Getting Maximum Value From The Six Touch Points Of Communications
By Nancy Friedman
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Are you aware of all the 6-touch points of communications? The 6 ways you can
enhance or foul up a business or a personal relationship? You should be
familiar with them all. Let’s go over each point...because throughout the day,
both in business and our home life, we all have the ability to "touch" people
in a variety of ways. And with each point there are pros and
cons. Here we go.
Touch Point #1 - The phone. And not just your business or home phone.
Your cell phone too. Telephone Doctor surveys show that more than 80% of all
business transactions involved a phone call at one point. The telephone is
what’s known as a ‘synchronous’ method of communication. And what that means
is - you’re in sync with the person you’re communicating with. You can have
a simultaneous two-way exchange of information. Both parties need to be
communicating at the same time for maximum effectiveness.
That doesn't mean you need to agree with the person you’re talking with, but,
more importantly, you both are able to communicate immediately. The best part
of the telephone touch point is the ability to hear the tone of voice being
used. That stimulates the listener’s imagination--almost like the radio.
On the phone, we have no sight. Just sound. And, how we perceive those sounds
makes a whole lot of difference. So tone of voice is critical with the first
touch point. Two people can say the same thing to one person...and yet the
listener can hear it differently from each.
All that being said, the telephone is a very effective and popular method of
communication (providing you've reached your called party). Gets answers
quickly. Responds rapidly. As you might imagine, this ‘touch point’ is one
of my personal favorites. (I don't even want caller ID. Takes all the fun out
of a phone call.)
Touch Point #2 - Email. Ah yes, the beloved email. Well, that’s
"asynchronous." Meaning you communicate one-way information, one direction
at a time. And you may not get immediate communication back. With email, you
have relinquished interpretation of the tone of voice to the other person.
What you write can be "heard" whatever way they want to hear it. This can be
dangerous. Remember, email etiquette is new. (You can read more about it on
the Telephone Doctor RESOURCE page.) However, suffice to say when we email
something, it needs to be short, sweet and to the point.
Plus, it needs to be obviously friendly. It’s a delivery method that has
the ability to "sit" for hours...sometimes days without an answer.
(When to meet rather than use email? A client of ours told us once, "when
there are more than 2 emails on the same subject back and forth, it’s time
for a face-to-face meeting." ) That’s easy to say for those of us who work
in the same area; however, if your emails are international or even
regional, your emails are your critical "touch point."
Be careful in your emails. Many hurt feelings have come about due to
insensitive writing. That’s a good place to practice all your ‘please and
thank you’s.’ Short, terse, one-word answers are perceived as "rude." (In
any touch point.)
Touch Point #3 - Voice Mail. Again, this is an "asynchronous" means
of communication. You can leave a voice message for someone...and when you
get an answer, if ever, is up to him or her...not you. And it’s not
instantaneous, as is speaking with someone on the telephone. So here again,
your voice mail needs to be special.
As we've said many times, there are 3 types of voice mails. Poor - average
- and great. When you leave a voice mail, make it a great one. Remember,
you get to use your tone of voice. That’s a real plus. Your listener can
hear the laughter, the smile and the tone. Use it to your advantage. (Again,
our Telephone Doctor website RESOURCE page has a voice mail article that
will help you in making all your messages great.)
Touch Point #4 - Snail Mail (US Mail, UPS, FedEx, etc). Things like
letters or package delivery. These are some of the original forms of
business communication. And we've used it and continue using it as a great
method of communication. As is true with emails, though, (remove the word
because) the written word can be miscommunicated very easily. So email,
voice mail and snail mail, (remove phrase: so to speak) are very similar
when communicating. All are "asynchronous." You wait for an answer.
Touch Point #5 - The Fax Machine. Remember when that method of
communicating came on the scene? Seems we didn’t know how we operated
without it. And today, it trails sadly behind the other touch points. Yet,
it’s still there, and being used. Just not as much or as often. And a
reminder, again, it is ‘asynchronous’. One-way information; waiting for an
answer.
Touch Point #6 - Face-to-Face Communications. Obviously this needs
little, if any, explanation. When we communicate in a face-to-face
situation, we have it all. Sight, sound, tone of voice, facial expressions,
body language - the entire package. Just like television. It’s the ultimate
"synchronous" touch point.
Maintaining eye contact is key in this special touch point. Those that will
not make eye contact while communicating with us are sometimes judged
"suspicious." We suspect that they may be hiding something.
Beware, too, in a face-to-face situation that your head doesn't look as
though it’s on a spindle. Focus on the person, or people, you’re talking
with. They deserve your full attention. And you'll find you soon notice,
when someone is talking with you if they’re concentrating on you and the
topic...or if their eyes are wondering around looking elsewhere - anyplace
but with you.
And yet, with all these touch points and helpful hints...we often still
"miscommunicate." In our work place, we most probably use all 6 touch
points many times a day. A few simple guidelines can help us focus on which
touch point to use when. And how to make them work FOR us and not against us:
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