Web Extras – Customer Communicator

Sail through the holiday season — Kathy Gruver, the author of Conquer Your Stress with Mind/Body Techniques presents a brief video on conquering stress.

Download an “I am at peace” reminder card.

Keep political talk low key — To avoid politics at workplace gatherings, try Conversation Cards. Available in many formats, these popular conversation starters include well-worded questions to spark a conversation and encourage people to learn more about each other.

Recognize coworkers — During Customer Service Week, readers may recognize coworkers by sending eCards featuring the Customer Service Week theme, “Excellence Happens Here.”

Eliminate ageism — September is Healthy Aging Month, a time to focus on positive aging and serving customers at all stages of life. The following resources will help:

• Improve your service to older customers

• 10 Tips for rejuvenation during Healthy Aging Month

Relax in one, two, or three minutes — August 15 is known as Relaxation Day, so this month we bring you three relaxation techniques from Harvard Health Publishing.

Stamp out poor posture — By making minor adjustments OSHA says anyone can find their neutral position for working with a keyboard. Print, cut, and share this helpful graphic.

Celebrating the telephone — In July 1875 inventor Alexander Graham Bell made the first telephone call. To celebrate, here are five essential phone skills that all service providers must master.

Reduce eye strain with the 20-20-20 rule — The American Optometric Association recommends the 20-20-20 rule to guard against eye strain. Print, cut, and share this helpful graphic. 

The benefits of teamwork — Becoming a cohesive, high-performing team that motivates and supports each other helps everyone to perform at a higher level overall and provides a more positive customer experience. Here’s how.

Back to basics with voicemail — It’s always timely to brush up on basic communication skills. Here are tips on using voicemail effectively.

The “Little Tramp” reminds us to smile — Humor can be useful during interactions with customers because it helps to diffuse anger and initiate problem solving. But, be sure to avoid the Four Nots of humor.

Keep a positive attitude! — A positive attitude helps to reduce stress and to build customer relationships. Here are some ways to keep that positive energy going.