ACTIVE LISTENING

Objectives
Understand importance of active

listening in the Call Center business Be able to discuss the difference between active listening from hearing.

Know the kinds of listening.

To improve listening skills. Understand skills associated to active listening by giving examples.

Nature gave man two ears but only one tongue, which is a gentle hint that he should listen more than he talks.

Facts about listening

2/3 you learn, you learn through listening The average person remembers only about 25% of what he or she hears Some people remembers as little as 10% Listening takes real effort! It is a task especially when one is not interested or is not set to listen. Listening to customers will help you give quality customer service, a call center only product.

Difference between Hearing and Listening

HEARING is the act of receiving audible sounds with the ear and it is a passive act.
LISTENING is the active pursuit of understanding what the other person is saying and feeling.

When we are listening we understand the speakers thoughts and feelings from their own perspective.

ACTIVE LISTENING
Structured form of listening and responding that focuses the attention to the speaker.

Learned skill Benefits

Forces people to listen attentively to others Avoids misunderstandings Tends to let people open up.

Best Kinds of Listening

Voluntary Listening you want or you

choose to listen
Ex: Listening, Gossip

Purposeful Listening you have a

purpose or a goal to achieve listening.
Ex. Student listening to Instructor

Motivated Listening you are highly motivated by a purpose

Ex. Listening to bridge, Listening to Idol

Critical Listening you listen and follow the speakers ideas and carefully evaluate them
Ex. Debate, Court Battle

Cooperative Listening you cooperate by not speaking or distracting the speaker

Ex. Listening to a friend

Two Types of Listening in a Call Center

Listening to Details
Listening to verbal or spoken words of the transaction between a call center agent and a customer This includes: what, when, and why.

Listening to Music

listening to non-verbal communication part of the transaction. This includes: how and other nonverbal cues Watch for tone of voice, pitch, volume of the voice and how the words are spoken, and choice of words

Benefits of Active Listening

Demonstrates respect to and from the customers Determine and resolve issues Develop relationships in a very short time frame These relationships are invaluable in todays marketplace and are the foundation of successful selling.

Levels of Listening

Appreciative Listening it is a favorable critical judgments.

Ex.

Listening to your seatmate telling a story

Discriminatory Listening requires you to remember, understand, and comprehend the integral part of the message
Ex.

Call Center agents taking orders

Evaluative Listening undergoing a process conceptualizing and understanding a subject but also of making value judgment of an idea.
Ex.

Customer service agents listens to details of the message and to customers feelings and emotions.

Barriers to Active Listening

Physical Discomfort

Rethink your purpose in listening and start concentrating again

Distractions external factors that hinder your concentration.

Focus your attention on the words, ideas, feelings and underlying intent. Practice your power of concentration.

Hostile attitude towards the speaker Screen out emotional sensitivity. Being a casual listener giving irregular attention or off-hand and careless comments to what the speaker says. Focus on the speaker
Being uncritical listener letting the speakers stature or reputation impress more than the value of the speech. Reflect and evaluate on what is being said rather than whos saying it.

Having closed mind when your decision was made up before hearing all sides of the situation.

Let the speaker finish his piece.

Prejudging jumping to the conclusion before the speaker fully expresses himself/herself.

Avoid thinking about what you want to say to say next.

Prejudice it is given that if you agree to a speakers personal beliefs, mores, prejudices and views you will listen more attentively.

Suspend your biases and preconceived notions. Be an objective listener.

Basics for Better Listening

Set your mind for listening maintain focus Stop talking when someone is talking resist the urge to interrupt Establish a desire to learn be interested in the topic, get to know the speaker

Keep an open mind dont let background or personal biases cloud your point of view about the speakers message Be patient hold your temper Learn to recognize ideas focus on the main idea of the concern or the gist of the story Develop if necessary an efficient notetaking systems keep your notes minimal

Skills associated with Active Listening

Attending/acknowledging providing verbal and non-verbal awareness of the other by giving an upbeat acknowledgement
Reflecting reflecting feelings, experiences, or content that has been heard or perceived through cues.

 Interpreting offering a tentative interpretation about the others feelings, desires, or meaning Restating/Paraphrasing this means that you are stating using your own words your understanding of the message. Summarizing wrapping up the entire conversation. Giving feedback response to what the other person is saying.

 Supporting showing warmth and caring in ones own individual way. Perception checking finding out if the interpretations and perceptions are valid and accurate. Being quiet giving the other time to think as well as to talk. Probing - questioning

The combination of

Desire - I WANT TO LISTEN

Effort - IM GOING TO WORK FOR IT

Skill - I KNOW HOW TO DO IT!

Will result in improved listening.

 The beginning of wisdom is

silence. The second stage is listening. Dont listen with your ears. Listen with the head and the heart.