The method of communication that I will work on will be my Phone communication. The reson why is because when I communicate I get straight to the point. Laying out what I need from the person before personalizing my opening and my closings.
Now through the trainging I see how personalizing the message shows value to the listener. Creating an atmosphere of "I care about you".
Great comment Doreen! Yes, your voice tone and quality are two key factors when communicating over the phone. Some people even make sure they are smiling and even though the person on the other end of the phone can't see you, they can "hear" your smile.
Next step, appointment. This is where the tone of voice, I feel is important. My voice expresses exicitment and a welcoming tone in setting the appoinment.
When the prospect shows up,he/she already feels welcome.
You're right, Doreen, the phone call can be a great a way to begin to develop a relationship with students. How do you use the information you get from your phone conversations to help move your students to the next step?
I have very few phone conversation and e-mails, but I did learn telephone conversations can be a great start to opening a relationship.
That can be a delicate situation. I get the sense that you do not want to offend either individual and at the same time want to be able to focus on the person in front of you. What are some of the ideas you have for doing this?
Thanks for sharing. Another way to perk up during a long call might be to stand up. This helps me sometimes.
If I find that my facial expression has changed due to a long telephone call ...I try to perk myself back up :)
I find my time is divided between telephone and in person communication...and doing BOTH at the same time. I would like to find a better way to explain to the telephone customer that I have to excuse myself for the person that I am face to face with.
Thanks for sharing this tip! I'm guessing the mirror allows you to "check" yourself to be sure that you're conveying the right tone and energy in your phone calls. What are some of the cues that you look for to know you need to adapt?
To improve my telephone communication skills while I am multi tasking - I keep a small mirror on my wall that will reflect my facial expression. I find that it is a good check point for me to keep myself on track - even if I am interrupted with a person at the front counter.
I'll work on developing my phone skills. It's more difficult to have a natural conversation on the phone. If I feel someone is rushed or it's bad timing, I'm quick to want to let them go but that may not be the case. I need to listen more and put myself in the student's prospective in order to have a more natural and successful conversation.
Thanks for sharing Byron. Can you help me understand what PGE stands for? I'm assuming it has to do with your prospective students. I get the sense that preparation for your appointments is something that you take seriously. Having a clear idea of what you want to accomplish in your visit is important. I see that you recognize the importance of building rapport and listening to your students. You mention "controlling the conversation", I'm curious to hear how you go about doing this with your students?
I would wantto develop my face to face skills. I know they are great, but they have to be perfect. I know that before my PGE comes in, I would need to review what I'm going to say and make sure that ultimately I am listening, building a rapport and controlling the conversation.
In this field, it's very easy to get sidetrack and just start talking and before you know it, you may have lost a PGE becasue you got off subject. This is a field where everyone coming in for the first time will need to re-tweek.
Thanks for sharing Melissa! Best of luck to you and your future success.
Thank you. Being present is a key concept... no distractions, just really listening to the person on the other end of the line. Also, asking a lot of open-ended questions and digging deeper with the person's answers. Also, on a basic level, clearly identifying myself and asking simple "getting to know you" questions.
Great opportunity, Melissa. It sounds like you've identified some tools that you can use to keep you on track during your phone skills and that's great. What are some ways that you believe you can develop rapport and trust in that initial phone call?
First impressions are important to establish rapport and trust with the prospective student. In the Admissions Department, the primary first contact is by telephone, therefore I want to develop my phone skills. Before the calls, I plan on developing an outline and key points to address so I can focus on keeping my tone warm and my attention focussed.
Great awareness, Nora. Listening on the phone takes a great deal of skill as there are any number of distractions that can inhibit your ability to listen. What specifically will you do to improve your listening skills on the phone?
Both are common methods of communication with students, Nora. I'm curious, which method poses more of a challenge to you and what do you do to improve your communication when using that method?
