Soft Skills - Presentation

Topics Covered

 Objectives of Training
 Communications Skills
 Listening Skills
 Probing Skills
 Telephone Etiquettes
 Customer Service
 Handling Customer Complaints
 OBJECTIVES

 Improve our communication skills

 Develop our soft skills
 Work on our customer handling skills
 Work on our call handling skills
 Improve our telephone etiquettes
 Understand the importance of “Good Customer
Service”
 Understanding all aspects of an inbound call
 Communication Skills

 Communication skills are the set of skills that

enables a person to convey information so that it is
received and understood.

 Communication skills are the ability to use language

(receptive) and express (expressive) information.
Communication Cycle
 Communication Cycle

Key Definitions
Sender : A person who has information to convey.

Message : The information to be transmitted.

Receiver :The person to whom the information is sent.

Response : An appropriate response (message) sent back to the

sender
 Modes of Communication
 Written

 Spoken

 Physical Gestures
 Barriers To Communication
 Physical barriers: Distractions like background noise, poor lighting or
an environment which is too hot or cold can all affect people's morale
and concentration.
 Technological barriers: Problem with the computer or inadequate
information.
 Psychological factors: People’s state of mind.
 Language barriers: Different people speak different languages.
 Linguistic ability: It includes grammar and pronunciation.
 Physiological barriers: Ill health, poor eye sight or hearing difficulties.
 Attitudinal barriers: Lack of motivation or dissatisfaction at work,
brought about by insufficient training to enable them to carry out
particular tasks, or just resistance to change due to entrenched
attitudes and ideas.
 Its Importance

 We can measure the importance of communication skills in

the business sector when we take a look at job
advertisements.

 Without effective communication skills, a person may find it

impossible to climb up the corporate ladder. Promotions
come to those who can communicate effectively at all levels,
from senior management level to the lowest employee.

 Good relationship can only be maintained by maintaining

healthy communication with our near and dear ones.

 Good communication will avoid arguments and insults.

 Features
 Speech Clarity: Speaking clearly
 Politeness: Courteous and Polite Tone
 Rate Of Speech: The speed at which one speaks
 Energy / Enthusiasm: Should not sound dull
 Fillers / Foghorns: Words/sounds in the conversation that mean
nothing.
 Acknowledgement: Verbal and non verbal nods.
 Modulation: Questions rise and statements fall.
 Intonation: Stressing the right word.
 Grammar and Pronunciation: Using the right grammar and
pronunciation.
 Few Tips

 Practice jaw exercises to enhance clarity of speech.

 Try tongue twisters.
 Have a conversation with yourself in front of the mirror.
 Listen actively to the speaker.
 Use multiple techniques to fully comprehend (ask, repeat,
rephrase, etc.)
 Respond in an interested way that shows you understand the
problem and the customer’s concern.
 Acknowledge what was said.
 Don't react to emotional words, but interpret their purpose
 Make sure you comprehend before you judge; ask questions .
 Listening Skills

The art of hearing,

understanding and judging.
 Hearing and Listening

Hearing:
 Hearing is a physical capability.
 It may or may not involve your
attention.

Listening:
 Listening is an intellectual ability.

 It would always involve your

attention.
 Barriers To Listening

 Environmental: Background noise.

 Technical: Network problem or headset issues. Out of your control

 Accent / Language: Different language or

unfamiliar accent.
 State of mind: Worry, fear or anger;
Within your Control
 Lack of attention span: Not paying attention.
 Few Tips
 Give your full attention to the person who is speaking. Don't
look out the of window or at what else is going on in the bay.
 Make sure your mind is focused, too. It can be easy to let your
mind wander if you think you know what the person is going to
say next, but you might be wrong!
 Let the speaker finish before you begin to talk. Speakers
appreciate having the chance to say everything they would like
to say without being interrupted.
 Listen for the main ideas. The main ideas are the most
important points the speaker wants to get across.
 Ask questions. If you are not sure you understand what the
speaker has said, just ask.
 Probing Skills

The art of asking relevant

questions to get the desired
information.
 It Includes
Open Ended Questions:
 These questions would always detailed answers.

 E.g. Tell me something about yourself?

 E.g. Tell me something about the last book you have read?

Closed Ended Questions:

 These questions would always have a “YES” or a “NO” or one word
answer.
 E.g. Have you worked anywhere before?

 E.g.: Are you married?

 Paraphrasing & Rephrasing
Paraphrasing:

 This means summarizing what has been said or done.

 This is done at the start of the call and just before the closure of the call.
 This is done to check if the speaker and the listener are on the same page.

Rephrasing:

 This means repeating the same sentence using different and simpler words.
 This is done to make the entire information simpler for the customer.
 This helps in resolving confusions.
 Its Importance
 Avoid Repetitions: If you listen carefully you would seldom ask the
customer to repeat.

 Reduce AHT: Asking the right questions will help reduce the Average
Handling Time.

 Avoid Customer Irritation: If you listen carefully you would not ask the
customer to repeat the information, hence avoid customer irritation.

 Save Time: Active listening and correct probing would save your and the
customers time.

 Quick Resolution: Following all the above discussed points would help in
quick resolution.
 Telephone Etiquettes
 Whether interacting personally or
over the telephone, professional
telephone etiquettes come in
handy when it comes to making
the right first impression.

Your tone of voice, self

confidence, communication skills -
all contribute in making your
telephone conversations
professional, courteous and able
to make an impact
 Its Importance
 Practicing good business phone etiquette helps encourage
clear lines of communication, build rapport and avoid
misunderstandings.

 When a person contacts a business and they don’t use proper

telephone etiquette, the business will most likely loose
customers.

 To avoid offending and angering the customer on the phone.

 To build good image about the company.

 To sound professional on the call.

 Features
Call Opening

 Should be energetic and enthusiastic

 Should be clear
 Should be pleasant.
Hold Procedure

 Ask for PERMISSION

 Give the REASON
 Give the DURATION
 Say THANK YOU once the customer gives you the permission.
 Get back to the customer within the promised time.
 Inform the customer if the hold time would exceed.
 Features
Mute Procedure:
 This is used to clear the throat, cough or sneeze.
 The maximum duration is 30 seconds of mute.
 Always avoid placing the call on mute.
 If the call is on mute do not remove the headset and leave the workstation .
Personalization :
 Helps in rapport building
 Title should not be used with the first name.
 Mr. Ravindra
 Mr. Mehta
 Take the customers permission before you address them by their first name.
 Do not address customers with Mr. Mrs., Miss if their title is Dr., Prof., Lt.
 Continued…
Apology:
 Apologize to the customer for the inconvenience caused.
 An apology should always be supported by an apologetic tone.
 Apology is not just about saying sorry.

Empathy :
 Empathy is different to sympathy.
 Empathy is professional and sympathy is personal.
 When you empathize you apologize and when you sympathize you say
sorry.
 In order to empathize you need to put yourself in the customer’s shoes.
 Empathy helps you to understand the customer’s state of mind.

Call Closing :
 Should not be rushed.
 Before you close the call, summarize and ask for further assistance.
 Call closing should be pleasant and cheerful
 Few Tips
 If possible, answer promptly - a prompt reply helps get the call of
to a good start .
 Smile when you pick up the phone - the caller can hear it in your
voice.
 Be aware of the pace of your speech - speak at a reading pace, use
punctuation and speak clearly
 Use courteous words and phrases: “May I …”.
 Be positive! Say what you can do, not what you can’t’
 Accept responsibility for dealing with the call and carry it through.
 Personalize the call.
 Follow the Hold and Mute procedure
 Summarize the action to be taken
 Customer Service

 Customer: A person, company, or

other entity which buys goods,
packages and services produced
by another person, company, or
other entity.

 Service: An act or a variety of

work done for others, especially
for pay.
 Definition

 Customer Service is an
organization's ability to
supply their customer’s
wants and needs.
 Good Customer Service
 Customer Service means exceeding their expectations.
When you EXCEED than expectation, then you have
added the "WOW" factor. When customer reacts :-
WOW, I didn't expect that" or "that was beyond what I
expected". Then they are more likely to CHOOSE you as
their "provider of choice".
 To treat the customer the way you would like to be
treated.
 Customer service is costumer satisfaction
 Importance of Good Customer Service
 To sustain the competition, the firms that are winners at the
market place have to show vision, persistence and obsession to
benefit the customers.
 Companies lose their place in the market when they ignore the
customers'' needs and do not show any distinctive competence or
unique capability.
 Differences in the value of competitors, provided to the consumer,
are based on differences in skills and resources and business
systems.
 The customer is very sensitive about differences of functional and
emotional benefits.
 Value is created by providing a benefit, solving a problem, meeting
a need or helping a customer. A company that can provide greater
benefit to a customer is the winner at the market place.
 Types of Customers

HAPPY CUSTOMER UNHAPPY CUSTOMER ANGRY CUSTOMER PASSIVE CUSTOMER

TALKATIVE CUSTOMER CONFUSED CUSTOMER Mr. KNOW ALL

Handling Different Types of Customers
Happy Customers
 Be pleasant

 Try and build rapport with them

 Work towards delighting the customer

Unhappy Customers
 Empathize with the customer

 Apologize wherever required

 Resolve the query as soon as possible

 Work towards providing him a WOW call experience

Angry Customers
 Empathize with the customer

 Be extremely polite and patient with them

 Resolve the query as soon as possible

 Continued…
Talkative Customers
 Listen attentively, look for the main idea
 Politely interrupt if required
 Resolve the query ASAP
Confused Customers
 Be patient
 Do not rush through the instructions
 Speech should be clear
 Stress on the important words.
Mr. Know All
 Be extremely professional
 Sound confident
 Be polite
 Handling Customer Complaints

Offer the
Apologize Customer Take Ownership
Empathize- alternatives : and Resolve the
Show that you It puts the Customer’s
Probing understand Customer at ease. Whether you are able
Customer’s
Concern. In case
Listen to offer the Customer
to the In case more feelings We shouldn’t what they exactly you don’t have an
customer information hesitate to own up want or Not. answer. Find it and
has to say, is required. Reassure- to our mistakes Always offer revert.
Ask Assure that you and offer alternatives. It makes
and let questions will resolve the an apology the Customer feel in
them finish issue charge.
 Any
Questions??