Business Efficiency - Chapter 4

Hi Team,

How quickly another week has passed!  Before you know it this subject will be done & dusted.  

Chapter 4

Fig 1 Crossed wires can spell disaster for communication. Source

In this chapter it discusses the two channels of communications that we most rely on to pass and receive information, formal and informal.  Often we hear colleagues requesting to be ‘kept in the loop’ but what does that actually mean to us?  How do we make sure that they receive all of the information? Would we use an informal channel of communication (gossip, social chit-chat, innuendo) or would we use a formal means of communicating (websites, news releases, emails)?  When keeping colleagues in the loop about work projects, issues or discussions, it is beneficial to use a formal means of communication.  Using formal channels of information enables us to not only ensure that everyone gets the information but also lets us capture that information as an official record.

Why wouldn’t we use informal communication to pass important work information to colleagues?  If we communicated our agency/departmental information and relied solely on gossip or social chit-chat how do we know that the intended recipient is part of the same networks?  Has the integrity of the information been preserved or has the information been embellished along the line?  Where is the information recorded?

When dealing with customer  complaints in particular it is essential that our efforts to consult and involve other employees/divisions/sections that can offer advice or assistance are recorded for future reference.  It is also essential for us to identify a method for communicating the results of our findings to ensure that all stakeholders are fully informed.  It enables us to identify difficulties and suggest a prompt course of action to rectify or resolve the issue.

It is one thing to identify a problem, it is another to get the solution that you desire.  Often there are legislative requirements such as OH&S, FOI or Privacy that will dictate how certain issues are handled.  Where we are the ones that identify problems in the workplace, we need to consult with others and seek out appropriate solutions.  Often we can work through issues without having to involve higher level management, but sometimes, particularly in the OH&S arena this is not the case as there may be building repair issues that need to be addressed.  

Often we see things that need change, and have ideas on how we could fix the cause of the problem. We bounce these ideas off our colleagues, and identify the most appropriate solution.   It is essential to state the desired outcome and the timeframe.  

Networking

Fig 2 Different types of networking. Source

Networking is part of our everyday lives, think about the people that you currently network with, friends, workplace, social activities, clubs, sporting teams, online groups, blogs, forums etc.  The list is quite extensive.  I am going to nag at all of you to network with each other – even if it is to ask what information I may have accidentally left out of this week’s email.  I have noticed that there doesn't seem to be that much interaction (networking) happening between the students.  Is there a reason for this?  

Actually, my challenge to students is to use the student network to identify anything that you learnt this week that I have  not covered, also to share with the group how you are going about tackling the OH&S component of this course and any anecdotal examples of things that you have learned through your study that you have applied in the workplace and how that all went.  Please post your comments below.  

Trust, Empathy and Respect

The foundation of any relationship is based on trust, empathy and respect.  There are a number of different ways we can define trust.  Trust means being able to predict how other people will behave when we give them information that can make us vulnerable.  We would not willingly give someone personal information if we knew that they were going to use it against us!  

Sometimes we are in situations where we have to make an exchange with someone and do not have full knowledge about them, their intent and the things they are offering to us.   We may give something now with an expectation that it will be repaid, possibly in some unspecified way at some unspecified time in the future. (think about purchases from eBay).

Trust means enabling other people to take advantage of your vulnerabilities—but expecting that they will not do this. 

Empathy is the capacity to share the sadness or happiness of another sentient being through consciousness rather than physically. Empathy develops the ability to have compassion towards other beings.

Respect means to acknowledge someone else’s value, to hold them in high regard and treat them accordingly.  For customer service, we need to extend this courtesy to all our customers, regardless of whether we personally believe it is warranted or not.

Customer needs

Our customers will have different kinds of customer needs; stated, secondary and special.  

• Stated needs, are the needs that relate to the product or service that the customer has stated they actually want, i.e. a file request for a personnel file.
• Secondary needs,  are the needs behind what the customer may wish to to/use that product or service for, i.e. the customer may wish to access personal information about the person in the file that the person in the file is unaware of.  Maybe to check pay grades or performance reports etc?
• Special needs, these are basic needs that all customers are likely to have, some kinds of special needs include, customers with;
• a disability, 
• small children
• that are elderly
• with a language difficulty
• with significant time constraints
• financial issues etc.

Don't forget to check out the four “P’s” found on page 63 of the course handbook.

Right, that is all I am going to blog this week – I will leave it up to YOU to network amongst yourselves to figure what, if anything, I have not included that is covered in the handbook.  For everyone - it's an excellent time for YOU to practise your technique when asking probing questions and seeking feedback and do some networking! What have you got to loose?  I look forward to seeing your posts :)

Happy networking folks!
Melisa