Developing empathy — Reading a great work of literature — or watching a film or play — allows us to temporarily step out of our own lives and fully immerse ourselves in another person’s experience. The team at the Morristown Festival of Books has prepared a comprehensive document with everything you need to start and lead a book group.
Word choice, the subtle influencer in customer communications — This month, Micah Solomon discusses how to create a meaningful lexicon for any organization. Read the archive article, "Does your service language meet customer's needs?"
Honing your vocal skills for better customer communication — Kate Peters, founder of Vocal Impact and author of Can You Hear Me Now? suggests discussing the impact of “vocal fatigue” with frontline reps. This can be a real problem for people who use their voices constantly. Read Peters’ blog post, Help for Tired Voices: The 5 Habits of a Healthy Voice.
Close the feedback loop — For information on how to engage reps in collecting customer feedback, read the article, Use your frontline reps to gather customer intelligence.
A reminder to pause — Author Nance Guilmartin discusses when, and why, it can be helpful to slow down, take a deep breath, and pause.
Work regular team-building activities into your staff development and training routine — In an article from our archives, learn how to include team-building in your staff routine and see Brian Cole Miller’s team exercise, “The Buttermilk Line.”
Try these techniques to boost energy and stay positive at work — In an article from our archives, Jon Gordon offers suggestions for fine tuning the interview process with positivity in mind.
Overcoming common obstacles to telephone communication — A modern, zoned service center layout can play an important role in reducing distractions. Office furniture manufacturer Herman Miller, has researched office design in many fields including call centers. See the recommendations in the white paper, People-Focused Contact Centers.
Strategies for improving cooperation with other departments — Job shadowing is a powerful tool for breaking down barriers and developing positive relationships between individuals and departments. To learn more about job shadowing, see Manchester Metropolitan University’s excellent Job Shadowing Guidelines.
Tips for error-free email — “Write once, read twice” is classic and very good advice for error-free email. Click here for a handy email review checklist.
