Chapter 5

LISTENING TO THE CUSTOMER

WHY IS LISTENING SO IMPORTANT?

y Listening effectively is the primary means to CS

y y y y y

professional use to determine the needs of their 2 customers Needs- whatever the customers wants or expects you to provide These needs are not communicated directly-through inferences, indirect comments, nonverbal signal Skill listener-pick up cues and conduct follow up Untrue- anyone can listen effectively Father of listening- 25% efficiency rate when listening; 75% message is lost

WHAT IS LISTENING?
y y y

Primary means of gathering info from customer or other person 3 True listening-active learned process When listen actively- go through a process consisting of various phases
1. 2. 3. 4.

Hearing or receiving message Attending Comprehending or assigning meaning Responding

The Listening Process

Attending (2)

Hearing (1)

Comprehending (3)

Responding (4)

Hearing
y Passive physiological process of receiving sound

waves and transmitting them to brain (where they 5 are analyzed) y Simple process y External noise and internal distracter will make customer messages lost or distorted

Attending
y Brain goes to work focusing on-what has heard y In the process-it sorts out6everything being heard y Deciding whats important so can focus attention on

the proper sound y Extremely difficult when receiving multiple messages or sounds

Comprehending or Assigning Meaning

y Brain begins a process or comprehending to what

you heard 7 y Brains has files-sounds, sights, shapes, images, on various topics- it sorts through y It compares what was heard to what is stored

Responding
y Last phase in the listening process y The words select-the way deliver them y All have meaning
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y All affect the way others perceive and interpret

message

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD LISTENERS

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y Empathic y Understanding y Patient y Attentive y Objective

CAUSES OF LISTENING BREAKDOWN

y Personal obstacle  Biases  Psychological distracters  Physical condition  Circadian rhythm  Preoccupation  Hearing loss  Listening skill level  Thought speed  Faulty assumption
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y External obstacle  Information overload  Other people talking  Ringing phones 11  Speakerphones  Office and maintenance equipment  Physical barriers y Additional obstacle  Customer themselves can negatively affect communicationthrough their inability to convey a message

POOR LISTENING INDICATORS

y Customers seek others y You miss key details y You have to ask to repeat
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y Unsure of action required y Customers question your listening y Daydreaming / distraction y Miss nonverbal cues y Incorrectly answer questions

LISTENING STRATEGIES
y Stop talking y Prepare yourself to listen 13 y Listen actively y Send positive nonverbal cues y Do not argue y Take notes y Ask questions

INFORMATION GATHERING TECHNIQUES

y Open-ended questions y Closed-end questions
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OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
y Identify customer needs y Gather a lot of information 15 y Uncover background data y Uncover objectives y Give customer opportunity to speak

CLOSED-END QUESTIONS
y Verify information y Close an order y Gain agreement y Clarify information
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ADDITIONAL QUESTION GUIDELINES

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y Avoid criticism y Ask positive questions y Ask direct questions y Ask how you can serve

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END OF CHAPTER 5
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