Topic 4 - Effective Communication Skills

It’s time to take a closer look at how you can improve your interpersonal skills.

1 Questioning Techniques

When asking a client a question, you need to be thinking about what information you want from them. So it is important to ask the right question.

Now tryActivity F

Now that you have thought about effective questioning techniques, it is time to look more closely at the question.

If you look back at Activity F, Part A, you will notice that different kinds of questions received different responses.

 

What are the different types of questions?

 

Type of Question	Explanation	Example
Closed Question	This kind of question is very specific. It only requires a simple, often short response. It will be mostly factual.
Open Question	This kind of question requires more information. It may be factual or asking for opinions/ideas. It requires a more lengthy response.
Probing Question	This kind of question requires further information. Perhaps more information is required.

Now tryActivity G

Questioning is one part of Effective Communication Skills

 

 

2 Body Language

This idea of the body language of staff conveying the image and culture of a business has already been covered in Topic 3 - Interpersonal Skills.

 

Complete the following checklist to assess how you use body language to communicate. You may need to check with friends / family. We are not always aware of our own actions!

 

Body Language Checklist
Do you .....	Yes	No	Not sure
move your hands and arms around when you speak?
hunch your shoulders when feeling "down in the dumps"?
raise your eyebrows when surprised?
sigh and "sink down" when bored?
look elsewhere when not interested?
avert your eyes when your walk by a very attractive person in your age group?
fold your arms at certain times?
cross your legs when seated?

 

 

There are many more actions you may make to indicate what you are thinking and feeling.

What would be some positive body language that should be used when dealing with clients?

 

 

 

3 Active Listening

We have all had times when someone has been talking to us and we have not been listening! An office worker cannot afford to do this! They must be active listeners.

 

Being an active listener involves:

 

 

 

Different ways people are Active Listeners

 

Now tryActivity H

First Impressions Count!

It is clear from what you have studied so far, that how an office worker establishes contact with a client is extremely important.

 

Here are a few tips on how to positively establish contact.

 

Smile - body language says a lot! Always be polite (and calm if faced with an angry or upset client) Attend to the visitor - don't keep them waiting, show that you value their custom Be attentive - use active listening skills, body language and questioning skills Keep the customer informed - they need to know you are responding to their enquiry Be sensitive to their needs - this may mean offering them a drink Be sure the reception area is staffed at all times. People don't like to be left waiting

 

Now tryTask 4

Now tryTask 5