Listening is the Most Important Communication Task
Listening Skills Study Report
No. 1
2013
Fernwell Communications
Stephanie Lloyd
Listening Skills Study Report: No. 1
The initial phase of communications skills study of customer service agents at Fernwell Communications has been completed. Findings of this study showed that listening is the communications task that customer service agents spend almost 50 percent of their time doing but clearly have had little instruction in performing this skill effectively.
This report is the first in a series The purpose of this report is to highlight major barriers to effective listening and to identify poor listening habits observed in the 50 customer service agents who participated in this study. The study consisted of a survey administered to the participants and a one-week observation period where qualified researchers observed the participants I various listening situations.
Communication skills ranked
Contrary to common belief, listening is not an easy talk. Interestingly, our survey findings showed that listening is a skill that was seldom taught to the participants of this study. The tablebelow compares the rank of four communication skills in terms of amount of time used and time taught. Note that writing ranks last in time used and ranks first in amount of time taught while listening is used the most and taught the least. Comparison of Communications Skills’
Rank in Time Used and Time Taught | | Rank in time Used | Rank in time taught | Listening | 1 | 4 | Speaking | 2 | 3 | Reading | 3 | 2 | Writing | 4 | 1 |
The final report will include recommendations that address the components of a listening training program. Training objectives will be designed to address the needs of the participants as determined by the one-week observation period.
Rate. Studies show that listeners can recognize words at a rate approximately five times faster than the rate at which speakers can talk. A very important question to consider is at what
No. 1
2013
Fernwell Communications
Stephanie Lloyd
Listening Skills Study Report: No. 1
The initial phase of communications skills study of customer service agents at Fernwell Communications has been completed. Findings of this study showed that listening is the communications task that customer service agents spend almost 50 percent of their time doing but clearly have had little instruction in performing this skill effectively.
This report is the first in a series The purpose of this report is to highlight major barriers to effective listening and to identify poor listening habits observed in the 50 customer service agents who participated in this study. The study consisted of a survey administered to the participants and a one-week observation period where qualified researchers observed the participants I various listening situations.
Communication skills ranked
Contrary to common belief, listening is not an easy talk. Interestingly, our survey findings showed that listening is a skill that was seldom taught to the participants of this study. The tablebelow compares the rank of four communication skills in terms of amount of time used and time taught. Note that writing ranks last in time used and ranks first in amount of time taught while listening is used the most and taught the least. Comparison of Communications Skills’
Rank in Time Used and Time Taught | | Rank in time Used | Rank in time taught | Listening | 1 | 4 | Speaking | 2 | 3 | Reading | 3 | 2 | Writing | 4 | 1 |
The final report will include recommendations that address the components of a listening training program. Training objectives will be designed to address the needs of the participants as determined by the one-week observation period.
Rate. Studies show that listeners can recognize words at a rate approximately five times faster than the rate at which speakers can talk. A very important question to consider is at what