ICT: Contact Center Services The aim of a Contact Center Services provider is  “My ideas are better than
 “My ideas are better than yours.”
Part VI - COMMUNICATE AND LISTEN
EFFECTIVELY
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Listening skills
Listening is different from hearing.
Hearing is an unconscious process. It is the act of
perceiving sound using the ear.
Listening, on the other hand, is a conscious process
that requires concentration so that one can process
the meaning of the words and sentences. It is one
of the most important skills a person can have.
Why is hearing not enough?
Why do we need to listen?
 We listen to gather information.
 We listen to understand others.
 We listen to be entertained.
 We listen to learn.
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Know more…
We listen almost every day of our lives.
Yet there are times when we do not listen as
effectively as possible.
This could be due to the barriers to communication
we have discussed on the previous lessons. Contact
Center Services provider must overcome these
barriers and become an effective listener.
to practice active listening at all times.  “I don’t really care what you think.”
 “Stop talking and listen to me.”
Active listening is not just listening to the words
one hears, but also entails trying to understand the Respond appropriately.
whole message sent. Always remember to be polite and
understanding when listening. Criticizing the other
The following are tips on how you can improve your party’s ideas will not help. Acknowledge his/her
listening skills and become an active listener. concerns and assert your opinions politely. More
so, be honest in your responses.
Pay attention.
When engaged in a telephone conversation ………………………………………………………………………………
with a customer, you must give him/her your
undivided attention. Clicking your pen or TASK: ACROSTICS!
communicating with your co-worker will not help
you understand the concerns of your customer.
DIRECTIONS: Acrostics is a series of lines or verse in
Assure the other party that you are listening. which the first letter when taken in order, spell out
Since you cannot give your occasional nod a word or phrase. Using the letters of the word
or smile to your customer on the other end of the
telephone conversation, your small verbal LISTEN, create an acrostic about your name. Do
comments such as ‘yes’ or ‘uh huh’ will assure them this on a clean bond paper. You may also decorate
that you are listening. your output.
- 12 syllables
Provide feedback.
Restating what you heard and asking
questions for clarification are forms of feedback.
You can say “What I’m hearing is” or “Let me just
repeat that” to restate, while statements such as “Is
this what you mean?” will help you clarify what you
have heard
Defer judgment.
Interrupting will only lead to frustration. Let
the customer finish his statement before you
comment or clarify. Interrupting sends different
messages such as,
 “I’m more important than you are.”