Communication Skills

Few companies realise how many of their customers have poor literacy skills and struggle with reading, writing, speaking or listening?

According to the National Literacy Trust, a staggering one in six people in the UK struggle with literacy and their skills are below the level expected of an eleven year old. This may be is a shocking statistic, but how does it impact on your business?
The problem is bigger than this though as it’s not only reading and writing that people struggle with - speaking and listening can also be an issue. This doesn’t mean that someone with poor literacy skills can’t speak, but it does mean that he/she might struggle to communicate clearly in certain situations.

Not everyone will struggle to this degree, as it depends on each individual’s level of literacy, but any literacy problem is going to make everyday life more difficult.

Now let’s go back to your customers. Most businesses send out hundreds of messages in different forms – e-mails, letters, posters, fliers, phone calls, face-to-face communication etc – without thinking about how the messages will be understood by ALL of their customers.

Until you can put yourself in your customers’ shoes, it’s difficult to realise how your messages are coming across to anyone who has poor literacy skills. The National Literacy Trust launched a new campaign last November to highlight the difficulties people face on a daily basis if they have poor literacy skills. The Director of the National Literacy Trust, Jonathan Douglas, spent a whole day without speaking to highlight how important all literacy skills are, including speaking and listening, in order to communicate effectively.

If they don’t put the phone down at this point, I ask who’s calling, which they are always reluctant to tell me. I find this very strange as they are either calling to speak to my partner because he’s one of their customers, or they are hoping he’ll be a potential customer – either way it surely makes sense to give the company’s name!

After insisting that they tell me who’s calling for a few seconds longer, the call always ends with them putting the phone down on me. Now I admit that I am winding these callers up slightly, but I can’t believe that it’s part of any company’s customer service plan to put the phone down on customers.

I’ve also noticed that once I start asking questions that seem to deviate from the script the caller is following, he/she is unable to continue with the conversation.

If companies decide to relocate their call centres and customer service centres overseas, why oh why don’t they provide better training for the staff working in these centres? I’ve worked with students and clients from many different countries for the last 16 years and I understand that it’s difficult to teach someone how to act in a different cultural setting, but it certainly isn’t impossible.

If you are going to base your call centres overseas, train your staff properly!


Now where’s that number to block cold calls…?

In the last two weeks I have wondered why so many firms have adopted a standard script for their staff in call centres.  I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling irritated before I even get to talk to someone having listened to endless messages about how important it is that they 'connect you to the right area'.  Hmm.

When you eventually get to talk to a person rather than a machine - after asking for a number or your name.  Do you mind if I call you ...(first name) they ask?'  Well yes I do actually, because I don't know you. Old fashioned perhaps - but I don't like it.   Equally annoying is 'How are you today?'  I have to stop myself saying "Does it matter?"  I don't actually want to discuss it with a complete stranger.

Last week I was trying to get a dongle I had bought activated.  The nice young woman wanted to ask me all sorts of things such as 'Was I married?'  I'm sorry, but what does this have to do with activating a dongle that I had already paid for? Barely concealing my irritation she continued to speak to the standard script.  



My experience is hardly unique and although I have examples of excellent customer service, too many times it is mediocre at best.   I think firms should review their training for front line staff and how they choose to communicate with their customers and see how it can be improved. Yes money is tight and for some organisations, training won't be seen as a priority, but in these difficult economic times, it could make a considerable difference to your business.