The training program prior to the conduct of regular job activities include those key elements of communication which are applied regularly in day to day job activities. The key issues related to the communication process dealt in the training program are investigated from the opinions of the managers. All the three managers expressed more or less the same opinion regarding this issue. Hence the opinions of all the managers is consolidated and presented as below.
“A three day training program is conducted with the part-time international students employees to handle the customers in the desired manner characterised by empathy, kindliness, friendliness etc. In the first two days, a special certified trainer is appointed to clearly deliver and explain the key aspects of the communication process. In the first two days, a special CD is shown to these employees that highlight the key issues in handling the customers. The CD talks about issues like how to handle abusive customers, how to stay calm in customer service as a part of a good communication process and how to empathize with customers.
The CD demonstrates that the communication process of service employees should not match with the angry tone of the customers. Moreover, the CD suggests to the employees to concentrate more on what you can do rather than what you cannot do. The CD talks about empathy in detail which defines that empathy means a deeper understanding of customer’s problem by focusing on what customers have to say. This focus on others leads to a feeling of trust and reliability on the service employees which is a part of the effective communication process.
The aspect of staying calm in dealing with angry customers is dealt with in more detail where the stress is expressed through the tone of the service employees when the customer is angry. The employee can pacify the situation by maintaining a regular tone characterised by professionalism. This automatically helps in reducing the tone and anger of the customers thereby easing the situation. Moreover, the importance of courtesy should not be undermined. This is hallmark of good communication skills. To be courteous is to talk to the people the way you wanted to be talked to.
Another highlight of the effective communication process includes helpfulness. To be helpful, an employee should be resourceful enough to clear the doubts of customers so as to provide the required information needed by the customers. Another important aspect is to follow up. A good communicator follows up regularly with calls. If a service employee makes any promise that is to be fulfilled in the next visit during the negotiation process, he should not fail to keep up the promise. Else, it is not advisable to promise the customer.