Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 835 Chapter 24 Customer Support, Communication, and Professionalism you are not achieving the results defi ned in the documented plan. Once a kill point is activated, the team will execute a backout plan designed to minimize the negative consequences of the project. Document Changes Every change should be documented. With computer software, this can be accom- plished using version-control tools. Hardware changes call for changes in drawings and material control systems. Organization changes should follow a known standard, such as ISO-9000. Undocumented change opens the door to out-of-control modifi cations, about which the organization may not be aware. Communication Skills Communication skills are an area of customer support in which computer tech- nicians will most likely have the greatest room for improvement. Communication with a customer is not limited to the actual conversation. It includes other aspects, such as body language and attitude. Although some communication skills are unspoken, they present a clear message to customers about your level of willing- ness and concern for fi xing their problems. Th is section discusses various aspects of communication—specifi cally verbal communication, body language, attitude, listening skills, telephone skills, and writing skills. Verbal Communication Th e secret to a successful business is repeat customers. Th e secret to having repeat customers is customer satisfaction. Customers are satisfi ed when you are helpful, courteous, and express genuine sincerity when dealing with their problems and complaints. Th is may sound like a simple task, but one slip of your tongue while you are frustrated could mean the diff erence between success and failure in customer relations. When communicating with customers and clients, always speak clearly and concisely. If you can avoid it, never use technical jargon or acronyms. You may think using such language makes you sound smarter or more knowledgeable. In reality, it can break down the confi dence of the customer by making him or her feel less knowledgeable. Th e customer or client should feel comfortable while engaged in a conversation with you. If using industry terminology is unavoidable, it is suggested to try to explain what the terms mean or rephrase the explanation in a way anyone would understand. Always begin your conversation with a warm greeting. For example, “Good morn- ing, what can I do to be of service to you?” While engaged in conversation with cus- tomers or clients, use positive words to establish a can-do attitude. Use reinforcing statements such as, “We should have this fi xed in no time,” or “Th is is a very common problem. Lots of people have trouble at fi rst.” Do whatever you can to build the cus- tomers’ self-esteem and confi dence in both you and your company. Th e following are some good and bad examples of statements used when communicating with a customer or client: Good examples: “Yes, we can fi x that.” “No problem, we can handle that.” “Yes, we fi x that type of problem all the time.” “If you have any more problems, please do not hesitate to call.” “You are no bother. Th is is what I am here for.” 1002: 4.2 1002: 4.7