Customer Service Chapter 4 Vocabulary

Pauses

A verbal technique of delaying response in order to allow time to process information received, think of a response, or gain attention.

Time allocation

Amount of attention given to a person or project

Environmental Cues

Any Aspect of the workplace with which a customer comes into contact.

Nonverbal Messages

Consist of such things as movements, gestures, body positions, vocal qualities, and a variety of unspoken signals sent by people, often in conjunction with verbal messages.

Paralanguage

Consists of voice qualities or noises and vocalizations made as someone speaks that let a speaker know that his or her message is being listened to and followed.

Clusters

Groupings of nonverbal behaviors that indicate a possible negative intent while other behaviors indicate positive message intent.

Etiquette and manners

Include the acceptable rules, manners, and ceremonies for an organization, profession, or society.

Interferences

Noises that can interfere with messages being effectively communicated between two people.

Appearance and Grooming

Nonverbal characteristics exhibited by service providers that can send a variety of messages that range from being a professional to having a negative attitude.

Body Language

Nonverbal communication cues that send powerful messages through gestures, vocal qualities, manner of dress, grooming, and many other cues.

Spatial Cues

Nonverbal messages sent on the basis of how or far someone stands from another person.

Vocal Cues

Qualities of the voice that send powerful nonverbal messages.

Miscellaneous Cues

Refer to factors used to send messages that impact a customer's perception or feelings about a service provider or organization.

Posture

Refers to how one sits or stands in order to project various nonverbal messages.

Pitch

Refers to the change in tone of the voice as one speaks .

Volume

Refers to the loudness or softness of the voice when speaking.

Impact of Culture

Refers to the outcome of people from various countries or backgrounds coming into contact with one another and potentially experiencing misunderstandings or relationships breakdowns.

Voice Quality

Refers to the sound of one's voice. Terms often attributed to voice quality are raspy, nasal, hoarse, and gravelly.

Proxemics

Relates to the invisible barrier surrounding people in which they feel comfortable interacting with others.

Silence

Technique used to gain attention when speaking, to allow thought or to process information received

Gender Communication

Term used to refer to communication between genders

Hygiene

The healthy maintenance of the body through such practices as regular bathing, washing hair, brushing teeth cleaning fingernails and using commercial products.

Perception Checking

The process of clarifying a nonverbal cue that was received by stating what behavior was observed, giving one or two possible interpretations , then asking the message sender clarification.

Semantics

The scientific study of relationships between signs, symbols and words and their meaning.

Malapropism

The unintentional misuse or distortion of a word or phrase that sounds somewhat like the one intended but with a different context.

Verbal Fillers

Verbal sounds, words or utterances that break silence but add little to a conversation.

Rate of Speech

refers to the number of words spoken per minute .