Customer Service Skills for Success 7Th Edition By Robert Lucas - Test Bank Instant Download - Complete Test Bank With Answers Sample Questions Are Posted Below Customer Service, 7e (Lucas) Chapter 5 Listening to the Customer 1) Listening effectively is the primary means that many customer service professionals use to …
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Customer Service Skills for Success 7Th Edition By Robert Lucas – Test Bank
Instant Download – Complete Test Bank With Answers
Sample Questions Are Posted Below
Customer Service, 7e (Lucas)
Chapter 5 Listening to the Customer
1) Listening effectively is the primary means that many customer service professionals use to determine the needs of their customers.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Listening is an active, learned process consisting of four phases: receiving/hearing the message, attending, comprehending/assigning meaning, and responding. A skilled listener will notice a customer’s words and these cues or nuances and conduct follow-up questioning or probe deeper to determine the real need.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: The Importance of Listening
Learning Objective: 05-01 Describe why listening is important to customer service.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
2) The research of Dr. Ralph G. Nichols has little application to the customer service industry.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Dr. Ralph G. Nichols is sometimes called the father of the field of listening. In his classic study on listening, data revealed that the average white-collar worker in the United States typically has only about a 25 percent efficiency rate when listening, which means that 75 percent of the message is lost. The implications of such loss include higher customer churn rates, potential negative word-of-mouth publicity, and reduced revenue for your organization.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: The Importance of Listening
Learning Objective: 05-01 Describe why listening is important to customer service.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
3) The average white-collar worker in the United States has only about a 25 percent efficiency rate when listening.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: In a classic study on listening conducted by Dr. Ralph G. Nichols, who is sometimes called the father of the field of listening, data revealed that the average white-collar worker in the United States typically has only about a 25 percent efficiency rate when listening.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: The Importance of Listening
Learning Objective: 05-01 Describe why listening is important to customer service.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
4) True listening is the physical action of gathering sound waves through the ear canal, as opposed to hearing, which is an active learned process.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Hearing is the physical action of gathering sound waves through the ear canal, while listening is an active learned process.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Steps in the Listening Process
Learning Objective: 05-02 Define the four steps in the listening process.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
5) The first phase in active listening is hearing or receiving the message.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: When you listen actively, you go through a process consisting of various phases: the first phase is hearing or receiving the message, followed by attending, comprehending or assigning meaning, and responding.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Steps in the Listening Process
Learning Objective: 05-02 Define the four steps in the listening process.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
6) Hearing is usually a simple process.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Hearing is a passive physiological process of receiving sound waves and transmitting them to the brain, where they are analyzed. This is usually a simple process.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Steps in the Listening Process
Learning Objective: 05-02 Define the four steps in the listening process.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
7) Once your ears pick up sound waves, the brain goes to work to focus on, or attend to, what was heard.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Once your ears pick up sound waves, your brain goes to work focusing on, or attending to, what was heard. In the process, it sorts out every sound being received.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Steps in the Listening Process
Learning Objective: 05-02 Define the four steps in the listening process.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
8) The last step in the listening process is comprehending or assigning meaning.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The last phase of the listening process is responding, which refers to sending back verbal and nonverbal messages to a message originator. Selecting an appropriate response is crucial to the success of your customer interactions.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Steps in the Listening Process
Learning Objective: 05-02 Define the four steps in the listening process.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
9) Patience is not a significant factor when a language barrier or speech disability is part of a customer’s situation.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Patience is especially important when a language barrier or speech disability is part of a customer’s situation. Not everyone communicates in the same manner. Your job is to take extra care to determine the customer’s needs and then respond appropriately.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Characteristics of a Good Listener
Learning Objective: 05-03 List the characteristics of a good listener.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
10) In dealing with customers, try to avoid subjective opinions or judgments.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: If you have a preconceived idea about customers, their concerns or questions, the environment, or anything related to the customers, you could mishandle the situation. Listen openly and avoid making assumptions. In dealings with customers, it is best to avoid subjective opinions or judgments.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Characteristics of a Good Listener
Learning Objective: 05-03 List the characteristics of a good listener.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
11) Individual characteristics or qualities you have may get in the way of listening effectively to a customer.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: As a listener, you may have individual characteristics or qualities that get in the way of listening effectively to the customer. These personal obstacles include biases, psychological distracters, physical conditions, and your circadian rhythm.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Personal Obstacles that Affect Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
12) When you are ill, fatigued, in poor physical condition, or not feeling well, listening can suffer.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Your state of wellness and fitness is an internal factor that can contribute to or detract from effective listening. When you are ill, fatigued, in poor physical condition, or just not feeling well, listening can suffer.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Personal Obstacles that Affect Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
13) The circadian rhythm refers to the psychological 24-hour cycle associated with the earth’s rotation.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: All people have a natural 24-hour biological pattern (circadian rhythm) by which they function. It is the physiological cycle that is associated with the earth’s rotation. It affects metabolic and sleep patterns in humans as day replaces night. This “clock” often establishes the body’s peak performance periods.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Personal Obstacles that Affect Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
14) The circadian rhythm is not applicable to all people.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Everyone has a natural 24-hour biological pattern, or circadian rhythm. Most people feel the strongest desire to sleep between 1:00pm and 3:00pm (a.k.a. the post-lunch, afternoon crash) and then again between 2:00am and 4:00am, but this can vary from person to person. That’s why some people are “morning people,” while others function best in the evening.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Personal Obstacles that Affect Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
15) If a customer specifically asks to speak to or be served by someone else, this could be an indicator of poor listening.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: If customers specifically ask to speak to or be served by someone else, you may need to refocus on your listening style to see whether you need to improve.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: How Skill Level Affects Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
16) The rate at which the human brain processes information is slower than the speed at which the average adult speaks.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The brain is capable of comprehending messages delivered at rates of as much as four to six times faster (thought speed) than the speed at which the average adult speaks.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: How Skill Level Affects Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
17) One cannot talk and actively listen at the same time.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: When the customer starts talking, the first thing you should do is stop talking and listen carefully. You cannot talk and actively listen at the same time.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Strategies for Improved Listening
Learning Objective: 05-05 Develop strategies to improve your listening ability.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
18) Service recovery is a crucial step in delivering quality service and remaining competitive in the twenty-first century.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Service recovery is the process of correcting a wrong or correcting something that has not gone as promised involving provision of a product or service to a customer. Service recovery is a crucial step in delivering quality service and remaining competitive into the twenty-first century.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Strategies for Improved Listening
Learning Objective: 05-05 Develop strategies to improve your listening ability.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
19) Congruence refers to a situation where the group means well but does not function effectively.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: In communication, congruence relates to ensuring that verbal messages sent match or are in agreement with the nonverbal cues used.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Strategies for Improved Listening
Learning Objective: 05-05 Develop strategies to improve your listening ability.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
20) Open-end questions start with words like who, when, what, how, and why and are used to engage others in conversation or to gain input and ideas.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Open-end questions establish a number of facts and are used to seek substantial amounts of information and encourage dialogue. These questions determine customer needs and help verify and clarify information received.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Open-Ended Questions
Learning Objective: 05-06 Use information-gathering techniques learned to better serve customers.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
21) When a customer calls to complain about a problem, it is important to find out the background information about the customer or situation.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: When a customer calls to complain about a problem, often he or she has already taken unsuccessful steps to solve it. In such cases, it is important to find out the background information about the customer or situation by asking open-end questions and allowing customers to share as much information as they feel is necessary.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Open-Ended Questions
Learning Objective: 05-06 Use information-gathering techniques learned to better serve customers.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
22) The closed-end question format follows the five W’s and one H used by journalists.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Traditionally, closed-end questions start with verbs such as do, did, are, and will; elicit short, one-syllable responses; and gain little new information. Many closed-end questions can be answered yes or no or with a specific answer, such as a number or a date.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Open-Ended Questions
Learning Objective: 05-06 Use information-gathering techniques learned to better serve customers.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
23) Open-end questions are a quick way to check what was already said or agreed on.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Closed-end questions are a quick way to check what was already said or agreed on. Using them reinforces that you’re listening and also helps prevent you from making mistakes because you misinterpreted or misunderstood information.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Closed-Ended Questions
Learning Objective: 05-06 Use information-gathering techniques learned to better serve customers.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
24) Nonverbal messages delivered via tone or body language seldom suggest criticism.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Remember that nonverbal messages often contradict verbal messages. Nonverbal messages delivered via tone or body language can suggest criticism, even if your spoken words do not.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Guidelines for the Use of Questions
Learning Objective: 05-07 Apply concepts discussed to generate meaningful responses to your questions from customers.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
25) The best way to determine what customers want and expect is to ask them.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: You will find no better or easier way to determine what customers want and expect than to ask them. They’ll appreciate it, and you’ll do a better job serving them.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Guidelines for the Use of Questions
Learning Objective: 05-07 Apply concepts discussed to generate meaningful responses to your questions from customers.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
26) Which one of the following statements is true of listening?
Answer: D
Explanation: Most people take the listening skill for granted. But listening effectively is the primary means that many customer service professionals use to determine the needs of their customers. Many times, these needs are not communicated to you directly but through inferences, indirect comments, or nonverbal signals.
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: The Importance of Listening
Learning Objective: 05-01 Describe why listening is important to customer service.
Bloom’s: Understand
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
27) ________ is the primary means that many customer service professionals use to determine current needs of their customers.
Answer: B
Explanation: Listening effectively is the primary means that many customer service professionals use to determine the needs of their customers. Many times, these needs are not communicated to you directly but through inferences, indirect comments, or nonverbal signals. A skilled listener will notice a customer’s words and these cues or nuances and conduct follow-up questioning or probe deeper to determine the real need.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: The Importance of Listening
Learning Objective: 05-01 Describe why listening is important to customer service.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
28) A passive physiological process of gathering sound waves and transmitting them to the brain for analysis is known as ________.
Answer: D
Explanation: Hearing is a passive physiological process of receiving sound waves and transmitting them to the brain, where they are analyzed. This is usually a simple process. Because of external noises and internal distracters (psychological and physical), however, a customer’s message(s) may be lost or distorted.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Steps in the Listening Process
Learning Objective: 05-02 Define the four steps in the listening process.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
29) ________ is the phase of the listening process in which a listener focuses on a specific sound or message being received from the environment.
Answer: B
Explanation: Once your ears pick up sound waves, your brain goes to work focusing on, or attending to, what was heard. Attending is the phase of the listening process in which a listener focuses attention on a specific sound or message being received from the environment.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Steps in the Listening Process
Learning Objective: 05-02 Define the four steps in the listening process.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
30) ________ is the ability to gain, store, and retain information in the brain for later application.
Answer: D
Explanation: During the comprehending or assigning meaning phase, the brain attempts to match a received sound or message with other information stored in the brain as a memory. Memory is the ability to gain, store, retain, and recall information in the brain for later application.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Steps in the Listening Process
Learning Objective: 05-02 Define the four steps in the listening process.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
31) Recognition is ________.
Answer: A
Explanation: Recognition occurs in the comprehending or assigning meaning phase of the listening process. It is a process that occurs in thinking when a previously experienced pattern, event, process, image, or object that is stored in memory is encountered again.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Steps in the Listening Process
Learning Objective: 05-02 Define the four steps in the listening process.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
32) ________ refers to sending back verbal and nonverbal messages to a message originator.
Answer: A
Explanation: Responding refers to sending back verbal and nonverbal messages to a message originator. Selecting an appropriate response is crucial to the success of your customer interactions.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Steps in the Listening Process
Learning Objective: 05-02 Define the four steps in the listening process.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
33) ________ is the last phase of the listening process.
Answer: D
Explanation: Responding refers to sending back verbal and nonverbal messages to the message originator, and it is the last phase in the listening process.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Steps in the Listening Process
Learning Objective: 05-02 Define the four steps in the listening process.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
34) ________ requires putting yourself in the customer’s place and trying to relate to the customer’s needs, wants, and concerns.
Answer: B
Explanation: By putting yourself in the customer’s place and trying to relate to the customer’s needs, wants, and concerns, you can often reduce the risk of poor service. This trait is known as empathy, and is characteristic an effective listener.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Characteristics of a Good Listener
Learning Objective: 05-03 List the characteristics of a good listener.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
35) Particularly in customer service situations, an effective listener should be ________.
Answer: C
Explanation: Do your best to listen well so that you can get at the customer’s meaning or need. The ability to listen as customers verbalize their needs, and to ensure that you understand them, is essential in properly servicing the customer.
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: Characteristics of a Good Listener
Learning Objective: 05-03 List the characteristics of a good listener.
Bloom’s: Understand
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
36) ____ is often displayed through nonverbal cues such as nodding or cocking of the head to one side or the other, smiling, or using paralanguage.
Answer: C
Explanation: By focusing your attention on the customer, you can better interpret his or her message and satisfy his or her needs. Attentiveness is often displayed through nonverbal cues such as nodding or cocking of the head to one side or the other, smiling, or using paralanguage.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Characteristics of a Good Listener
Learning Objective: 05-03 List the characteristics of a good listener.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
37) ________ is especially important when a language barrier or speech disability is part of a customer’s situation.
Answer: A
Explanation: Patience is especially important when a language barrier or speech disability is part of a customer’s situation. Your job is to take extra care to determine the customer’s needs and then respond appropriately.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Characteristics of a Good Listener
Learning Objective: 05-03 List the characteristics of a good listener.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
38) Which of the following is a personal obstacle that can cause listening breakdown?
Answer: D
Explanation: Personal obstacles are individual factors that can limit performance or success in life. Examples are disabilities, lack of education, attitude, and biases.
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: Personal Obstacles that Affect Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Understand
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
39) Mental factors that can cause a shift in focus in interacting with others are known as ________.
Answer: D
Explanation: Psychological distracters refer to mental factors that can cause a shift in focus in interacting with others. Examples are state of health and personal issues. Your psychological state can impede effective listening. Psychological distracters, such as being angry or upset, or simply not wanting to deal with a particular person or situation, may negatively affect your listening.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Personal Obstacles that Affect Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
40) Many companies offer programs to help employees deal with personal and performance issues. These programs are often called ________.
Answer: B
Explanation: Many companies offer programs to assist employees in dealing with their personal and performance issues. Through employee assistance programs (EAPs), organizations are providing counseling in such areas as finance, mental hygiene (health), substance abuse, marital and family issues, smoking cessation, weight loss, and workplace performance problems.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Personal Obstacles that Affect Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
41) The listening gap is understood to be the difference between ________.
Answer: C
Explanation: Your brain is capable of comprehending messages delivered at rates of as much as four to six times faster (thought speed) than the speed at which the average adult speaks. The listening gap is the difference in the speed at which the brain can comprehend communication and the speed at which the average adult speaks in the United States.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: How Skill Level Affects Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
42) ________ is the primary skill most people have for gathering information.
Answer: B
Explanation: Listening is the primary skill most people have for gathering information. Unfortunately, in the United States (and other countries), the skill of listening is not routinely taught in most public school systems.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: How Skill Level Affects Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
43) If you regularly have to ask people to repeat information, you should ________.
Answer: D
Explanation: You cannot afford the luxury of failing to listen to your customer. Periodically, you should do a self-check on your listening style to see whether you need to improve.
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: How Skill Level Affects Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Understand
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
44) ________ are service provider projections made about underlying customer message meanings based on past experiences.
Answer: B
Explanation: Faulty assumptions are service provider projections made about underlying customer message meanings based on past experiences. Because of past experiences or encounters with others, you may be tempted to make faulty assumptions about your customer’s message(s). Don’t. Each customer and each situation is different and should be regarded as such.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: How Skill Level Affects Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Understand
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
45) Which of the following is an example of an external obstacle to listening?
Answer: D
Explanation: External obstacles are factors outside an organization or the sphere of one’s influence that can cause challenges in delivering service. Ringing phones are external obstacles to listening, as are other people talking and information overload.
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: External Obstacles to Effective Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Understand
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
46) The situation of a listener being bombarded with data from many sources is often called ________.
Answer: B
Explanation: Each day you are bombarded with information from many sources. You get information in meetings, from the radio and television, from customers, and in a variety of public places. In many instances, you spend as much as 5 to 6 hours a day listening to customers, coworkers, family members, friends, and strangers. Such information overload can result in stress.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: External Obstacles to Effective Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
47) Positive approaches to listening to a customer include ________.
Answer: C
Explanation: When dealing with customers, you should make sure that you take positive approaches to listening such as turning off noisy equipment, facing the person, making eye contact, and smiling while responding in a positive manner.
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: Strategies for Improved Listening
Learning Objective: 05-05 Develop strategies to improve your listening ability.
Bloom’s: Understand
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
48) In communication, ________ relates to ensuring that verbal messages sent match or are in agreement with the nonverbal cues used.
Answer: C
Explanation: When sending a message, you should make sure that your verbal cues (words) and nonverbal cues (gestures, facial expressions) are in congruence. In communication, congruence relates to ensuring that verbal messages sent match or are in agreement with the nonverbal cues used.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Strategies for Improved Listening
Learning Objective: 05-05 Develop strategies to improve your listening ability.
Bloom’s: Remember
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
49) Closed-ended questions are typically used to ________.
Answer: B
Explanation: Closed-end questions are inquiries that typically start with a verb; solicit short, one-syllable answers (e.g., yes, no, one word, or a number); and can be used for such purposes as clarifying, verifying information already given, controlling conversation, or affirming something.
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: Closed-Ended Questions
Learning Objective: 05-06 Use information-gathering techniques learned to better serve customers.
Bloom’s: Understand
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
50) Telling a customer, “You really don’t want that color, do you, Mrs. Brown?” is a ________.
Answer: D
Explanation: Be careful not to seem to be critical in the way you ask questions. For example, a question like “You really aren’t going to need two of the same item, are you?” sounds as if you are challenging the customer’s decision making. And the bottom line is that what customers choose should not be your concern.
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: Guidelines for the Use of Questions
Learning Objective: 05-07 Apply concepts discussed to generate meaningful responses to your questions from customers.
Bloom’s: Apply
AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
51) Why is listening important?
Answer: Listening effectively is the primary means that many customer service professionals use to determine the needs of their customers. Many times, these needs are not communicated to you directly but through inferences, indirect comments, or nonverbal signals. A skilled listener will pick up on a customer’s words and these cues or nuances and conduct follow-up questioning or probe deeper to determine the real need.
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: The Importance of Listening
Learning Objective: 05-01 Describe why listening is important to customer service.
Bloom’s: Understand
AACSB: Communication
52) Describe the four steps in the listening process.
Answer: When you listen actively, you go through a process consisting of various phases: hearing or receiving the message, attending, comprehending or assigning meaning, and responding.
Hearing is a passive physiological process of receiving sound waves and transmitting them to the brain, where they are analyzed.
Once your ears pick up sound waves, your brain goes to work focusing on, or attending to, what was heard. In the process, it sorts out everything being heard.
Once you’ve decided to which message or customer you will listen, your brain begins a process of comprehending or assigning meaning to what you heard or “decodes” it.
The last phase of the listening process is responding. Selecting an appropriate response is crucial to the success of your customer interactions. The words you select, the way you deliver them, the timing and location, and the nonverbal signals you send all have meaning, and all affect the way others perceive and interpret your message.
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: Steps in the Listening Process
Learning Objective: 05-02 Define the four steps in the listening process.
Bloom’s: Understand
AACSB: Communication
53) Describe attentiveness as a characteristic of a good listener.
Answer: By focusing your attention on the customer, you can better interpret his or her message and satisfy his or her needs. Attentiveness is often displayed through nonverbal cues (nodding or cocking of the head to one side or the other, smiling, or using paralanguage). When you are reading, talking on the phone to someone while servicing your customer, or doing some other task while “listening” to your customer, you are not really focusing.
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: Characteristics of a Good Listener
Learning Objective: 05-03 List the characteristics of a good listener.
Bloom’s: Understand
AACSB: Communication
54) Describe how faulty assumptions are a factor that influences listening skills.
Answer: Faulty assumptions are biases which occur when service provider projections made about underlying customer message meanings based on past experiences. Because of past experiences or encounters with others, you may be tempted to make faulty assumptions. Don’t. Each customer and each situation is different and should be regarded as such. Because you had a certain experience with one customer does not mean that you will have a similar experience with another. Take the time to effectively gather information in each customer encounter so that you can make an informed decision on the correct course of action, then make a judgment on what needs to be done to remedy the situation.
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: How Skill Level Affects Listening
Learning Objective: 05-04 Recognize the causes of listening breakdown.
Bloom’s: Understand
AACSB: Communication
55) Give five examples of open-end questions.
Answer: Examples of open-end questions (student examples may vary):
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: Open-Ended Questions
Learning Objective: 05-06 Use information-gathering techniques learned to better serve customers.
Bloom’s: Understand
AACSB: Communication
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