Communication Skills For Technical Specialists
Client Organisation:
Financial Sector
Departments:
Technical Services
Context:
A company with a range of very technical financial service products were finding that communication between sales teams and non sales departments was inadequate. Customers were therefore not being given accurate descriptions of products. A means of enhancing interdepartmental communication was required.
Objectives:
It was decided that the technical services teams, the specialists ultimately responsible for delivering the services, would receive training. Improving their ability to specify their own communication and that of the sales teams, through advanced questioning skills, would facilitate a better understanding not just of the products but when and which questions sales teams had to refer back to one of the delivery teams.
Format & Duration:
A two day training course was deliveerd with a focus on advanced communication skills. Specifically the use of precision language and specifier questions. in order for these tools to be most effective some time was also spent on non verbal communication skills.
Outcomes:
The client reported an instant recognition of how precision language skills has it's place in their sector. Specifically because of the mismatch in product knowledge, which is unavoidable in such a technical and highly regualted environemnt, betweeen specialist delivery and sales teams.
Comments:
In highly technical environments there is often a mismatch between departments with differing short-term objectives. There is a myth that highly technical staff are not as effective at communicating as sales people. This is not true, they merely have different intentions and responsibilities in respect to the information they communicate.