If you've ever tried to call customer service in the last decade, you know how difficult and frustrating it can be. Getting through the phone tree to the right department can be difficult enough, but getting to speak to a live person might take an act of Congress. Then there's the challenge of getting what you want from a customer service rep who is paid a little more than minimum wage and has little to no customer service training and absolutely no vested interest in the company for which he or she is working. If calling THAT company again gives you nightmares, read on! 1. Getting through the Automated Audrey Phone Tree If the above picture doesn't send shivers...
It’s one of the most pervasive and dangerous habits in America today and it's destroying your relationships! You see it all the time, but you probably never thought much about it. It's, unfortunately, at work in oral, face-to-face conversations and written exchanges over social media, text and email. I call it Conversational ADD. Here are a few examples: Mary posts on Facebook asking for help for problem X only to have Jane give her solutions for problem B. Jane didn't read Mary's entire post and assumed she knew what it was about. After the confusing exchange gets heated, Jane unfriend's Mary after six years of treasured friendship. Tom emails a company to report some problems with his product (or service) and receives...
This week, we've been talking about listening and communicating with the world (people of different languages and cultures). It is fitting, then, that we have a Friday Funny that illustrates the humor in not listening to YOURSELF as you ask questions that may be interpreted in odd ways by those of different people. Pastor Tim of Cybersalt.org has some great funnies. Here are a few from his latest contribution to Crosswalk.com. To read more of his humor, click the link following the excerpt. Lawyer Laughs The following questions from lawyers were taken from official records nationwide: 1. Was that the same nose you broke as a child? 4. Was it you or your brother that was killed in the war? 5....
Nine Ways to Listen By JoJo Tabares Listening is the most important communication skill. It's rule #1 in JoJo's Communication Handbook. Listening is so important because it allows us to understand our audience which aids us in tailoring our message to them. Listening helps us know when someone has misunderstood us, is angry with us, or is confused. Listening to others is a gift we give them as they have a chance to communicate what is important to them. People have asked me HOW? How do we listen, really listen to others? What do we listen for? Listening may sound easy, but it's actually a very complicated skill and it's essential for ANY relationship. It could be an entire book because listening is more...
How often have you wished that you could persuade someone to accept your idea, do something you thought was right, or go somewhere you thought was important? Think about it. How many times have you felt passionately about something, but you lacked the insight, discipline or training to present a good argument? While most people will never have a need to engage in a formal debate or speech, understanding these techniques can help train you to become more persuasive in daily life. We actually use persuasion skills every day. Do we need formal debate-level persuasion skills every day? No, but would our everyday need for persuasion skills be enhanced by the study of debate? Absolutely! Being skilled in the art...
