Chapter 2: Developing Strong Listening and Communication Skills

9. If you are unsure whether a customer understands what you have just said, how should you proceed?

Ask the customer if he would like you to repeat what you have said.

14. Communication is the exchange of thoughts, messages, and information.

True

14. Believing that you can listen to a customer and still pay attention to what is going on around you is an example of ____.

"third ear" syndrome

21. Which is an effective method of dealing with chatterers?

Avoid encouraging them.

16. Which is a common mistake in customer service?

Delivering too much information.

12. Which is a benefit of active listening?

Enabling an analyst to address the customer's emotions. Helping an analyst to keep the conversation on track.

1. Service desk analysts use verbal skills to communicate with customers; they do not use nonverbal skills,

False

10. Passive listening enables you to determine situations that require management involvement.

False

15. Knowing what to say is much more complex than knowing how to say it.

False

22. If you nod during a conversation and give the speaker a sense of confidence that he's been heard, you are practicing passive listening.

False

24. Which is an example of a close-ended question?

Is there another printer close by that you can use?

6. Which is an example of good listening?

Learning the customer's business language.

1. ____ is/are consistently cited as the most important skill(s) for a support person.

Listening

19. What does this chapter suggest to help service desk analysts monitor their facial expressions and posture?

Place a mirror at eye level in the analyst's workspace.

10. What is paraphrasing?

Restating information using slightly different words.

2. Which is an example of passive listening?

Simply taking in information and showing little regard for the speaker.

11. Studies indicate that we usually listen using about 25% of our listening capacity.

True

12. Service desk analysts must remember that emotional filters can influence their ability to listen effectively.

True

13. One tip to avoid mental side trips preventing your ability to listen is to keep paper and pen nearby to write down items you don't want to forget.

True

9. Good listeners respond to what is being said and how it is being said.

True

3. Which is an example of active listening?

Verifying that you understand the speaker. Paying attention to what is being said and how it is being said.

7. When is it appropriate to interrupt a customer?

When he is being abusive.

23. According to this chapter, you and your customers are bilingual; you both speak ____.

business and technology

15. Which concept does "Listening is not waiting for your turn to talk" explain?

jumping ahead

25. When interacting with which type of users should you ask open-ended questions?

passive

17. Which factor most influences customer perception when people are communicating over the telephone?

tone of voice

24. If an analyst has exhausted all of his resources, it is appropriate to tell a customer that "There's nothing else I can do."

False

20. Which is true about voice pitch?

Low-pitched voices are associated with someone who is in control.

16. Empathy is one of the 3 critical factors discussed in this chapter that makes up your tone of voice.

False

18. When communicating face-to-face, nonverbal qualities make up ____ percent of the conversation.

55

13. Studies indicate that we ignore, forget, distort, or misunderstand ____ percent of what we hear.

75

18. When speaking to customers, you should always use your normal rate of speech.

False

2. Listening and empathizing are two of the most basic and important skills that service desk analysts must possess.

False

20. When interacting with know-it-alls, suggest alternatives and make sure they know their opinions are not correct.

False

21. Aggressive people never volunteer opinions or comments.

False

6. Since all customers should be comfortable using technology, analysts should not worry about asking questions that are too technical; they should avoid asking questions that are too simple.

False

11. What is the most common way to build rapport with a customer?

Listen for the customer's name and use it respectfully during the remainder of your conversation.

5. Which of the following is true? Resist the temptation to make assumptions about customers' skill levels based on their use of jargon, acronyms, and terminology. If a customer is angry or highly agitated, an analyst should try to ask probing questions prior to letting the customer vent. Technical service desk analysts need to understand the technology they work with, not the business language that customers use. All of the above.

Resist the temptation to make assumptions about customers' skill levels based on their use of jargon, acronyms, and terminology.

17. When trying to be enthusiastic with customers over the phone, try approaching the phone call as if it were an interaction with a customer standing in front of you.

True

19. When interacting with complainers, empathize but do not necessarily sympathize with the customer's complaint.

True

23. In addition to enabling an analyst to obtain the details of a customer's incident or service request, skillful listening also enables analysts to learn ways that a company's products and services can be enhanced and improved.

True

25. The volume of an analyst's voice should always be loud enough that customers can hear, but it should not be so loud that it disturbs the surrounding people.

True

3. Listening means making an effort to hear something - paying attention.

True

4. If you accept information at face value, you are practicing passive listening.

True

5. When diagnosing a customer's incident, it is important to determine his skill level so you know how to respond and proceed to resolve the incident.

True

7. Sometimes not asking questions is actually a component of providing good customer service.

True

8. When you acknowledge customers' emotions, you are addressing a basic human need to be heard and understood.

True

22. Which group of people are most likely to avoid engaging in social conversation and want to get to the point immediately?

aggressive people

4. One tip mentioned in the active listening portion of this chapter is analysts using ____ to diagnose incidents and methodically identify solutions.

checklists

8. If a customer is very angry, an analyst should _____.

let him vent use a verbal nod of the head to indicate he is listening refrain from interrupting him All of the above