Non-verbal Communication Quote – Robert W. Lucas

Non-verbal Communication Quote – Robert W. Lucas

Customer service representatives are often the first people with whom a current or potential customer comes into contact when reaching out to an organization. Their role is to quickly and professionally use their customer service skills to assist in resolving issues or concerns or providing products and services that they are seeking. Communicating effectively with customers is the only means of gathering information from them that will allow a customer service representative to address and satisfy their needs, wants and expectations.

While verbal communication is a powerful tool for gaining customer input, their nonverbal messages often overshadow what they say and send their true emotional meaning of feelings in a give situation. If you learn to read these cues, you will often be able to more accurately deliver the best customer service possible.

Your non-verbal communication cues—the way you listen, look, move, and react—tell the person you’re communicating with whether or not you care, if you’re being truthful, and how well you’re listening. When your non-verbal signals match up with the words you’re saying, they increase trust, clarity, and rapport.

Here are some quick ways to improve your non-verbal communication asap:

  • Avoid slouching 24/7
  • Steer clear of nervous laughter when the message is serious
  • Display some animation with your hands and facial expressions to project a dynamic presence.
  • Eliminate fidgeting during a meeting
  • Establish frequent eye contact but never use a piercing stare
  • Focus on the conversation.
  • Introduce yourself with a smile
  • Offer a firm handshake
  • Listen carefully
  • Never interrupt the other speaker in a conversation

For more ideas and strategies on how to effectively read and sent non-verbal messages, get copies of Customer Service Skills for Success: Delivering Stellar Customer Service Across Cultures and Customer Service Skills for Success.

About Robert W. Lucas

Bob Lucas has been a trainer, presenter, customer service expert, and adult educator for over four decades. He has written hundreds of articles on training, writing, self-publishing, and workplace learning skills and issues. He is also an award-winning author who has written thirty-seven books on topics such as, writing, relationships, customer service, brain-based learning, and creative training strategies, interpersonal communication, diversity, and supervisory skills. Additionally, he has contributed articles, chapters, and activities to eighteen compilation books. Bob retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1991 after twenty-two years of active and reserve service.

Positive Impressions Help To Build Customer Relationships

Positive Impressions Help To Build Customer Relationships

Customers often judge an organization aPositive Personal Impressions Help When Building Customer Relationshipsnd the people who work for it based on the first impressions made by front line employees with whom they come into contact face-to-face or via technology.

It is crucial that you and those who serve customers take time to prepare for customer encounters and to prepare yourself to send positive messages through your appearance, voice and nonverbal cues. This will help in building strong customer relationships that can lead to increased customer satisfaction and customer retention.

Here are 5 good positive body gestures:

  1. Relax your shoulders to avoid looking tense
  2. Be pleasant and friendly
  3. Make good and strong eye contact when talking to people
  4. Lean forward slightly to get engaged in a conversation
  5. Share your body between both feet

To learn more about making positive impressions on current and potential customers, get copies of Customer Service Skills for Success and Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service Across Cultures.

About Robert W. Lucas

Bob Lucas has been a trainer, presenter, customer service expert, and adult educator for over four decades. He has written hundreds of articles on training, writing, self-publishing, and workplace learning skills and issues. He is also an award-winning author who has written thirty-seven books on topics such as, writing, relationships, customer service, brain-based learning, and creative training strategies, interpersonal communication, diversity, and supervisory skills. Additionally, he has contributed articles, chapters, and activities to eighteen compilation books. Bob retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1991 after twenty-two years of active and reserve service.

Improving Customer Service With Active Listening Skills

Imrpoving Customer Service With Active Listening SkillsImproving Customer Service With Active Listening Skills

Delivering excellent customer service to your internal and external customers requires strong interpersonal communication skills, especially in the area of listening.

  • Listening effectively is the primary means that many customer service representatives use during communication to determine the needs of their customers. Many times, these needs are not communicated to you directly but through inferences, indirect comments, or nonverbal signals. A skilled listener will pick up on a customer’s words and these cues or nuances and, then conduct follow-up questioning or probe deeper to determine the real need.
  • Most employees take listening skills for granted in a customer service environment. They incorrectly assume that anyone can listen effectively. Unfortunately, this is untrue. This is why many employees who deal with customers are complacent about listening and only go through the motions of listening.
  • True listening is an active learned process, as opposed to hearing, which is the physical action of gathering sound waves through the ear canal. When you listen actively, you go through a process consisting of various phases …. hearing or receiving the message, attending, comprehending or assigning meaning, and responding.
  • For information and strategies for developing and using effective listening skills and what you can do to more effectively interact with your customers, get a copy of Customer Service Skills for Success.

Quote On Communicating Through Body Language – Harvey Wolter

Quote About Communicating Through Body Language - Harvey Wolter

Quote On Communicating Through Body Language – Harvey Wolter

Learning to read body language (nonverbal communication) is a crucial customer service skill since the majority of the sender’s meaning in a conversation comes from the non-verbal cues that they send along with their verbal communication.

Famous Harvey Wolter Quotes

  • “You can tell a lot by someone’s body language.”
  • “It really gets your blood going in the morning.”
  • “I never take anything personally. If they don’t respond, I figure it’s because of what’s going on in their own life; they’re preoccupied. I just try to help them with what I can.”
  • “You get to know them, and all about their family, their aches and pains. Sometimes you laugh with them, sometimes you cry with them.”

For additional thought and strategies on using and reading nonverbal communication when dealing with customers, get copies of Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service Across Cultures and Customer Service Skills for Success.

About Robert W. Lucas

Bob Lucas has been a trainer, presenter, customer service expert, and adult educator for over four decades. He has written hundreds of articles on training, writing, self-publishing, and workplace learning skills and issues. He is also an award-winning author who has written thirty-seven books on topics such as, writing, relationships, customer service, brain-based learning, and creative training strategies, interpersonal communication, diversity, and supervisory skills. Additionally, he has contributed articles, chapters, and activities to eighteen compilation books. Bob retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1991 after twenty-two years of active and reserve service.

Strengthening Customer Relationships With Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication Skills

Strengthening Customer Relationships Through Strong Verbal and Non Verbal Communication Skills

Strengthening Customer Relationships

Strong Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication Skills Can Make the Difference!

We live in an era in which people from all over the world come together in various situations throughout any given day. They bring with them individual experiences, education levels, cultural and personal backgrounds, preferences, opinions, and perspectives. Any or all of these elements can impact the way they approach and receive others or the manner in which they communicate.

An old adage goes: It is not what you say, but how you say it that counts. Nothing can be truer than when you are dealing with customers from diverse backgrounds. For this reason, customer service representatives should always take their time to “read” their customers and think of their response (verbally and non verbally) before jumping into any situation where verbal and non-verbal messages communication might be misinterpreted.

Likely, the last thing that a customer service representative, or another employee from an organization, wants to do is falter in their efforts of building customer relationships.

To help reduce the potential of a customer-provider relationship breakdown; service providers should focus on building and practicing their positive communication skills (e.g. smiling, paying compliments, using open body movements and gestures and finding things to agree with when interacting with their customers).

For ideas on how to more effectively communicate verbally and non verbally in order to improve customer loyalty and enhance customer retention, get copies of my books: Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service Across Cultures, Customer Service Skills for Success, and How to Be a Great Call Center Representative.

About Robert W. Lucas

Robert ‘Bob’ Lucas has been a trainer, presenter, customer service expert, and adult educator for over four decades. He has written hundreds of articles on training, writing, self-publishing, and workplace learning skills and issues. He is also an award-winning author who has written thirty-seven books on topics such as, writing, relationships, customer service, brain-based learning, and creative training strategies, interpersonal communication, diversity, and supervisory skills. Additionally, he has contributed articles, chapters, and activities to eighteen compilation books. Bob retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1991 after twenty-two years of active and reserve service.

POSITIVE Global Customer Service Model

POSITIVE Global Customer Service Model – Serving Diverse Customers

The following acronym (POSITIVE) provides some strategies for creating or contributing to a positive global service environment and building strong relationships with your customers. It provides a model to move you from good customer service to the best customer service possible.

Put your best foot forward. Maintain a positive approach to situations involving customers, smile frequently, and have a “can-do” attitude. When dealing with customers and potential customers, never forget that they are your reason for employment.

Offer whatever level of assistance possible. In addressing customer needs and wants, go out of your way to uncover and resolve problems and to build a strong customer-provider relationship.

Stay abreast of current industry trends and strategies for delivering quality customer service. By upgrading your knowledge and skills regularly, you will be prepared to address any type of customer situation.

Identify true customer needs by listening to proactively. You have two ears and one mouth. Use them accordingly.

Take the time to get to know more about your customers. The more you know, the better you can provide quality service.

Invite your customers to open up and share information. Ask open-ended questions (e.g. Who, What, When, How, Why, and To What Extent) that typically lead to more detailed responses from others.

Verify understanding. When a customer provides information, ensure that you heard and understood it correctly before responding. Use closed-ended (typically start with an action verb) to gather this information.

Engage in relationship-building strategies immediately. Use strong interpersonal communication skills. Start with a smile (on your face and in your voice and words) and a professional greeting when meeting customers face-to-face, over the telephone or in an email. If something goes wrong, immediately start on a course of service recovery with a sincere apology and taking steps to “make the customer whole” again with any appropriate compensation.

Source: Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service across Cultures, Lucas. R.W., McGraw-Hill Professional, New York, NY (2011).
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Bob Lucas B.S., M.A., M.A, CPLP is principal in Robert W. Lucas Enterprises, Inc and an internationally-known author and learning and performance professional. He has written and contributed to thirty-one books and compilations. He regularly conducts creative training, train-the-trainer, customer service, interpersonal communication and management, and supervisory skills workshops. Learn more about Bob and his organization at www.robertwlucas.com and follow his blogs at www.robertwlucas.com/wordpress, www.customerserviceskillsbook.com, and www.thecreativetrainer.com. Like Bob at www.facebook.com/robertwlucasenterprises

231 Ways to Say I Love You…and Mean It by Robert W. Lucas

231 Ways to Say I Love You...and Mean It

231 Ways to Say I Love You…and Mean It by Robert W. Lucas

The latest book by Robert (Bob) W. Lucas 231 Ways to Say I Love You and Mean It is now available.

The book provides a convenient reference source and a reminder to anyone who is in love with another person and is looking for ways to add to or rekindle the excitement in their relationship. In it, you will find many easy-to-apply, practical and romantic strategies for letting your spouse or significant other know that you love, desire and appreciate him or her.

The format of the book is simple and straightforward with a listing of the 231 suggested love strategies arranged into seven relationship-related categories. At the end of the book, you will find a “My Plan for Love” worksheet for capturing your own ideas for giving “love messages” on any given day. There are also dozens of useful resources listed at the end of the book to supplement the ideas and information you will read in 231 Ways to Say I Love You.

Readers will also find quotes related to love and relationships. These are thought-provoking and can be copied on notes or napkins to provide periodic messages of love to a spouse or significant other.

This is the perfect gift for a spouse or significant other, Christmas stocking stuffer, Valentine’s Day, wedding, bridal shower or special occasion gifts, or for use in training and counseling couples.

Following are some advance reader comments about 231 Ways to Say I Love You:

“I just completed reading the newest publication of Robert W Lucas and I highly recommend it. It is good for couples dating, newlyweds, and those celebrating 30, 40, 50 and 60 years married. The message is loud and clear — COMMUNICATION. The great thing about this resource is that you can use it, share it, and make your own list of your ways to get to know your partner better and for making love a priority again.” Barbara Tanzer, Co-Founder of TBSTravel

“This book works well for all ages.  I’ve been married 57 years and I found new strategies to make our lives together more memorable.  There are so many unique ideas that are easy to implement.  It is obvious the author has common sense flavored by his experiences and creativity.  Consider this book as a gift for your next bridal shower, a surprise for a good friend and most of all as a resource to expand your personal relationship with your loved one.” Sylvia Foy, Retired Human Resource Executive

“Love is one of the great emotions of humanity.  Unfortunately, the challenges of daily life can erode deep feelings and hope that only love can bring.  Bob’s book provides simple yet powerful ways of keeping your love of life, of your partner, of your friends fresh and alive.  I recommend them all – and so will you!”  Lou Coenen

This unique publication provides a convenient reference source and a reminder to anyone who is in love with another person and is looking for ways to add to or rekindle the excitement in their relationship. In it you will find many easy-to-apply, practical and romantic strategies for letting your spouse or significant other know that you love, desire and appreciate him or her. In addition to 231 creative strategies for enhancing any relationship, you will find a bibliography of books related to tips in the books, websites for all major cruise lines, lists and other checklists that can be used to encourage communication with a loved one.

To get more information about the book or to order visit http://www.231waystosayiloveyou.com.

Perceptions of Time Can Impact Customer Relationships

Perceptions of Time Can Impact Customer Relationships

Perceptions of Time Can Impact Customer Relationships

Perceptions of time can impact customer relationships. An understanding of the concept and value of time differences between individuals is crucial for any employee since they are likely to interact with people from other cultures periodically.

By recognizing that customers from diverse backgrounds may not view punctuality or tardiness from the same perspective as you, the potential for a more positive relationship between you and them is possible.  For example, if you are looking forward to a vacation or other special event time may often seem to drag on. On the other hand, if you are in a hurry or are late for a customer meeting, time might seem to fly. These feelings may not be true for someone else. In the latter situation, you may feel greater pressure or feel stressed while someone from a culture where time is viewed as less important (e.g. Hispanic or Middle Eastern) may not have the same reaction.

Often the situation or the people involved in a given interpersonal scenario will dictate how someone perceives time. For example, many college students in the United States go by an unwritten standard that if their professor is late, they should wait a given period of time before leaving or assuming that a class is canceled. If the teacher has full professorial (tenured) status, they might wait fifteen minutes before leaving. If the instructor is an adjunct or associate professor (non-tenured), they might only wait ten minutes. In the workplace, you are wise to wait for at least fifteen to thirty minutes or so and then verify the cancellation of a meeting if you are scheduled to meet with a customer or a member of senior management.

The manner in which someone uses or addresses time often differs for various reasons. For example, some individuals grew up in a household or cultural environment where one or both of their parents or other caregivers had a lackadaisical attitude toward time and were often late. If this was the case in your home environment, the chances are that you may not be as punctual as someone who learned early on that being on time for meeting commitments was an important personal value. Depending on the situation and other people involved, this may or may not be an issue. In some cultures being late by as much as an hour is acceptable. The higher a person’s status, the longer you might have to wait for them. In the United States and other monochronic societies, five to ten minutes is an acceptable wait time if someone is late, unless they are high ranking in an organization, government or military. The logic in such cases is that because of the demands on their time and the level of decisions in which they are typically involved, senior-level people are more likely to be detained or called into unscheduled meetings or telephone calls which might cause tardiness.

The concept and value of time differ between individuals. By understanding that customers from diverse backgrounds may not view punctuality or tardiness from the same perspective as you, the potential for a more positive relationship between you and them exists. For example, if you are looking forward to a vacation or other special event time may often seem to drag on. On the other hand, if you are in a hurry or are late for a customer meeting, time might seem to fly. In the latter situation, you are likely to feel greater pressure or feel stressed. Even so, someone from a culture where time is viewed as less important (e.g. Hispanic or Middle Eastern) may not have the same reaction.

The bottom line in customer service is that you should always conduct yourself in a professional manner. This includes punctuality, following through on commitments and working to show your customers that you value and respect them. Effective time management should be part of your persona. Educate yourself on the traditions and values of customers from around the world and act accordingly when dealing with people from different cultures. This can lead to enhanced customer retention and satisfaction.

The information in this article is derived from Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service Across Cultures. For additional information on interacting with customers from various backgrounds and hundreds of ideas on ways to enhance your customer service relationships, get a copy of the book.

Encouraging Customer Loyalty Can Result in Increased Customer Retention

Encouraging Customer Loyalty Can Result in Increased Customer Retention

Encouraging Customer Loyalty

Can Result in Increased Customer Retention

If you are a customer service representative, one of your key roles is to help create a customer-centric environment designed to identify and meet customer expectations. To accomplish this, you must ensure that you continue to enhance your knowledge of the organization’s products and services. You must also continually hone your customer service skills in order to communicate, negotiate, and serve customers while you deliver excellent customer service.

To get hundreds of ideas and strategies on how to create a positive customer service environment that can aid in achieving customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention, get a copy of Customer Service Skills for Success.

Strong Customer Relations Result From Excellent Customer Service

Strong Customer Relations Result From Excellent Customer

Strong Customer Relations Result From Excellent Customer Service

Providing excellent customer service should be the goal of everyone in your organization, not just front line customer service representatives. Ultimately, customer satisfaction and customer retention are about how well you care about your job and the quality of customer service you provide. By working closely with your customers to build and maintain strong customer relations with them, you not only have an opportunity to meet but also exceed their needs, wants and expectations.

 

To sum all this up, it comes down to possessing strong product knowledge and customer service skills and applying both anytime you come into contact with an internal or external customer.

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