NEW: Hello, I beg your pardon? Active listening in customer service 

06 Apr, 2022 - 11:04 0 Views
NEW: Hello, I beg your pardon? Active listening in customer service 

The Sunday Mail

Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba 

“You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time” – M. Scott Peck 

Imagine visiting a restaurant and you tell the waiter the specifications of what you precisely want, but when your order arrives it is different from what you ordered. 

Suppose the odds are against you, maybe you are too hungry or you do not have too much time on your hands to wait for them to correct the order and you end up taking the wrong order. 

Just think of how it would make you feel especially when you know you have clearly communicated what you wanted. 

Organisations that have representatives who have an excellent skill in listening are very successful and respected in their respective industries. Customers do not have to repeat themselves to get correct orders, neither do they have to go through the process of returning a wrong order at the expense of their time or just accept the wrong order because they are running out of time and want to use the product or service immediately. 

It is important for company representatives to have a good ear to understand the problem or need of the potential customer that they want to provide a solution for. So attentive listening helps you to identify the problem, which you can knowledgably and convincingly demonstrate to the customer how the organisation’s offering can economically solve.   

In general, active listening in customer service is whereby you totally focus on hearing what the customer has to say without being judgmental. All you do is interpret what the customer words mean and try to respond as positively as you can in a way that shows that you understand what is being said, and that you consider it very important. 

Active listening is quite difficult if you have the type of employees that are driven, motivated and active. These employees usually like to talk rather than listen. However, there is also another group of employees that are at the receiving end of a conversation, but they do not pay attention to what the consumer is saying, instead they are laid back, unhurried and very inactive. 

There are however ways that can be used to improve active listening skills: 

1.      No to Interruptions

When a customer is talking, let them finish whatever they have to say and focus on the information being provided rather than interjecting them with your own opinions. You sound too forward when you put your opinions first before they finish talking. They may clam up on you and cut you off. Always give customers all their time to freely express their intentions for knocking on your business door. 

2.      Take Notes 

During the customer call make sure you have a note pad nearby where you can take notes of the customer’s key points. This will help you to not irritate the customer by asking the same information that they may have given you earlier, but rather you can just refer to your notes. Such a practice helps to reinforce the importance of the information given to you by the customer. 

3.      Turn off all Distractions 

It is quite important to avoid any distractions that may make you lose focus when talking to a customer. I visited one small indigenous-owned shop on April Fool’s Day with the intention of buying a mouse. There were two types of the device, a cordless one that uses blue-tooth and the ordinary one. I wanted more information on the cordless one, but instead of attending to me the lady was rushing to her colleague so they can share an April Fool’s joke doing rounds on WhatsApp. It was a bit annoying, but I realised that some businesses are ignorant on the importance of training their staff on basic customer care and service. Cellphones need to be put away when communicating with customers because they distract you from giving them total focus on the subject matter. You would rather shut up and follow the information being given or rather ask relevant questions to guide the conversation. 

4.      Concentrate 

In most cases when customers are speaking the person serving them will be a step ahead by focusing on how to respond, instead of concentrating on what is being said. This type of listening makes you miss the fine points that could help you extract valuable information from the customer 

5.      Check the Emotional Aspect 

Words alone are not enough when doing active listening. Things like tone of voice, body language and inflection help in identifying the true feelings of the customer and if you grasp them well, they can help you serve your customers better. 

6.      Repeat after the Customer 

Repeating certain lines after the customer shows that you are following the conversation and customers will likely pour their honest hearts when they see that you are listening to them. Always use words like, “if I understood you correctly you are saying……is this correct”. It will allow them to correct and clarify any misunderstanding or misinterpretations. This will show your attentiveness and comprehension of the conversation.  

7.      Ask Relevant and Important Questions 

It is important that you have the right information. And one way to be sure of this is by asking the customer if they would be satisfied if you solve their problem in a certain way. If they agree then you can resolve it as quickly as possible in a professional manner. If need be, thank them for doing business with you with a note or token of appreciation. 

8.      Control Your Emotions 

When there is a customer complaint, some customers tend to be rude because they are upset, instead contain your composure, and be calm and courteous. In some instances, customers may use abusive or offensive language, it is okay to ask them to refrain from using such language. If they cannot calm down and keep on hurling insults or vulgar words you may politely ask them to leave or ask security to intervene. Complaints do not mean you should be abused verbally or physically, but at the same time as an employee you should be the bigger person to calm the stormy seas by not trading in the same way of violent behaviour. 

 

***Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing enthusiast with a strong passion for customer service. For comments, suggestions and training, she can be reached on [email protected] or on 0712 979 461, 0719 978 335 

 

Share This:

Survey


We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey

This will close in 20 seconds