COMMUNICATION

SKILLS –
SPOKEN
COMMUNICATION
by Nigar Fatima
 TOPICS

• 1. Telephone Techniques
• 2.Handling Grievances and Customer Complaints
• 3.Answering to enquiries
• 4. Interview Skills
• 5.Applying for Employment
 TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES

- Understanding the Significance in Today’s Era

- Indispensable Means of Communication
- Quickest
- Effective Management Tool
- Cost Effective
- Prepares for Face to Face Interaction
 TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE – “HOW YOU SAY, NOT
WHAT YOU SAY”

• Greet – Good morning/afternoon/evening or Happy Eid/Diwali/Holi

• Ask how are they?
• Ask if this is a good time to speak with them for the particular purpose?
• Say thank you and sorry similar to face to face interaction
• Putting call on hold – inform about the average time and then refresh
• Interruption required – I am sorry to cut you short
• Close the call by wishing well
 ACTIVE LISTENING
• Write notes to retain information
• Sensing – Will help you understand the situation better
• Interpreting
• Evaluating – weighing both sides, positive and negative outcomes
• Responding
• Asking questions when necessary
 POSITIVE TONE
• Smile – It shows in your voice
• Sound Interested
• Check rate of speech
• Control pitch
• Stick to the point
• Keeping emotions in check
 CLEAR ENUNCIATION
• Speak Clearly
• Simple words and phrases
• No Jargons or complex Vocabulary
• Avoid slang – yeah, dude
• Avoid fillers – umm, okay, so, right
• Do not chew gum or eat anything
 BE SINCERE
• Avoid scripted greetings
• Include the company name or any reference of a person or topic to be discussed
• Let the listener know you are ready to co-ordinate/help
• Empathize if required
• Answer genuinely
• Avoid phrases like – I don’t know, I can’t do that, just a second
• Sincerity and positive tone can calm an upset caller
 USE THEIR NAME
• Ask if they liked to be called by first name or last name
• It personalizes the call
• Shows care and significance
• Develops a bond
• Creates better understanding
• Helps resolve an issue
 RESOLUTION DRIVEN CLOSING –
CAN TRANSFORM TO A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE

• Summarize to make sure conversation is clear or issue is resolved

• Ask if anything is left with which you can help?
• Add any information that can be useful to the customer/listener
• Ask if they need a call back or follow up
• Ask the best time to call in future
• End the call in a friendly manner – “It was lovely talking to you” or “Have an excellent day”
• Make sure you make them feel you were happy to help and look forward to aid them again
 2.HANDLING GRIEVANCES AND CUSTOMER
COMPLAINTS

• UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNIFICANCE:

• Relatable to all industries
• Safeguards the Business
• Creates opportunity to grow by feedback received
• Reaffirms customer loyalty
• Provides Quality Assurance
• Indicates upcoming threats to Business
• Maintains and Improves the Brand
 THINGS TO REMEMBER
• Stay Clam – remember it’s not personal, stay professional
• Listen Actively – do not interrupt, you may say – “Tell me more” let them vent
• Acknowledge the problem – empathize and accept the mistake – “ I get where you are coming from”
• If no mistake – then say I would like to resolve a miscommunication
• Resolution – I will make it simple and easy for you
• Don’t use any negative words – “no problem” “this is a big issue”
• Human touch - Do NOT use the script
• Verify the information politely
• Provide solution(s)
• Ask if any other way you could help?
• Close the call with a smile/Wish well
 HANDLING ENQUIRIES

• Open the conversation with courteous greetings

• Use the name of the organization and yourself - BRANDING
• Find out the enquiry
• Listen and take notes
• Reiterate the information gathered
• Ask before putting them on hold or asking them to wait – give the time of wait
• Respect their time - Refresh the conversation if gathering info is taking time
• Provide the information asked
• Remind them that you were happy to help
• Follow up as required
INTERVIEW SKILLS
 PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW
1. Research about the company – industry, value, establishment and growth
2. Read the job description
3. Know the position you are contesting for
4. Make a list of questions you have for the interviewer – Questions should be about the job,
not the salary or working hours – go only if you are comfortable with both.
5. List USPs about yourself and how you are fit for the job
6. Prepare for Tests or Presentations if any
7. Be thorough with your Resume/CV
8. Understand when to use a CV or a Resume
9. Decide your interview attire in advance
10. Practice before you perform
12. Practice Punctuality
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CV AND RESUME
RESUME
• Emphasizes Skills
• Used when applying for a position in Industry,
non-profit and public sector
• No longer than two pages. Additional page for
publications if relevant to job
• Starts with Experience and Educational
qualification comes towards the end
CURRICULUM VITAE
• Emphasizes Academic accomplishments
• Position in academia, fellowship and grants
• Lengthy – as includes complete list of
publications, posters and presentations
• Begins with Education, dissertation title or
summary.
• Also used for merit/tenure review and
sabbatical leave
 HOW TO ANSWER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

• 1. Stick to Professional profile in introduction

• 2. Sound Interested and passionate
• 3. Good Body Language
• 4. Know your USPs
• 5. Talk about strengths and weaknesses both but be tactful
• 6. Describe situations to support your skills
• 7. Gauge open ended and close ended questions
• 8. Talk about achievements in new tasks
 POSSIBLE QUESTIONS
• 1. Tell me about yourself?
• 2. Why are you here?
• 3. Why should we hire you?
• 4. How do you take pressure or respond to stress?
• 5. Why did you choose this industry?
• 6. Future Plans – emphasize on Long-term more than Short-term goals
• 7. Why are you looking for a job/job change?
• 8. What do you understand by leadership and how do you exercise it?
• 9. Salary Requirements – be reasonable and flexible
• 10. What do you like to do outside work?
• 11. Do you have any questions?
 APPLYING FOR EMPLOYMENT

• Research – online and use connections

• Prepare a list of profile you can fit in
• Recognize your skills, priority and focus on those
• Check location and timings of companies
• Prepare a good Resume/CV
• Advertise yourself – Be known to recruiters
• Be persistent – average time of getting a desired job is three months
 THANK YOU

ALL THE BEST!