The document discusses interpersonal communication techniques for customer care such as active listening, recognizing barriers to effective listening, and using positive body language like good eye contact and smiling. It also covers organizational requirements for customer service like policies, procedures, job sheets, and legislation that affects roles. Finally, it addresses customer satisfaction, feedback, and retention through loyalty programs, welcoming complaints, and offering a good product or service.

1. Customer Care in ICT
Jonathon Terry

2. Interpersonal Communication
Techniques
What is Interpersonal Communication?
It is the process by which people exchange information, feelings and meaning through verbal or non-
verbal messages.
It is not just about what is said, but how it is said and the non-verbal messages sent through tone of
voice, gestures, facial expressions and body language.
This chart shows the breakdowns of Total Communication. Just
7% of communication is made up of the words that you say, 38%
is the tone of voice you use and 55% is body language, gestures
and facial expressions.
It is important to remember this when dealing with customers in
the work place. In general, the body language used for customer
service interactions should be respectful and accommodating of
the customer.

3. Listening to Customers
Attentive listening – This means thinking and acting in ways that connect you with the speaker. It is
the difference between hearing and listening.
Active listening – This happens naturally when we are very interested in what someone is saying. It
is most often used to improve personal relationships, reduce misunderstanding and conflicts,
strengthen cooperation, and foster understanding. To understand the customers needs, it is
important to listen actively.

4. How does someone know you’re
listening ‘Actively’?
There are certain signs you need to look out for to know if
someone is listening ‘actively’ –
Are they paying attention? – they should be looking directly
at the speaker and observing their body language.
Showing signs of listening – body language should also be
shown from the listener. For example, nodding occasionally
and smiling.
Are they responding appropriately? – Their response should
be relevant to the conversation and assert their opinions
respectively.

5. What can get in the way of effective
listening?
There are many barriers that can interfere with or get in the
way of effective listening. Some examples of these barriers
are –
Knowing the answer – this mean you think you already know
what the speaker is going to say so you stop listening.
Negative perceptions – this can be towards the speaker or the
topic of discussion. If you lack enthusiasm for either the
speaker or the subject matter, your ability to listen will be
hindered.

6. Body Language
Positive Negative
Good eye contact Crossing your arms
Nodding Slouching
Smiling Playing with hair
Relaxed shoulders Fidgeting

7. Organisational Requirements for
Customer Care
Customer service policies and procedures are created to ensure that companies treat customers as
best they can. A customer service policy is a written code of conduct for employees to utilise for
serving customers. A customer service procedure is a way of doing a routine practice.
Good complaint handling is an essential part of any business. Every complaint should be seen as a
way of improving the company and making sure the same mistake
isn’t made again.
Quality assurance procedures should be in place to make sure that
all staff deal with customers in a professional manner.
The organisational aims and objectives of a business should be
customers based. Some common business aims include, ‘to ensure
customer satisfaction’ and ‘increase offerings to new and existing clients..’

8. At PhoneLink…
Customer Service procedure What we do
An engineer will be given a job sheet with the description and details of
the job. On the job sheet will be a name and contact number for the
customer so you are able to liaise with them about the job.
Job Sheets Once the job is completed to the satisfaction of the customer, they are
then asked to sign and date the ‘Acceptance Details’ section. The
engineer will then write down the materials used for the job and what
exactly has been done, including the hours it has taken.
SLAs
If its a small problem that arises, then engineers tend to deal with it by
Escalation of problems or talking to the customers and finding the best way to resolve the
problem. If it is a more major issue, it will be past on to management
complaints and they will deal with it as they see right.

9. Legislation which affects my role
Legislation Effect on my Work
The Personal Protective When working on a building site, it is law that
Equipment at Work I should be wearing Personal Protective
Regulations 1992 Equipment (PPE)
The Health and Safety at This ensures the health and safety of all
Work etc Act 1974 employees in any work activity.
Manual handling. Manual
Handling Operations I have been given the relevant training and
Regulations 1992 equipment to lift heavy objects in the work
place.
The Control of Substances
Hazardous to Health I have to be aware of any substances that could be
hazardous to mine, or anybody else's health and
Regulations 2002
deal with them in the appropriate manner

10. Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction measures how well a company's products or services meet or exceed customer
expectations.
Customer Retention – ‘Customer Retention is the activity that a selling organization undertakes in order to
reduce customer defections’.
Some examples of how a business makes sure customers return are by keeping in frequent contact with
them. By building relationships with customers, it is more likely that they will return.
Businesses should also welcome complaints from customers. Complaints show you can improve your
product or service so that you can win over new customers.
Offering loyalty programs is also a good way of enticing customers in to repeat business . These can
include discounts or loyalty cards, eg, Tesco Clubcard. These give the customers a reason to return.
The most obvious strategy in to customer retention is to just do a good job. By offering the best
product or service to the customer, then they have no need to look elsewhere.

11. Customer Feedback
The more information you have from your customers, the better. There are several ways of gaining this
information. Some of these include...
Questionnaires and Surveys – If well conducted, this method is one of the best ways of finding out
what the customers want from a company. This is a type of Formal Feedback.
Asking Front-Line Staff – This tends to be the most reliable way of gaining customers feedback and
it is also the least costly. By asking staff, you can get direct feedback of important information on
improving customer care. This is a type of Anecdotal Feedback.
Use of Statistics – The most important information on whether a customer is happy with a
companies product or service is whether they continue to buy from or use the company.

12. Sources
http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveListening.ht
m
http://doctortyrone.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/the-4-
barriers-to-effective-listening/
http://www.wisebread.com/10-body-language-mistakes-
that-sabotage-most-interviews