Importance of Interpersonal skill

Write a report that contains correct in-text citations from at least eight academic sources along with a reference list which presents the full details of each source in alphabetical order. 

Interpersonal skill is the tool that people uses to interact and have conversation with individuals in an organization. To commence effective interaction and communication one should be have proficiency in interpersonal skills (Koprowska 2014). Developing interpersonal skill escalates the rate of success both professionally and personally. Customer service is the service that is thoroughly dependent on the interpersonal skills of a person. Customer service of an organization assists different person with product related problems and grants information about the organization. Customer relationship technique encompasses a number of skills. They need to possess knowledge about customers who are old acquaintances and about those who are newly acquainted with the organization. Verbal communication is the bridleway through which interactions take place between the customer and the service man takes place.

Customer service is a discipline that implements techniques to provide customer with satisfactory response. Communication being the essential tool for any service, one has to be proficient and knowledgeable in interpersonal skills. Communicating in correct tone and using correct sets of word while communicating is very important in every discipline.  Be it a doctor, psychologist, teacher or customer service provider, they have to have positive attitude and substantial communication techniques (Guy, Newman and Mastracci 2014). This is an ability, which can assist a person to get along with the people working in the organization. Effective listening, negotiation skills, solving problem and decision-making are the important factors that assemble interpersonal skill. Interchanging of information that takes place between people is the key part of Interpersonal skill. Communication skill is the prime element in interpersonal skills. Effective communication comes from listening and answering the questions according to the necessity.

• Social penetration theory is the practice that defines relational closeness. Interpersonal skill is the field that can convert a superficial conversation into an intimate one.
• Uncertainty reduction theory is the theory that reflects that personal relationships are distraught with uncertainties. This presumption helps in reducing this uncertainty with knowledge and interpretation.
• Relation dialectic theory is the relationship that pinpoints the inconsistency and tension in an interaction. Several factors needed in order to understand this theory. There are contradictory factors, which affects this theory like openness –closeness, certainty-uncertainty etc.

Interpersonal skills have two sections verbal and non-verbal. Verbal interpretation of word is communication and interpretation of non-verbal communication is by body language and writing skills (Goldstein 2013).

A research operated by the institute for human- animal connection said propounded the importance of interaction. They have studied the area that concerns the interaction that can take place between human and animal. Interactions are the key process by which understanding can be created. Human beings are rational creatures so interacting is naturally more important to them.

Paul Baard’s article about motivation matter consults about the ways that can acuminate interpersonal skills. He deduces that listening, articulating, enunciating, collaborating and initiating are some key skills that can hone interpersonal skills of an individual.

Interpersonal skill in Customer service

In the journal published by O’Neil 2014 discusses about the importance of negotiation in interpersonal skill. It explores the vitality of interpersonal skill for developing competency and assessment of the workforce.

I am an IT specialist and I work as a customer service provider. A Customer service provider should have extensive knowledge on the product and service the organization is projecting. Effective communication skill comes from listening, questioning and feedback. Customer service is distributing of service to the customers. Customers who have queries about the product or about the service provided by the enterprise calls the customer service in order to clarify their doubts. Customer service represents the culture of the organization. Their top priority is customers and they also helps in retaining customer for the organization (Culbertson and Chen 2013). Providing training to customer service is necessary in order to enhance their interpersonal skill. Their pursuit is dependent on supplying suitable information to the customers and attaining their satisfaction with their communication skill. 

• A customer service agent needs to build genial yet professional relationship with the customers.
• He or she should be advertent listener. Listening is the primary yet necessary stage of interpersonal skill.
• According to the academic article published by Mast and Latu 2016, assertiveness is also necessary. A customer service provider should be confident in his approach so that they can gain customer attention.
• Tactfully handling of the customers also deals with individual interpersonal skill. Through communication, a customer needs to have the necessary information. Expertise plays the key role in order to handle the client tactfully.
• The service provider has to be empathetic so that the client feels comfortable while talking about his needs.In the article published by Shen et al. 2014 contemplates that customer satisfaction is the ultimate obligation of an organization which only customer service can acquire by their expert administering of customers.

Interpersonal skills can be of two types verbal and non-verbal. Verbal communication is a significant part of communication but non-verbal communication should receive the same priority. Non-verbal communication in not massively use in customer services as the customer could not see to whom they are speaking. Non-verbal communication is genre, which deals with expression and body languages that in case of customer service are unnecessary factors.

According to the article published by Clarke 2016, interpersonal skills or the soft skills are necessary for an organization. In the article it has been broadly discussed the problems that an enterprise faces if their customer service operators are not trained in soft skills.

Hoque and Picard 2014 in their journal Computer, reveals about the automated technology that can replace human but the article also illuminate the fact that human will always be the best option in case of customer service because a customer will certainly feel more comfortable talking to a human than a robot.

Springer International publication gives insights about the growth of the customer care services. Brohman et al. 2015, gives an extensive view about the origin of the service and has discussed the fact as to how interpersonal skills have evolved the role of customer service and made them principle assets of an organization.

Interpersonal skill has profoundly benefited the customer service by endowing on them the knowledge of perfect communication.

• Interpersonal skill has largely helped in developing passive strategies that help in understanding a person.
• Background study about the customer by collecting information and data from the database of the organization also helps in accumulating knowledge about the customer.

The skill is all about social exchange theory. Social exchange theory relates to the symbolic interactions that can take place between two or more people. This reflects the theory of interdependence that was proposed by Thibaut and Kelly, two famous theorists.

Benefits of interpersonal skills in customer service

Customer Service pivotally depends on verbal communication that means customer will not be able to see the person with whom they are having conversation (Isaacowitz, Vicaria  and Murry 2016).

• This kind of conversation often leads to misinterpretation. According to Hill 2015, Confusion takes place when the service provider could not understand what the client needs or what service he may offer in order to reach his client’s satisfaction so clarification in communication is necessary.
• Serious misunderstanding will inflict bad influence on the company reputation.
• Sometimes language barrier serves as a hindrance on the path of communication.
• Some service providers may indulge into unprofessional behaviors by engaging into verbal clash with the client. It is a not at all ethical either professionally or personally. It is taken into consideration that the violation of the laws of interpersonal skill.

Customer service is the representative of a company. According to a journal published by Calero et al. 2015, customer service professionals communicate in behalf of the organization so their conversation procedure should be strictly professional. Interpersonal skills highly reflect on problem solving and social awareness (Ming 2012). Therefore, it is necessary for a person to be in tune with the customers and the colleagues emotionally.

Conclusion:

Interpersonal skill is undoubted important in every sphere of life. The fundamental value that interpersonal skill possess on the workplace should be followed because better communication leads to success in the field of personal and professional relationship. Interpersonal skill projects insight of the human psychology and helps to interpret different psychological aspects that a human being possesses.  Customer service is the discipline that deals with communication so that they can apply customer related information to achieve goals. Interpersonal skill is the factor that refines the skills of interacting and helps in generating suitable communication between two individuals. Communication builds bond between the customer and the service provider. Questioning an individual and listening to his problem and serving them with appropriate proposition are the first-hand job of the customer service of an organization.

Reference:

Brohman, K., Parasuraman, A., Watson, R.T. and Piccoli, G., 2015. Internet-Based Customer Service Systems: What are They and When are They Successful? 1. In New Meanings for Marketing in a New Millennium (pp. 150-153). Springer International Publishing.

Clarke, M., 2016. Addressing the soft skills crisis. Strategic HR Review,15(3).

Culbertson, H.M. and Chen, N., 2013. International public relations: A comparative analysis. Routledge.

Goldstein, A.P., 2013. Social skill training. In response to aggression: Methods of control and prosocial alternatives, 98, p.159.

Guy, M.E., Newman, M.A. and Mastracci, S.H., 2014. Emotional labor: Putting the service in public service. Routledge.

Hill, R.M., 2015. INTERPERSONAL ENGAGEMENT: The Indispensable Warrior Skill. Military Review, 95(5), p.49.

Hoque, M.E. and Picard, R.W., 2014. Rich nonverbal sensing technology for automated social skills training. Computer, 47(4), pp.28-35.

Isaacowitz, D.M., Vicaria, I.M. and Murry, M.W., 2016. 10 A lifespan developmental perspective on interpersonal accuracy. The Social Psychology of Perceiving Others Accurately, p.206.

Koprowska, J., 2014. Communication and interpersonal skills in social work. Learning Matters.

Ming, D., 2012. On analysis and thinking of interpersonal skills guidance of contemporary college students. Journal of Jiamusi Education Institute, 8, p.109.

O’Neil, H.F., 2014. Workforce readiness: Competencies and assessment. Psychology Press.

Shen, J.J., Xu, Y., Staples, S. and Bolstad, A.L., 2014. Using the Interpersonal Skills tool to assess interpersonal skills of internationally educated nurses. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 11(3), pp.171-179.

Calero, M.D., Mata, S., Bonete, S., Molinero, C. and Gómez-Pérez, M.M., 2015. Relations between learning potential, cognitive and interpersonal skills in Asperger children. Learning and Individual Differences, 44, pp.53-60.

Mast, M.S. and Latu, I., 2016. 13 Interpersonal accuracy in relation to the workplace, leadership, and hierarchy. The Social Psychology of Perceiving Others Accurately, p.270.