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At Parker Technology, we deeply believe in embracing core values that teach our staff to do great things and provide great customer service. And today, we are talking about Excellence in Communication.
Excellent communication is necessary to provide an excellent customer experience. We not only ensure that our team communicates well with one another and with customers, but also with anyone they meet.
So, what does Excellence in Communication mean? Let’s take a look.
What Excellence in Communication Means to Us
Excellence in communication is comprised of many things, but to us here at Parker, we believe the best communication strategies are made up of these four key aspects:
1. Active Listening
YES, listening is key to communication!
Listening is the key to “buy-in” or participation in communication. A person will not be willing or fully able to participate in communication if they do not feel heard in the first place. We have to actively listen to one another and genuinely hear what people are telling us to be able to communicate effectively with them.
The same goes for parking guests. If we do not actively listen to them and what they are telling us, we cannot understand the problem and thus cannot properly advise them, which means they won’t follow our directions in return. Instead, they will likely become frustrated that we aren’t listening to them.
So it is crucial that communication involves active listening.
2. Focus
Focus is crucial to ensure that the message we’re trying to convey does not get diluted. It is the key for clarity in communication.
If we include too many details or too much information in a single communication, it can confuse the customer. To avoid our key message being lost in translation, we must pick a central topic or point and focus on that.
Just because you know what you are saying does not mean the person on the other end understands. We cannot expect our audience to weed through too much ancillary information to find the root of what we are trying to say. Instead, we must be clear and concise with our message by staying focused.
3. Control
Control is important when communication becomes emotionally charged. It is the key to efficiency in communication.
Losing control and allowing emotions to take over can turn a 1-minute call into a 5-minute or even a 15-minute call, which is not efficient or helpful to anyone. Customer service reps have other calls to take, and parking guests have places they need to be. So maintaining control when communicating is essential.
Once our ego takes control of our brain, everything is over. We must keep our brain focused on empathy and helping the customer by delivering results to keep our ego from taking over. Otherwise, we ruin any chance of participation in the conversation.
4. Confidence
The key to avoiding pushback in communication and bringing the conversation home is confidence.
All of the other aspects of communication are about effective participation in the conversation, but confidence is about wrapping the conversation up and reaching a satisfactory conclusion. If we are using words of uncertainty and stammering, our audience will also feel uncertain, and it provides an open invitation for pushback.
If we exude confidence, however, the customer will feel comfortable and confident following our instructions. Stating the next steps or actions confidently ensures the message is relayed with clarity and authority, which will lead to a more speedy result.
Putting Values Into Practice
At Parker, we understand the importance of following through on our core values. You can rest assured that everyone on the Parker team is continuously working hard to provide excellent communication.
We are working together to revolutionize the automated parking customer experience. Check out our solution to learn more about how we enhance the customer experience.