Author: Neftaly Malatjie

How do you know what your customers need? This is no idle question.  Giving your customers what they need is critical to building their engagement and loyalty.  You cannot create a great customer experience by leaving them guessing.

The first step is to put yourself into your customer’s shoes. This is pretty common practice– most companies provide ample opportunities for their employees to use their products through discounts, distribution of free product, etc. A range of medium can be used to disseminate information to customers, examples;

• Campaigns
• Newsletters
• Flyers
• Brochures
• Newspaper articles etc.

Besides customers, information must be disseminated within the organisation. Without communicating workplace policies, processes and the company’s mission and principles, employers cannot reasonably expect employees to perform their job functions, much less enjoy working for the company. Many employers provide employees with a job description and then expect that they’ll require little more to do their jobs. However, timely and regular workplace information conveys an important message from the organization’s leadership: The Company cares enough about its employees to keep them well-informed about the organization and its direction.

1. Conduct mandatory all-staff meetings quarterly and departmental staff meetings at least monthly, depending on the size of the organization, the business stage your company is in and the number and size of your departments. For example, it may not be feasible to conduct all-staff meetings if your company has dozens of employees who work in remote areas throughout the country. However, if your company is the early stages of development, it’s essential that you regularly update staff and leadership on the organization’s strategy, growth and direction.
2. E-mail employees about updates to the company’s intranet and require that employees provide electronic signatures that indicate they have read and understand critical updates. However, don’t overload employees with mostly unnecessary emails. Devise a system for sending critical updates versus sending updates that don’t need immediate attention, such as marking critical e-mail messages with a colored flag.

How do you know what your customers need? This is no idle question.  Giving your customers what they need is critical to building their engagement and loyalty.  You cannot create a great customer experience by leaving them guessing.

The first step is to put yourself into your customer’s shoes. This is pretty common practice– most companies provide ample opportunities for their employees to use their products through discounts, distribution of free product, etc. A range of medium can be used to disseminate information to customers, examples;

• Campaigns
• Newsletters
• Flyers
• Brochures
• Newspaper articles etc.

Besides customers, information must be disseminated within the organisation. Without communicating workplace policies, processes and the company’s mission and principles, employers cannot reasonably expect employees to perform their job functions, much less enjoy working for the company. Many employers provide employees with a job description and then expect that they’ll require little more to do their jobs. However, timely and regular workplace information conveys an important message from the organization’s leadership: The Company cares enough about its employees to keep them well-informed about the organization and its direction.

1. Conduct mandatory all-staff meetings quarterly and departmental staff meetings at least monthly, depending on the size of the organization, the business stage your company is in and the number and size of your departments. For example, it may not be feasible to conduct all-staff meetings if your company has dozens of employees who work in remote areas throughout the country. However, if your company is the early stages of development, it’s essential that you regularly update staff and leadership on the organization’s strategy, growth and direction.
2. E-mail employees about updates to the company’s intranet and require that employees provide electronic signatures that indicate they have read and understand critical updates. However, don’t overload employees with mostly unnecessary emails. Devise a system for sending critical updates versus sending updates that don’t need immediate attention, such as marking critical e-mail messages with a colored flag.

Customers want their questions answered as quickly as possible and in a polite manner showing that your company appreciates their business. Speaking efficiently shows that you are knowledgeable on the topic or problem you are speaking to the customer about. Speaking efficiently is all about getting right to the point instead of going off on a different subject. As mentioned earlier, customers want the answer fast! Speaking politely to your customers is extremely important as this is a sign of respect and a reflection of the company and its reputation. I am pretty sure that everyone can remember a time when they dealt with a rude employee. It doesn’t exactly make you want to return to that place of business again.

Speaking clearly and effectively with your customers is an extremely important skill. You want to be able to explain procedures, policies, and other aspects of your company to your customers so they walk away without any questions. Clear and effective speaking also gives the customer a good impression of you as well as your company. Customers do not want to speak with someone that mumbles or cannot articulate points clearly. Lastly, speaking effectively leaves no room for error. Both you and the customer have a solid understanding of the company or the issue that you are fixing for them. This sort of understanding will lead to a long lasting relationship with the customer.

Guidelines for polite communication with customers

Rules of politeness, in communication and otherwise, are steeped in history. Some have also changed as society and technology has changed. Certainly what governs polite communication in some cultures is not true in others, so it’s important to understand cultural differences in advance. Communicating politely indicates a respect for others, which can go a long way in both personal and business communications.

1. Interrupting

Interrupting is generally considered rude behaviour. Allow the speaker to finish a sentence in the conversation or if he has a designated time to speak, such as during a business meeting. In some instances you need to interrupt, such as when you are running short on time or the conversation is veering off topic or getting into an inappropriate area. In these cases, polite communication means knowing how to interrupt politely. Practice using phrases such as, “Excuse me, I know how valuable your time is, so I think we should stick to the topic.”

1. Nonverbal

Polite communication is found in facial expressions and body movements as well as words. When speaking, smiling can indicate an openness and help the listener relax. If you are listening, sitting upright, maintaining eye contact, nodding occasionally and even raising your eyebrows slightly lets the speaker know you are actively paying attention. It’s important to remember that nonverbal cues are not always reliable. For example, if a listener is frowning or looking down, he may simply not be feeling well. But being mindful of your nonverbal signals is the best way to use them in a polite manner.

• Writing

Keeping written correspondence polite can be overlooked with today’s electronic communication, such as email. Keep business emails professional, just as you would an old-fashioned letter. Always use a subject line so the reader sees the topic, and include a professional greeting and signature line. Nonverbal cues are absent in emails so your manners will be evident only in your use of “please,” “thank you” and other polite phrases. If the topic is complex or potentially confrontational, research shows that email can be more polite than leaving a voice mail message, as you can take more time and edit before sending.

1. Considerations

Never assume, particularly in a business setting, that someone has time to talk when it’s unplanned; ask before you attempt to start a conversation. Don’t allow background noise to intrude on telephone calls, or try to eat lunch while you’re on the call. Remember that business rank and the respect that goes with it still count in social situations, so don’t assume a familiarity with your boss at the office holiday party. Don’t correct someone’s grammar in front of others unless they mispronounce your name. Avoid conversations that are about someone else, and when engaging in conversation, don’t dominate it.

On completion of this section you will be able to communicate effectively with customers in context of IT support. 

1. The communication with IT customer’s staff is polite, clear and sensitive. 
2. The communication ensures that information is disseminated to relevant IT customer’s staff in a timely, complete and accurate manner. 
3. The communication ensures that relevant IT customer staff are informed of progress towards the resolution of support requests. 
4. The communication ensures that relevant IT customer’s staff are informed of any deviations from agreed timescales. 
5. The communication ensures that relevant IT customer’s staff are informed promptly of any support requests which could not be resolved.