Real-Life Communication
Alarm technicians need effective communication skills to do well
on their day-to-day duties. Written skills come in handy when keeping logs
on all their work. Reports are usually filed after each service call, especially
when these must be submitted to the local fire department as part of regular
fire alarm system inspections.
But perhaps the most crucial part of
communicating on the job starts when the alarm technician rings a doorbell.
Presenting all kinds of customers with a friendly, respectful and reassuring
presence is the primary focus of a competitive industry that insists its workers
keep their people skills sharp.
"The technician is the company's front
line person because they're the ones who deal with customers the most," says
Henry Becker. He is an alarm technician. "Without their communication skills,
we would have no product to sell, no product to service, because we'd have
no customers.
"You have to remember, people are not buying technical
devices, they're buying peace of mind and comfort," adds Becker.
"That
has to be constantly conveyed to them -- that they have made the right decision
and won't regret it. And if something goes wrong and we come to fix it, they
want to be reassured that their systems are working beautifully. If they don't
get that personal reassurance from the technician, then we've lost the whole
impact that an alarm system is supposed to have."
You are an alarm
technician responding to a customer's questions about the installation of
their home alarm system. The customer, Mrs. Johnson, takes great pride in
her home's expensive decor. She wants to make sure obvious alarm system wires
don't mar her prized paintings and other wall furnishings and devices.
She
keeps a very clean house, and is also worried about the mess an installation
might make. And finally, she wants to be sure she'll be able to reach the
company immediately, should anything go wrong with the system.
Come
up with creative and thoughtful responses to the concerns posed by Mrs. Johnson
when you arrive at her home. The more reassured she feels, the more she'll
leave you alone to do your job.
Mention the following points when you
answer her questions:
- You are experienced in concealing all wires for a seamless installation.
- Your company has a policy where its technicians wear clean slippers on
the job and bring a vacuum to each site.
- If the customer has any problems, they can call your 24-hour monitoring
service at 1-800-555-1212.
Here are the questions Mrs. Johnson asks you:
- How do I know you won't mess up my walls with all your wires?
- Do you people clean up after yourselves?
- I need to know that I can reach someone right away if this thing doesn't
work. I don't want my home left unprotected for a minute.