductknowledgeandproblem-solvingskills–infact,agoodagentwilldrawupontheseresourcesthatthecustomerbringstotherelationship.Naturally,thisinformationisdrawnoutfromthecustomerusingspeakingandlisteningskills.Whenbothpartiesbringstrongskillstotheservicerequest,theinteractioncanbeanefficientandrewardingexchangeofvaluableinformation.Imagineeachoftheseskillsasthelegsofatable.Ifduringanycustomerinteractiononeoftheselegsshouldfalter,thetablewillcollapse.Thatmightsoundsevere,butthinkaboutit.Productknowledgeandproblem-solvingskillsareessential.Evenifyouhavetocallthecustomerbackorrefertheproblemtoasecond-levelagent,yourSupportCentermustbeabletoowntheservicerequestuntilitisresolved.TheHelpDeskorSupportCentermusthaveastrongresourceofhigh-techskillstodrawfrombecausemostofthesolutionsaretechnicalinnature.Ifintheendyoudon’thavethehigh-techskills,theinteractionwillbeunsuccessful.Somaintainingtheseskillsatyourorganizationisessential.However,thehigh-t