Dear PR Matters,
I enjoy reading your column, although my work is more of customer service than public relations. More than that, I have learned a lot of things that can help me with my job, as I have discovered that public relations and customer service have many similarities.
Both types of jobs involve a lot of communication and reaching out to people. Given that, it is important for us to develop good communication skills. Can you give me some tips on how I can be a better communicator?
Sincerely,
Bess Z.
Dear Bess,
Thank you for your letter. You are correct, Bess: Public relations (PR) and customer service have many similarities, as these are both people -oriented careers. I will not be surprised if one day, you cross over to join us in the industry, as I can see your efforts to become better in what you are doing and all good PRs take time out to develop their skills.
And communication is one skill both good PR and customer-service professionals have to develop. How can one improve one’s communications skills?
To write better, one has to read better. This is because we are in a time of great storytelling, and to be able to do that, we need to know what is happening in the world around us to put our message in context. We have to know our audience, how we can reach out to them and interest them. Otherwise, we will just be talking to ourselves.
Since your work in customer service entails a lot of personal interaction with clients, the art of conversation comes in. If the customer has a concern, your listening to them and helping them find solutions is key. Likewise, good conversations often lead to good sales. This is especially true in the Philippines where relationships matter.
It is also important to watch out for habits that would sabotage good communications. And I would also like to share with you some tips on 8 Bad Communication Habits You Need to Break by Kat Boogaard, which appeared in Inc. Com.
“Conversations are a big part of our everyday lives,” Boogaard said. “And whether you think of yourself as a world-class communicator or someone who would rather just send an e-mail than deal with face-to-face chatter, chances are you have at least a few bad communication habits that are driving people crazy.” She listed eight common faux pas, of which she said, “it’s time to pull in the reigns and stop”.
Constantly interrupting. “We all have one thing in common when talking,” Boogaard said. “We want to be listened to. So, if you’re one of those people who tend to jump in and interrupt or—even worse—try to complete people’s sentences for them, you need to keep yourself in check.”
She added: “You may think your constant interjections are a way to show your level of engagement. But they really just make you a conversational bulldozer.”
Multitasking. This is a habit we’re all guilty of. But “conversations deserve your full attention—and just not the halfhearted glances you’re willing to give them when you manage to rip your focus away from your iPhone screen.
“You need to be present for your conversations, no matter how menial or futile they may seem,” Boogaard said. “Give your conversational partners the attention they deserve.” This is especially true in public relations and customer service.
Using qualifiers. We are all familiar with conversations that sound iffy: “Don’t take this personally, but…”; “This might be a bad idea, but…”; or “I know what you’re thinking, but…”
“Qualifiers exist for every situation,” Boogaard said. “But if you have the tendency to overuse them, you may be driving other people up a wall.” Why? Because “these prefacing statements might seem like a great way to sugarcoat your sentences; they just often come off as condescending and unnecessary.”
Equating your experiences. This is a situation that is familiar to many of us. Someone is explaining a difficult problem he is encountering, and you immediately butt in with “I know exactly how you feel!” and then launch into your own long-winded tale of a time you experienced something that’s not even the list bit similar. Sadly, many of us have lost our ability to listen.
“It’s important to remember that human experiences are all different,” Boogaard said. “Your attempts to show empathy are admirable. But in most cases, you’re better off just listening and lending support.”
Floundering. The mark of a skilled communicator, Boogaard said, is being prepared to be clear and concise when you do decide to speak up.
We all have had to bear “with people who seem to just ramble on endlessly without a point—those people who appear to be talking simply because they like the sound of their own voices.” A good communicator is not one of these people.
Avoiding direct contact. There is nothing like direct communication and a good conversation. “The never-ending assortment of communication tools available today [think e-mail, text messages, Viber groups] has made us a little less willing to actually talk to one another,” Boogaard said. “So before hitting send on a message, ask yourself if this is something that could be done more efficiently in person or over the phone.” After all, there’s nothing like the personal touch in both PR and customer service.
Waiting, instead of listening. Boogaard’s mom loves to tell her that “there’s a big difference between hearing and listening.” And when you’re having a conversation with someone, you should be actively listening.
Listening is an art which should be part of a good PR and customer-service professional’s playbook. The other person may be giving us valuable information, may be giving us a new perspective, which we may miss when we are so eager to just make our point. And as Boogaard said, “Trust me—people can tell when you’re tuning out.”
Using filler words. The “umms, the uhh, the likes”—this is, perhaps, one of the toughest bad habits to break. “We’re so used to lettering our sentences with these unnecessary words—it’s like a nervous tic for most of us. But make your best efforts to cut them out,” Boogard said. “Your conversations will be cleaner and more polished.”
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the UK-based International Public Relations Association, the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the senior vice president for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the former local chairman.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.