Showing all posts tagged business communication

In Business & Blogging

Improve Communication When You Work From Home

Author Nicki CawoodPosted on
Improve Communication When You Work From Home

Working from home has become more popular than ever in recent years. While it was already growing in popularity, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have made remote working a reality for people all over the globe. This has made the push to improve communication when you work from home a key concern.

It’s estimated that 50% of people in the UK regularly work from home, and there are plenty of benefits to remote employment. It allows you flexibility, can reduce stress levels, and studies have shown that people who work from home tend to be more productive. 

Thankfully, we live in a world where technology makes it possible to work almost anywhere. Staying in communication with your fellow employees or the people who work for you is so important. Perhaps more so when working from home. So, how can you improve your communication with those you work with when you’re tackling your job remotely? 

  1. Improve Communication: Schedule Daily Meetings

One of the best ways to encourage communication each day is by setting up virtual meetings. Using programs like Zoom or Skype makes it easy to host meetings every day and gives you the opportunity to actually see the people you work with. 

You can choose how long you want these meetings to be, but even a 10-minute check-in to see what everyone is working on and how everyone is feeling can make a big difference. 

Additionally, it doesn’t always have to be about work. Don’t be afraid to host “virtual” after-work get-togethers to see what your co-workers or employees are up to. Chances are, you would talk to each other about your lives during the day if you were all together. Thankfully, you can make that happen virtually, too. 

  1. Invest In the Right Programs

Again, technology has made it easier than ever to stay connected with the people you work with. If you’re working at home but many of your co-workers are still in an office, your business might want to consider Unified Communications. 

Unified Communications (UC) is a way to bring multiple communicative platforms into one convenient location through a phone. Some of the most common platforms that can be included are instant messaging, email, fax, and VoIP. You can find out more about UC here. 

  1. Improve Communication and Keep Your Office Culture Alive

One potential struggle remote workers have is separating their home life from their work life. It can start by putting together a great home office that will encourage productivity. It’s also important to have the right mindset as you sit down to work each day. 

Try developing a daily routine to get you in the mood to work from home just as you would if you had to go into the office. Get up at the same time, get dressed, and do anything else that you would do if you were going out. 

Set specific working hours for yourself, and make sure anyone who lives with you understands that you cannot be bothered during those hours. By treating your work day at home the same way you would if you had to go into the office, you’re more likely to stay in constant communication with your fellow employees. 

 

Working from home is obviously something that is here to stay, and communication options will continue to grow. For now, take as many opportunities to stay connected with your employees as possible, and you’ll be able to reap the benefits of working remotely. 

 

In Business & Blogging

Face-To-Face Customer Communication

Author Nicki CawoodPosted on
Face-To-Face Customer Communication

We live in a world that is increasingly digitised where email, text and social media have replaced phone conversations and more of our customer service is being conducted online rather than in person. That said, there is still great value to be had from maintaining strong face-to-face customer communication skills. These are essential for selling your products in-store, meeting customers at trade shows or simply how you present yourself through your visual media. So here are 5 ways that you can improve face-to-face communication with your customers. 

Customer Communication: Introduce yourself

Putting a name to a face can really help to improve your customer’s experience so the first thing you should do when speaking to a customer face-to-face is introduced yourself. Many companies understand the importance of this personal greeting and choose to also wear name badges or ID lanyards to help their customers communicate with them on the shop floor or while they are at an exhibition. You can find out more about the range of ID and name badges available at https://www.idcardcentre.co.uk/id-card-accessories/Name-Badges

Be Positive and Smile

What may seem like a trivial facial expression is in fact very important for a business. Smiling and positivity need to come from the top down and should be ingrained in your company culture. When you smile, even if it is forced, you release chemicals that make you feel more positive, this, in turn, makes you relax. This will make you seem more approachable to potential customers. People pick up on very subtle facial cues and people who smile more tend to do better in sales scenarios

Customer Communications: Be Patient and Don’t Interrupt

Not every customer is going to be direct and to the point and you may find yourself having to deal with someone who themselves has poor communicative skills. This means that having patience is very important, listen to the customer and really make an effort to take on board even the finer details of what they have to say. Don’t rush them, even if you think you have got the gist of their query before they finish, as this can appear rude and reflect badly on you if you were wrong. Some times it can be a good idea to take down notes to help you remember what they have said to you, though do this carefully so as to stay focused on what they have to say.

Be Accurate With Your Information

Waffling on in a conversation can be very frustrating for a customer so be accurate and succinct with your information. This doesn’t mean skipping friendliness and a little essential small talk but simply means sticking to the point so as not to waste your own and your customers time. If the customer wishes to speak in more detail then they will likely initiate this part of the conversation.

Effective Customer Communication: Be Conscious Of Your Body Language 

Without realising it we read thousands of body language cues each day. When speaking with a customer always maker eye contact to show that you are focusing your attention on them, smile to show friendliness and stand up or sit up straight to reflect alertness. Don’t cross your arms as this can come across as a barrier to the conversation. You can find out more about body language here. 

All original content on these pages is fingerprinted and certified by Digiprove