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Remember, we hear only what we want to hear and remember only part of what we heard. Good listening can improve both the content and quality of what we hear and remember.
Concentration
Attention
Eye contact
Receptive Body Language
Understanding of Communication Symbols
Objective
Restating the message
Questioning/Clarifying
Empathy - not sympathy
Strategic Pauses
Don't Interject
Leave the Channel Open
You can not listen while you are talking
Philip Kotler the world renowned marketing guru said “Good salespeople remember that they are born with two ears and one mouth. This reminds them that they should be doing twice as much listening as talking. If you want to lose the sale, make a pitch to the customer.”
By the above definition, one should listen more and talk less irrespective of whether one is a customer service specialist or a salesman or not.
In daily life, one is neither a complete listener nor a talker. Interaction involves both listening and talking. When others speak one must attentively listen and not talk. The art of listening involves paying keen attention to what is being said rather than thinking about how to respond. In such scenario, one is not listening ! one is simply hearing!!
In the first few years of life, we're all taught to speak. In fact, it's an important developmental milestone, a sign that a child is developing normally. However, listening is an equally, if not more important skill that is often overlooked by parents, educators, and bosses. we were all taught to listen to our parents and to listen in school. However, few of us were taught good listening—the active, disciplined kind of listening that helps us examine and challenge the information we hear in order to improve its quality and quantity, and thereby improve our decision-making.
most people focus on learning how to communicate and how to present their own views more effectively. it's difficult to suppress one’s urge to speak more than listen, with practice and patience one can learn to control the urge and improve the quality and effectiveness of one’s dialogues . By practice and perseverance, everyone can become better listeners, and therefore better decision-makers.
So what makes a good listener? As with any competence – a mix of mind set, knowledge and behaviours.
Mindset – be open
You need to believe that the other person is worth listening to. You need to believe that your agenda and thoughts are less important than concentrating on the person talking to you. This needs control and focus. You need to consciously empty your mind of your own thoughts and priorities at that moment, listen for facts and feelings which are important for the person talking. As you hear yourself interpreting and judging what others are saying to you, switch off this mechanism and remain open minded, curious and deeply engaged. You need to force yourself to listen openly. Behaviour – listen in a way which is good for the other person
Hold back and give other people time to formulate their thoughts. Allow people time to speak and don’t be too quick to take your turn to talk. Support people to express their ideas with your behaviours with positive feedback, both verbal and non-verbal; though be aware that what is positive feedback for one person may irritate another. try and make it possible for others to talk to you by asking the right question. Knowledge – understand the person and the subject
You need to have patience and be a good listener who concentrates on what is being communicated and show that you are listening and understanding to what is being said, look at the issue from your interlocutor perspective and empathize.
Very fruitful ideas expressed by many.
Even the natue has blessed with two ears for more of listening and one tongue for less of speaking.
I would recommend the Golden Rule for Customer Service - (1) Respect the Customer; (2) Listen to his/her view, (3) try to understand the logical point coming from the customer; Once everything said and done by the Customer, then you give the feed back that makes it easier for both.
When speaking to a customer over the telephone; being responsive without interrupting the customer while he presents his problem is good practice. It conveys that you are concerned about the customers problem. Noting down the key points a customer is expressing while the customer is speaking will equip you to fully answer their questions afterwards.
Working in the technical helpdesk as a Qality Analyst I have to judge the listening skills of the techies. When a customer says my computer is a LEMON the actual problem may be the computer is unable to acess the internet and that in turn could be an issue with the ISP and not the computer. Even when a customer is trate you can get to the root of the problem only by listening to him and getting the inner meaning.
when I talk to customer especially when i was take his compliant i must be very intersting for him and redirect him immdiatly for the person that responses for resolving his matter
i work with his complaint that ia for me
If one lookafter marketing, he/she knew that how difficult to bring just one lead or customer. So anyone interacting with you for your services or product, whether first time or repeat, customer services as the name is must respect him. Listen to him, interact with him and respond or fulfill his/her queries.
Customer's Engagement while listening ,it will encompass being patient while listening, strategic pauses that are soaking off customer's tension, Eye contact if it's face to face talk, answers should reveal at least a partial solution to the problem, if not a complete one.
