Boost Your Communication: Assertiveness, Empathy, and Service Excellence
Axioms of Communication
- You cannot not communicate.
- Every communication involves a content level and a relationship level.
- The nature of a relationship depends on the punctuation or timing of communication sequences for each participant.
- Every communication involves both digital and analog levels.
- All communication exchanges are either symmetrical or complementary, based on equality or difference.
Active listening intentionally focuses on understanding what is being said, whether in a group or a one-on-one conversation. As a listener, you should be able to repeat in your own words what the other person has said. This is not to agree with the other person, but to ensure you fully comprehend their message.
Assertiveness
Assertiveness is an individual’s ability to express feelings, skills, and abilities in a socially acceptable manner, contributing to self-esteem and personal well-being.
Assertiveness Techniques
The Broken Record Technique
This technique involves repeating what you want, calmly and persistently, without getting angry, irritated, or raising your voice. Do this without offering explanations or apologies that could lead to guilt-tripping. Do not fear sounding like a scratched record; persistence is key.
The Fogging Technique
With fogging, you simply listen to what others say, acknowledge that there may be some truth in their statements, do not deny the undeniable, and then calmly explain your point of view. While it might feel like you are giving in, it is an effective way to disarm criticism. When you don’t react as expected, it becomes harder for others to insist on the same point.
Negative Assertion
This technique involves acknowledging your errors and even criticizing yourself when appropriate. For example, you might say, “What an incredible mistake on my part!” At the same time, you must maintain an attitude that the world will not end because of a minor setback, whether it’s losing a competition or having lower sales. It’s about accepting imperfection without letting it diminish your self-worth.
Fundamental Rights in Communication
- I have a right to be treated with respect and dignity.
- I am entitled to have and express my own feelings and opinions.
- I have a right to be heard and taken seriously.
- I have the right to judge my needs, set my priorities, and make my own decisions.
- I have a right to say NO without feeling guilty.
Understanding Empathy
Empathy is the ability to infer an individual’s thoughts and feelings, fostering sympathy, understanding, and tenderness.
How Empathy Develops
- The capacity for empathy begins to develop in childhood. Parents meet children’s emotional needs and teach them not only to express their own feelings but also to discover and understand others.
Barriers to Empathy
- Feeling compassion to agree and go along…
Customer Orientation Principles
We believe that offering customers what they need, precisely when they need it, will be the key to future success. This means proactively identifying, from a global offering of products and services and according to each customer’s profile, what truly interests them.
Key Elements of Customer Service
- Face-to-face contact
- Customer relations
- Complaints and compliments
- Facilities
- Correspondence
The 10 Commandments of Exceptional Customer Service
The Customer Above All
Always prioritize the customer’s needs and satisfaction.
Embrace Possibility
Sometimes customers request seemingly impossible things. With a little effort and desire, you can often achieve what they want.
Fulfill All Promises
Many companies attempt to deceive customers to make sales or retain them. But what happens when the customer realizes they’ve been misled? Always deliver on your commitments.