| p>World-class customer service undermines a | | | | of communication. Separate from technical |
| company's long term survival, especially in today's | | | | substance, courtesy and understanding are crucial |
| service oriented economy. Not surprisingly, a | | | | to good customer service. The service |
| study by The Forum Corporation showed that | | | | professional that can use words appropriately will |
| 65% of customers switch providers because of | | | | have a clear advantage in the service interaction. |
| inferior quality of customer service. A company | | | | A simple "Is there anything else I can help you |
| may have excellent products and a well trained | | | | with?" will be music to the customer's ear when |
| technical staff but if it fails to provide more than | | | | asked at the right time during the service |
| adequate customer service, it may not sustain its | | | | transaction. |
| business. Each phone call, e-mail or face-to-face | | | | Non-verbal cues encountered in face-to-face |
| interaction that frontline employees have with | | | | situations are another component of |
| customers presents an opportunity to reinforce a | | | | communication that can be more revealing than |
| positive company image. However, the basic | | | | what is said. Body language can often convey |
| interpersonal skills to achieve this are not typically | | | | confidence and sentiments to the attentive reader |
| taught in school and academic life offers little | | | | more so than words. Some of the more obvious |
| opportunity for the art of dealing with people. | | | | cues in non-verbal communication are the smile, |
| During my many years of working in the | | | | eye contact, hand shaking, personal distance and |
| customer service field I found that teaching | | | | physical contact. For instance, in the US, an |
| CLEAR(TM) approach helps improve soft skills. | | | | acceptable distance between conversing individuals |
| C - Communicate | | | | is between one and a half to two feet. Less can |
| L - Listen | | | | trigger discomfort and anxiety and distracts from |
| E - Empathize | | | | the subject. Except for the British, Europeans |
| A - Ask | | | | tend to stand closer while engaged in |
| R - build Relationships | | | | conversation. |
| In the Part I we will cover the first letter "C" that | | | | A good acceptable distance in Japan is about four |
| stands for Communicate. Words are powerful | | | | feet. The essence of non-verbals vary across |
| tools that affect and determine the outcome of | | | | cultures and your service professionals need to be |
| the business dialogue. They can trigger positive or | | | | aware of them. Learning to recognize, interpret |
| negative feelings. In business, the words we | | | | and react to body language cues becomes a |
| speak (verbal communication) are one component | | | | powerful advantage. |