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THE STRUGGLE IS REAL
So, here we are, in the heat of the mask, trying to breathe and talk and listen and signal to others around us – our customers and coworkers who are also wearing masks. What just happened? On April 3, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that they recommend the use of cloth masks or face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As employers and businesses seek to keep customers and staff safe and the usage of masks are becoming increasingly prevalent to minimize the risk of infection.
From the boardroom to the frontlines, we are charting new customer service territory in the age of physical distancing, and creative and effective communication skills will be your beacon to success!
Let’s face it, in the western world, unless we have worked in the medical profession, or at some point have worn a face covering for health, safety, religious or cultural reasons, we’re typically not accustomed to communicating behind a mask. The result, we have been catapulted into a state of frustration, steeped in the intricacies of non-verbal communication and avoidance. We find ourselves, our customers and coworkers are thrust into a world of mask confusion. Simply put, wearing a face covering can create barriers to engaging with others and it unless you are used to it, it feels awkward, almost impersonal, and it’s tricky.
Every day we rely on body language, especially facial expressions, for clear communication. There is the persistent confusion of mixed signals and feelings of annoyance for any new mask wearer, especially in a customer service role. As a professional in the customer service field, the skills you may have spent years refining have to be redefined to meet the needs of our new reality. As experts in designing and delivering customer service training and customer and employee experience consulting for over 25 years, we at CXE see this dramatic shift in how we engage with each other as concerning, and if not handled right, a roadblock to success. We can’t continue to operate as though our normal has change. Familiar customer service courtesies, behaviors and rules of engagement with customers and coworkers have shifted to a completely new communication experience that doesn’t feel normal at all.