| Customer Service Professionals interact with | | | | maintain eye contact, make appropriate |
| more people on a daily basis than most people in | | | | non-verbals at appropriate times, use an open |
| any industry in any company do in a week. And, | | | | body posture to signal that they are listening and |
| the term Customer Service has broadened so | | | | they realize that they WANT to listen because |
| much over the past decade or so that the term | | | | they know that they are there to provide a |
| is somewhat out of date. | | | | SERVICE to the Customer. |
| Perhaps the correct title would be "Professional | | | | And, because these Professionals practice step |
| Interaction Manager" or "Personal Action | | | | one in Effective Listening, they are sought after |
| Compliance Manager." (PIM or PACMAN?) | | | | and asked for, by other companies, headhunters |
| No matter the title, the person behind the service | | | | and the like. |
| still needs Effective Listening Skills. | | | | This step is the same for anyone who is working |
| The skills can be broken down into 4 steps. This | | | | with people on the phone. Stop what you are |
| article is the first in a series on Effective Listening | | | | doing and pay attention to what the Customer is |
| for Customer Service Professionals. | | | | saying. |
| Step number one. Stop what you are doing and | | | | There is one area that needs to be addressed |
| pay attention to the Customer. | | | | and it is the annoying habit of talking to and |
| The Customer, remember them? The person | | | | addressing a computer screen. Hey folks, the |
| bringing you the money! The reason you are in | | | | computer screen will not pay the bills. It's the |
| business in the first place. | | | | person, you know, the one with a wallet. |
| Yes, it seems so simple. And every day we are | | | | Stop staring and talking to the screen! Look at |
| talking with people who have been "scripttrained" | | | | the other person and engage them with eye |
| to respond with canned responses in order to get | | | | contact, head nods and non-verbals. |
| a desired result, one in which the Customer | | | | If you have to take notes (like I do) say |
| follows along like some trained seal awaiting a fish | | | | something like "Mr/Mrs. Customer, would you mind |
| treat. | | | | if I write a few notes down while we are talking?" |
| Wrong! | | | | How hard is that? I guarantee your Customer will |
| Real Customer Service Professionals STOP what | | | | appreciate what you are attempting to do for |
| they are doing and pay close attention to what | | | | them. |
| the Customer is saying. They let the Customer | | | | In the next article we will ....you'll just have to read |
| know how important they are because they | | | | it. |