Laboratorians spend a significant amount of time on the telephone and rely heavily on the telephone for daily communication. With phone communication there is the risk of miscommunication because non-verbal cues such as body language, facial expressions, and eye contact are lost. Without non-verbal cues the intent of the message may be misinterpreted.
Think about how you can apply some tools already learned in this course to your telephone conversations.
Practice AIDET
By practicing AIDET you will be focusing on customer service and employee satisfaction. A phone script may be used to ensure consistency when customers are calling the laboratory. Escalation procedures can help employees to know when they need to escalate the conversation and avoid getting stuck on the phone.
Practice Closed-loop Communication
For both patient safety and customer service, practice closed-loop communication. This will ensure the message was received and understood by both parties. It will also ensure the needs of the customer are being understood and followed up.
Try Smiling
Practice with a coworker over the phone how smiling can change the intonation of your voice. By smiling when talking, you can manage the tone and intent of your voice.
