Communication with customers greatly affects the company’s reputation and customer loyalty.
Therefore, it is necessary to work on improving its quality. However, in any communication there are misunderstandings.
In the case of business, this is fraught with damage to reputation and profits. According to research, 77% of consumers, who have gained positive experience interacting with the company will recommend it to a friend. More than half of Americans will abandon their planned purchase if the service was poor. And 33% will consider changing the company if they received the only experience of poor service.
In this article, we will talk about the most common misunderstandings, their causes, and solutions.
Lack of active listening
In today’s world, people get a huge amount of information. This is bad for mindfulness. In the case of customer support staff, the figure is even higher. Therefore, it is logical that the manager can be distracted.
Eliminate this will help the development of active listening skills. This will teach you to focus on the words of the interlocutor.
With sufficient knowledge of the technology, the manager will be fully involved in the conversation. This means that the client will receive the attention that he deserves.
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Separately, it is worth noting the benefits of active listening for the company. Its use helps to better understand the needs of the client. Individual techniques are recommended at certain stages of sales.
- Open questions. Demonstrate interest and allow you to get a large array of information from the client. They begin with question words and suggest a detailed answer. Example: “How do you feel about …?”. Thus, you will get a more detailed idea of the preferences of the buyer and improve the efficiency of processing the application by the sales department.
- Clarification. Gives detailed information on a specific issue. It looks like a repetition of the words of the interlocutor. You should listen to the client, and repeat what was said with interrogative intonation. Example: “You talked about … Can I find out more about this?”
- Rephrasing. Helps to verify the understanding of the words of the interlocutor. It consists of the fact that after pronouncing the phrase by the client; the manager repeats it, but in his own words. Not quoted. The task is to repeat what was said so that the interlocutor continues to explain his position. Example: “That is, in other words ...”.
Communication in a Hurry
If managers set unattainable goals, then they have to rush. Focus shifts from quality to quantity. With a lack of time, the manager does not have time to figure out the details. The situation is scanned superficially. The client does not receive an attentive attitude and a quality solution to the problem. To avoid this, make your goals achievable.
For the same reason, managers often lose their attention and can correspond with errors, which negatively affects the impression of the company and can distort the meaning of messages. To avoid this, it is better to use special term paper services or spell-checking tools such as Grammarly. They will provide competent proofreading and find typos.
Hasty decisions
Sometimes, during a conversation with another person, an internal dialogue arises that predicts the conversation. This is bad. Having created some assumptions about the development of the dialogue, the manager may not notice any details.
In communication, objectivity is important. Good service requires balancing the manager between engagement and composure. Then the specialist will carefully listen to the interlocutor and rationally assess the situation. The client will receive a clear plan for solving the problem.
Some things should be the same. In the case of service, this guarantees a predictable and consistent quality. If each manager provides customers with the same information, then an understanding of company policy appears. The client makes an idea of the product and its use.
The role of the team leader is important in this. Appropriate management provides the clarity that managers provide to customers.
They say treat others the way you want to be treated. But is this rule so good? People, their needs, and preferences are different. Someone wants to be briefly described how to solve the problem, saving time and effort. Another person may want a detailed and consistent explanation of what happened. The former is annoyed by lengthy conversations, and the latter may complain about the manager’s indifference.
Therefore, it is important to remember that people are different. Their preferences and communication styles are different. Ph.D. Tony Alessandra developed the Platinum rule of communication. According to him, people should be treated the way they want to be treated. Tony identified 4 communication styles:
- relator,
- thinker,
- director,
- socializer.
Relators
Relations between people are highly appreciated. They are sincere in communication, patient, and loyal. They are excellent team players as they are ready to share responsibilities. Carefully plan and dislike risk. They value sincerity, balance, and reliability.
In communicating with such clients, it is worthwhile to show interest not only in the results of work but also in the individual. Try to build a warm relationship. It is important to maintain hospitality, warmth, and predictability in actions. Relators value keeping promises. If the client has fears and concerns, then they can be eliminated by explaining the benefits of change for him and others.
Thinkers
They prefer an analytical style of communication, the purpose of which is to solve the problem. They are methodical, attentive to details and leisurely. Before making a decision, everything is carefully weighed.
In communication with the thinker, minimize the duration of the conversation. Give accurate answers and operate with numbers. A written record of key information is welcome. It is important to provide sufficient time and free space for thoughtful decision-making by the client. Thinkers value keeping promises.
Director
Is a manager. Therefore, communication is based on two goals: control and achievement. The directors are purposeful and quick. They are focused on achieving the desired end result, which is why they sometimes seem impatient. However, such insensitivity helps teams quickly to achieve their goals, making the director a great leader.
They value clarity, conciseness, and accuracy in communication. Therefore skip the small talk. Get down to business right away.
You should be well prepared for the conversation in order to propose a solution to the problem quickly, highlighting the key points of the process. Take an interest in client goals. Decisions must be consistent with them and clearly described in terms of costs and benefits. Confirm your performance with accurate data and cases.
Socializer
These are funny, charismatic, and energetic people. They have well-developed communication skills and sell great ideas.
Enthusiasm and charm provide them with influence. However, the socializer prefers to listen to intuition, because of which it can make impulsive decisions without checking the data. Have a short attention span.
The manager should build relationships with the client and talk not only on business. Socializer appreciates a fun atmosphere, innovation, and diversity. For quality service, check the information. The client will not do this. Make lists of priorities and responsibilities, identifying who, what, and when does. Better to record. When making sentences, avoid boring information.
Conclusions
Every successful business pays special attention to working with clients. The degree of customer satisfaction directly affects the company’s profit. Therefore, if you want to succeed, focus on building long-term relationships, and avoid misunderstandings. Use the guidelines above to anticipate potential problems.