Comprises of good communication, listening skills, email etiquette and probing

1. Soft Skills
Training & Development
Presented By
Sadaf Hublikar
Quality Analyst

2. Objectives of the Session
To understand the need for communication
To know the different styles of communication
How to become an assertive communicator
The importance of listening and questioning skills
The need for good e-mail etiquette
How to hold effective conversations over the telephone
Common mistakes and blunder we create in English due to
Indianism

3. Communication – The Human Connection – is the key to personal and career success
- Paul J Meyer

4. What is Communication ?
• What is communication?
• What is effective communication?

5. How do we communicate?
By using:
• Verbal Communication
• Written Communication
• Non Verbal Communication

6. Barriers to Communication
• Language and cultural differences
• Physical distance, geographical proximity
• Emotional state and mental limitations
• Poor expressions; speaking too fast
• Wrong assumption and misinterpretations
• Perceptions and a closed mind
• Poor listening skills
• Lack of empathy and understanding

7. Good Verbal Communication
• Grammar & pronunciation
• Tone & Pitch
• Volume
• Intonation (Voice Modulation)
• ROS (Rate Of Speech)

8. Communication Styles
• Passive :
Unwillingness or inability to express what you think,
feel and express
• Aggressive:
Expressing yourself in ways that intimidate, demean
or degrade another person
• Assertive:
Standing up for your rights while respecting the
rights of others.

9. Traits of being Assertive

10. Listening
The process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to
spoken and/or nonverbal messages; to hear something with thoughtful
attention
Listening is a conscious activity based on three basic skills:
• Attitude
• Attention
• Adjustment

11. How do you show that you are
listening?
L = Look interested
I = Involve yourself by responding
S = Stay Focussed
T = Test your understanding
E = Evaluate the message
N = Neutralise your opinions and feelings

12. • Environmental /Physical
• Attitudinal
• Mental/Physiological
• Linguistic
Barriers to listening

13. Probing and Question Technique
Probing means collecting information by asking relevant
questions

14. Why Probing
Listening forms only part of the conversation. For a conversation
to flow the listener must interject with appropriate and relevant
questions

15. Why to do probing
Check customer’s understanding of key
points
 Understand the root cause of concern or
query
Check for mastery of basic concepts
Encourage critical thinking
Stimulate interaction with customer

16. Open & Closed Ended Questions
• One way question
• Answer would be ‘Yes/No’ or ‘True/False’
• Such questions are to check understanding
• For e.g. Did you receive any error message?
Close ended
Questions
• Two way questions
• Such questions are to get relevant information
• Questions are to ask customer ‘Tell me more’
• For e.g. How many error messages did u receive?
Open ended
Questions
Questions to be asked to customer are of two types-

17. Close Ended Questions:
Did
Do
Can
Have
Will/Would
IS
Open Ended Questions:
How
When
Why
Who
What
Where
Keywords: Open & Closed Ended Questions

18. Advantages : Open & Closed Ended Questions
Open Ended Questions
Get the facts right
Bring the call to a close
Control the call
Close Ended Questions
Get a more accurate
picture of the situation
Improves understanding
Opens up thinking about
alternatives

19. Tips for probing
 Ask customer specific questions to get relevant information
 Ask customer only one question at a time, and then listen to
his/her answer
 Listen patiently to what the customer says without interrupting
the instruction/complaint
 Don’t make any assumptions while the customer is speaking
 Sound confident when questioning a customer. Don’t hesitate

20. E – Mail Etiquette

21. Need & Importance of Written
Communication
• A widely used method in the office
• A permanent record of messages
• It is used as a reference or a proof
• It can be precise and detailed depending on how
you use it
• It gives the reader time to “think”

22. Know your audience
Once the recipient list is decided, take care to:
• Know more about the recipients
• How much do they already know about the content
• Level of detail which needs to be shared with them
• People don’t understand what you think they
understand

23. Edit
• Unnecessary Points
• Unnecessary Punctuation
• Offensive Language
• Harsh Vocabulary
• Long Sentences

24. F – Facts
A – Action
SOFAR Structure
S - Salutation O – Opening
R– RegardsSOFAR
So Good

25. Telephone Etiquette
• Opening
• Appropriate Responses
• Placing a Call on Hold
• Transferring a Call
• Ending a Call

26. • Answer calls within three rings.
• Greet the caller.
– Identify yourself.
– Identify your company.
– Ask how you can help (In-Bound Calls).
– Ask for time to talk and proceed with the product
information (Out-Bound Calls)
Call Opening

27. • Placing callers on “hold”:
– Ask if the caller minds being placed on hold.
– Check back with callers so they don’t think you’ve
forgotten them.
– It’s okay if you don’t know the answer immediately.
– If you need to research, provide an estimate of when you
will follow up.
Hold Procedure

28. Generic Rules for Telephone Etiquette
• Speak clearly and directly into the mouthpiece.
• Do not eat or chew gum while talking on the telephone .
• Focus your attention on the caller.
• Use the caller’s name during the conversation (3-4 times during the call).
• Build rapport with the caller.
• Always be polite.
• Avoid jargon and acronyms.
• Follow the “golden rule.” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

29. Questions?

30. Thank you!