April 3, 2025

Tips for Service Teams

Focus for Better Listening

Poor listening habits can lead to misunderstandings, errors, missed opportunities, wasted time, and damaged relationships.

On the other hand, active listening helps to identify deeper customer needs, it enables a more comfortable relationship with the customer, reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings or tension, and makes problem solving easier.

That’s the level of listening that customers want. So why isn’t everyone in the service center practicing active listening all the time?

Because it’s hard work that can be physically demanding.

In the April issue of Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for frontline reps, author Joe Takash suggests five steps to better listening including step number one: reduce distractions.

Distractions come in many forms, from a noisy neighbor, to multitasking, to internal thoughts and worries, to chat messages. And all of those distractions can impact the quality of listening. Even worse, customers will recognize when you are distracted. "People are remarkably sensitive to another individual’s attention — or lack of attention," says Takash. "They can tell if you’re only listening at 50 percent. Give them 100 percent whenever possible."

Strategies to improve listening skills appear regularly in Customer Communicator.

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