Name: Ken Caceres Balintay

Qualification: Trainers Methodology 1

Module Title: WORK WITHIN THE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

POLICY FRAMEWORK

o Units of competency

A unit of competency is the specification of knowledge and skill, and the

application of that knowledge and skill, to the standard of performance expected
in the workplace. A unit of competency is the smallest unit that can be assessed
and recognized.

Competency standards define the skills and knowledge to operate effectively in

employment and how they need to be applied. Each unit of competency consists
of several components employability skills are non-technical skills and
competencies which play a significant part in contributing to an individual’s
effective and successful participation in the workplace elements within a unit of
competency describe the skill outcomes that contribute to a unit or what skills
are required to perform the work activity performance criteria specify the
required level of performance or what level of skill is needed required skills and
knowledge describe the essential skills and knowledge required to effectively
perform in the workplace range statement relates to the unit of competency as a
whole providing the range of contexts and conditions to which the performance
criteria apply. It allows for different work environments and situations that will
affect performance evidence guide within a unit of competency describes the
underpinning knowledge and skills that must be demonstrated to prove
competence

o Qualifications

Package of competencies describing a particular function or job role existing in

an economic sector. It covers the work activities required to undertake a
particular job role.
o Employability Skills

These are also called ‘enterprise skills’, 'communication skills' or ‘workplace skills'.

Employability skills include things like:

- Good communication

- Motivation and initiative

- Leadership

- Reliability/dependability

- Following instructions

- Team work

- Patience

- Adaptability

- Emotional control

- Resilience

You can build your employability skills through participation in:

- paid work
o Support materials

Supporting materials are resources used to give your main points credibility.

There are three basic categories, or types, of supporting materials. They are:

- Examples (brief, extended, and hypothetical)

- Statistics

- Testimony (expert or peer)

- .Examples

Examples are a great way to simplify and reinforce ideas in your speech. You can
tell your boss that you are a valuable asset to the company because you are an
innovator and can manage multiple projects. This would be an example of a brief
example. A brief example is an example that concisely clarifies the point that you
are making. A brief example does not take up more than two or three sentences
in your speech.

An extended example may be a narrative or an anecdote in your speech. This is

when you may tell a story in your speech to reinforce or simplify certain
concepts. You can give the example of the procedure you implemented for
handling customer sales and the training program you've been asked to lead.
This would be an extended example.

A hypothetical example is a fictional example that you or someone else has

created to illustrate your point. In fact, the entire beginning of this lesson is a
hypothetical example!
Examples are also a great way to relate to your audience. You can use a personal
story or a narrative to reinforce and clarify ideas, while also making a personal
connection to your audience.

- Statistics

Statistics are another great way to provide your main points with valuable
information and support. You really have to be careful with statistics, however.

You can't throw too many numbers at your audience. If you can, use statistics
sparingly and make sure you explain what the statistics mean. When you are
explaining statistics, make sure you use the research where you found your
statistics. Don't try to re-interpret the statistics. Make sure you aren't
manipulating the numbers to fit your speech; it must be used in the same
context as the original research.

When you ask your boss for a raise and you tell him that you've doubled your
sales in the past year, this is a good example of statistics. In a public speaking
situation, you don't need to give exact numbers or throw out a lot of information.
If you say you've doubled your sales, and that is an accurate and ethical
statement, then that is enough information for the audience.

It is okay to round your statistics to make the information more understandable.

Rather than saying, '2,456 people have used my training course and improved
their sales,' you could say, 'over 2,000 people have used my training course and
improved their sales.' This is still an accurate statement, and it does not skew or
manipulate the data in an inappropriate way.
Statistics are a great way to quantify ideas or concepts. In other words, if you
want to illustrate how many more girls are doing well in science and
mathematics, then you might want to find research that supports your claim. For
example, you may find research that says 62% of girls in AP math and science
classes are passing their AP exams versus 29% of boys. This would be a good
statistic to use to quantify your idea.

If you have an option to use a visual aid, then use your visual aid to display
statistical research. Make sure you are using a visual representation of the data,
such as a chart or graph. Avoid using lists or tables if you can.

- Testimony

Testimony is another great way to add credibility to your speech. There are two
types of testimony: peer and expert. Peer testimony is a statement that comes
from someone who has experienced an event or situation. It could be someone
who has been directly affected by the topic of your speech or someone that has
an opinion on the topic. Expert testimony comes from a person that is a
respected expert in the field of your topic, such as a doctor or someone that has
conducted a great deal of research in that particular field.

The Philippine TVET Qualification Framework (PTQF) integrates the three sub –
sector of the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system which is
the formal, non – formal and informal, as well as provides an equivalency system
that would facilitate upward labor to and from these three sub – sectors.

Under the PTQF framework, qualifications issued are based on achieving

competency standards, which are relevant to the needs of the industry.
The system is implemented under the following principles:

Ø Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) The system provides a framework that will
facilitate the entry and exit in the formal education system through the
recognition of skills and knowledge acquired anywhere including experience in
the workplace. Workers can have their job experience given corresponding
equivalence in the schools.

Ø Competency – based Assessment

Ø PTQF shall focus on assessing the worker’s knowledge, attitude, work value and
skill relative to a set of competencies. These skills or competencies may be
acquired in school and/ in workplace.

Ø Accumulation of Competencies toward an Occupation Certificate or License

Workers can have their specific competencies assessed and certified.

Completion of all required competencies within an occupational level will entitle
to a national certificate or license.

One might think of a person holding a wooden stake, like the kind driven through
the hearts of vampires in folklore. But the word stakeholder refers to a person who
has an interest or concern in the organization at hand. So, in terms of education,
a stakeholder is someone who has a vested interest in the success and welfare
of a school or education system. This includes all parties that are directly
affected by the success or failure of an educational system, as well as those
indirectly affected

In education, the term stakeholder typically refers to anyone who is invested in

the welfare and success of a school and its students, including administrators,
teachers, staff members, students, parents, families, community members, local
business leaders, and elected officials such as school board members, city
councilors, and state representatives. Stakeholders may also be collective
entities, such as local businesses, organizations, advocacy groups, committees,
media outlets, and cultural institutions, in addition to organizations that represent
specific groups, such as teachers unions, parent-teacher organizations, and
associations representing superintendents, principals, school boards, or teachers
in specific academic disciplines . In a word, stakeholders have a “stake” in the
school and its students, meaning that they have personal, professional, civic, or
financial interest or concern.

In some cases, the term may be used in a more narrow or specific sense—say, in
reference to a particular group or committee—but the term is commonly used in
a more general and inclusive sense. The term “stakeholders” may also be used
interchangeably with the concept of a “school community,” which necessarily
comprises a wide variety of stakeholders.

Reform

The idea of a “stakeholder” intersects with many school-reform concepts and

strategies—such as leadership teams, shared leadership, and voice—that
generally seek to expand the number of people involved in making important
decisions related to a school’s organization, operation, and academics. For
example, shared leadership entails the creation of leadership roles and decision-
making opportunities for teachers, staff members, students, parents, and
community members, while voice refers the degree to which schools include and
act upon the values, opinions, beliefs, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds of
the people in their community. Stakeholders may participate on a leadership
team, take on leadership responsibilities in a school, or give “voice” to their ideas,
perspectives, and opinions during community forums or school-board meetings,
for example.

Stakeholders may also play a role in community-based learning, which refers to

the practice of connecting what is being taught in a school to its surrounding
community, which may include local history, literature, and cultural heritages, in
addition to local experts, institutions, and natural environments. Community-
based learning is also motivated by the belief that all communities have intrinsic
educational assets that educators can use to enhance learning experiences for
students, so stakeholders are necessarily involved in the process.

Generally speaking, the growing use of stakeholder in public education is based

on the recognition that schools, as public institutions supported by state and
local tax revenues, are not only part of and responsible to the communities they
serve, but they are also obligated to involve the broader community in important
decisions related to the governance, operation, or improvement of the school.
Increasingly, schools are being more intentional and proactive about involving a
greater diversity of stakeholders, particularly stakeholders from disadvantaged
communities and backgrounds or from groups that have historically been
underserved by schools or that have underperformed academically, including
English-language learners, students of color, immigrant students, and special-
education students. In some cases, federal or state programs and foundation
grants may encourage or require the involvement of multiple stakeholder groups
in a school-improvement effort as a condition of funding.

Stakeholder-engagement strategies are also widely considered central to

successful school improvement by many individuals and organizations that work
with public schools. Because some communities may be relatively uninformed
about or disconnected from their local schools, a growing number of educational
reformers and reform movements advocate for more inclusive, community-wide
involvement in a school-improvement process. The general theory is that by
including more members of a school community in the process, school leaders
can foster a stronger sense of “ownership” among the participants and within the
broader community. In other words, when the members of an organization or
community feel that their ideas and opinions are being heard, and when they are
given the opportunity to participate authentically in a planning or improvement
process, they will feel more invested in the work and in the achievement of its
goals, which will therefore increase the likelihood of success.

In some cases, when schools make major organizational, programmatic, or

instructional changes—particularly when parents and community members are
not informed in advance or involved in the process—it can give rise to criticism,
resistance, and even organized opposition. As a reform strategy, involving a
variety of stakeholders from the broader community can improve
communication and public understanding, while also incorporating the
perspectives, experiences, and expertise of participating community members to
improve reform proposals, strategies, or processes. In these cases, educators
may use phrases such as “securing community support,” “building stakeholder
buy-in,” or “fostering collective ownership” to describe efforts being made to
involve community stakeholders in a planning and improvement process. In
other cases, stakeholders are individuals who have power or influence in a
community, and schools may be obligated, by law or social expectation, to keep
certain parties informed the school and involved in its governance.

o Guidelines on program/project funding

There are a wide variety of uses of the term "program" in organizations. In it's
most general use, a program is a collection of organizational resources that is
geared to accomplish a certain major goal or set of goals. (For those of you who
read Organizations (an Introduction), you'll recognize that this definition of a
program sounds like that of an organization and a system. A program is an
organization and a system.)

For-profits often use the term for very large business efforts that have limited
duration and a defined set of deliverables. Or, a program might refer to an
ongoing set of activities internal to the organization, for example, a Total Quality
Management Program, Workplace Safety Program, the Space Program, etc.

(Program planning is usually (but not always) of a broader scope than Project
Planning.)

Varying Uses of the Term "Program"

There are a wide variety of uses of the term "program" in organizations. In it's
most general use, a major program is a collection of organizational resources
that is geared to accomplish a certain major goal or set of goals. (For those of
you who read Organizations (an Introduction), you'll recognize that this definition
of a program sounds like that of an organization and a system. A program is an
organization and a system.)

Keeping Overall Perspective: Programs are Systems

Programs, like other organizations, can seem a highly confusing, amorphous

mass that is very hard to comprehend. It can be hard to keep perspective.
However, like an organization, a program is a system with inputs, processes,
outputs (tangibles) and outcomes (impacts on customers) -- with ongoing
feedback among the parts. This systems perspective helps keep clarity about
programs and will help a great deal during program planning.
Program inputs are the various resources needed to run the program, e.g.,
money, facilities, customers (internal or external), employees, etc. The process is
how the program's products are delivered, e.g., products are provided to internal
or external customers (internal or external), customers (internal or external) are
served, etc. The outputs are the units of service, e.g., number of customers
(internal or external) served. Outcomes are the impacts on the customers
(internal or external) who are receiving the products, e.g., increased quality of
products for customers (internal or external), enhanced safety in the workplace
for internal customers (internal or external), enhanced mental health for
customers (internal or external), etc.

Not all apprenticeships and traineeships attract government funding. The

funding priority will determine the level of public funds contributed to training
regardless of whether the qualification is an apprenticeship or traineeship.

Refer to the User Choice funding and pricing page for more information.

o Apprenticeships/traineeships

An apprenticeship involves full-time or part-time work with an employer who

provides an opportunity to learn all aspects of a trade. This is a structured
program with a combination of on the job and off the job training another
registered training organization (one that has been approved by the
Government).

Some of the benefits of an apprenticeship are that you can:

• earn a wage while you train

• learn on the job skills combined with off the job training

• receive a nationally recognized qualification

• start a valuable step towards a rewarding career.

In a traineeship you also gain hands-on skills and work experience, and improve
your employment prospects, while earning a wage. You also get a nationally
recognized qualification which can lead to rewarding career options.

The difference between a traineeship and an apprenticeship is that a

traineeship can be either a full-time or part-time employment based training
arrangement, usually for around 12 months (apprenticeships usually last for three
to four years) and is generally in a non-trade related area.

Find out more about apprenticeships and traineeships.

If you choose this option your parent/legal guardian will need to complete the
relevant paperwork with your employer which your parent/legal guardian will
also sign. This will then be processed by the Apprenticeship Office who will inform
the Department of Education.

An apprenticeship or traineeship can be started while you are still at school. As

you will be considered to be in school full-time there are no extra forms to
complete other than your apprenticeship/traineeship documentation.

o Implementation of Training Package

Implementation and use of training packages When a new training package is

developed, or an existing one is reviewed,

the draft training package is submitted to the National Quality Council for
endorsement. Following endorsement, the training package is considered by
Ministers for vocational education and training and if approved is placed on the
National Training Information Service. Registered training organizations must
transition to a new training package within 12 months of its placement on the
National Training Information Service.

What are training package implementation guides?

Training package implementation guides are developed by state and territory

training authorities and industry skills council to help registered training
organizations, trainers and assessors to implement and use training packages.
The information in these guides may vary between each state and territory. Using
a training package to develop a training program To develop effective learning
and assessment programs based on training package qualifications, it is first
necessary to ‘unpack’ the training package. Unpacking provides trainers with
detailed knowledge of the training package’s components, helps them identify
how the various units of competency relate to each other, and enables them to
develop effective holistic learning and assessment strategies. Unpacking results
in an understanding of the:

• Units of competency and their delivery and assessment requirements

• Qualification requirements

• Relationship between individual units of competency, to aid the planning of

delivery and assessment

• Relationship between the qualification and its occupational outcome

How to unpack a training package

In order to fully understand a unit of competency, the trainer or assessor

should work though the following steps:

1. Thoroughly read the units of the competency that make up the qualification
and relate these to his or her experience of this type of work.

2. Review the Australian Qualifications Framework descriptor for the qualification

being delivered. This descriptor details the distinguishing

o Registrations

Registration is the process by which a company files required documents with

the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), detailing the particulars of a
proposed public offering. The registration typically has two parts: the prospectus
and private filings. The prospectus is a document given to every investor that
purchases the security while the private filing is information given to the SEC for
inspection.

o Course accreditation
Program registration in UTPRAS is the mandatory registration of Technical
Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs with TESDA. It is the system
that ensures compliance of Technical Vocational Institutions (TVIs) with the
minimum requirements as prescribed under the promulgated training regulation
to include among others curricular programs, faculty and staff qualifications,
physical sites and facilities, tools, equipment, supplies and materials and similar
requirements prior to the issuance of the government authority to offer or
undertake technical vocational education programs.

A TVET institution has to comply with the requirements of registration prior to its
offering of a program. Upon completion of all the requirements, an institution is
issued a Certificate of Program Registration (CoPR) and the program is officially
listed in the TESDA Compendium of Registered Programs. The program is
subjected to a compliance audit and in some instances surveillance upon
receipt of complaint by TESDA.

Frequently Asked Questions on Unified TVET Program Registration and

Accreditation System (UTPRAS)

UTPRAS Guidelines

UTPRAS Downloadable Forms

Letter of Application/Intent

List of Technical Vocational Institutions (TVIs) with Registered Programs

How to Apply for TVET Program Registration (UPTRAS Registration)

o Access and equity

Access and equity are principles of social justice.

Equity relates to fairness. It recognizes that some people are more

disadvantaged than others in being able to access services and facilities and
therefore there is a responsibility to address this lack of equity.

Access is the capacity people have to physically enter a building or space and
also to use a facility or service.
 Many people with a disability do not have the same access to places and
services as other people because their needs in areas such as mobility and
communication have not been met.

Access and equity are concepts against which all services should be measured.
They will be reflected in how decisions are made about who is eligible for a
service, how resources are allocated, how the needs of people from diverse
backgrounds are met. Access and equity are covered in the Disability
Discrimination Act 1992.

Barriers to access are often encountered in the following areas:

Transport - e.g. no lifts at train station, limited availability of modified taxis

Building design - e.g. no ramps and rails at entrance and exit, doors too narrow,
bathrooms not modified

Use of services - e.g. reception counters too high, information not available in a
range of languages

Communication - e.g. staff not trained in using alternative communication

systems

Culture - e.g. not meeting religious or cultural dietary requirements

Equipment - e.g. service not meeting equipment needs such as lifting devices

Staff and community attitudes - e.g. refusing a service based on a person's

appearance or medical status.

· Anti-discrimination including equal opportunity, racial vilification and

disability discrimination

Discrimination is any practice that makes distinctions between individuals or

groups to disadvantage some and advantage others. People can also be
indirectly discriminated against if certain attributes, such as parental status,
religion, race or impairment, make them less able or even unable to participate
in an activity.
o Industrial relations

Industrial relations or employment relations is the multidisciplinary academic

field that studies the employment relationship;[1] that is, the complex
interrelations between employers and employees, labor/trade unions, employer
organizations and the state.

The newer name, "employment relations" is increasingly taking precedence

because "industrial relations" is often seen to have relatively narrow
connotations.[2] Nevertheless, industrial relations has frequently been concerned
with employment relationships in the broadest sense, including "non-industrial"
employment relationships. This is sometimes seen as paralleling a trend in the
separate but related discipline of human resource management.[3]

While some scholars regard or treat industrial/employment relations as

synonymous with employee relations and labor relations, this is controversial,
because of the narrower focus of employee/labor relations, i.e. on employees or
labor, from the perspective of employers, managers and/or officials. In addition,
employee relations is often perceived as dealing only with non-unionized
workers, whereas labor relations is seen as dealing with organized labor, i.e
unionized workers.[4][better source needed] Some academics, universities and
other institutions regard human resource management as synonymous with one
or more of the above disciplines,[5] although this too is controversial.

o Code of Practice

A code of practice can be a document that complements occupational health

and safety laws and regulations to provide detailed practical guidance on how
to comply with legal obligations, and should be followed unless another solution
with the same or better health and safety standard is in place, or may be a
document for the same purpose published by a self-regulating body to be
followed by member organizations.

Codes of practice published by governments do not replace the occupational

health and safety laws and regulations, and are generally issued in terms of
those laws and regulations. They are intended help understand how to comply
with the requirements of regulations. A workplace inspector can refer to a code of
practice when issuing an improvement or prohibition notice, and they may be
admissible in court proceedings. A court may use a code of practice to establish
what is reasonably practicable action to manage a specific risk. Equivalent or
better ways of achieving the required work health and safety may be possible, so
compliance with codes of practice is not usually mandatory, providing that any
alternative systems used provide a standard of health and safety equal to or
better than those recommended by the code of practice.

Organizational codes of practice do not have the same authority under law, but
serve a similar purpose. Member organizations generally undertake to comply
with the codes of practice as a condition of membership and may lose
membership if found to be in violation of the code.

o Occupational health and safety (OHS)

Occupational safety and health (OSH), also commonly referred to as health and
safety, occupational health and safety (OHS), occupational health, or
occupational safety, is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health,
and welfare of people at work. These terms also refer to the goals of this field so
their use in the sense of this article was originally an abbreviation of
occupational safety and health program/department etc.

The goal of an occupational safety and health program is to foster a safe and
healthy work environment.OSH may also protect co-workers, family members,
employers, customers, and many others who might be affected by the workplace
environment.

In common-law jurisdictions, employers have a common law duty to take

reasonable care of the safety of their employees Statute law may, in addition,
impose other general duties, introduce specific duties, and create government
bodies with powers to regulate workplace safety issues: details of this vary from
jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

o Participation in forums, networks, conferences

Online policy discussion forums can be construed as a social network where

citizens interact and collectively deliberate on policy issues. It is believed that
citizen participation in such forums can help in the formulation of well-
deliberated policy solutions. A key concern for governments is to promote
participation in such forums. Social network literature reveals that the evolving
interaction patterns between network participants can influence their collective
behaviors. Thus, this study aims to investigate the longitudinal effects of network
structural properties on forum participation using time series analysis. Our
findings reveal that network structure can have both positive and negative
effects on participation in terms of the number of postings and unique ideas
contributed.

· Participation in training organization meetings

Meetings are an important way to keep your team in sync and your initiatives
running smoothly. Whether you need to share information, gather feedback, or
make decisions, meetings can be an efficient and powerful way to move things
forward—but only when they are actually effective.

What makes a meeting effective? , “Effective meetings allow for open

conversation that draws upon each members' knowledge, skills, and
perspectives to solve problems and to support one another in achieving the
collective goals.” This may seem like a simple definition, but it takes skill to
consistently run meetings that fit that description. The better your leaders are at
running effective meetings, the more you will witness the following four benefits
within your organization.

1. Increased engagement and collaboration

When led well, meetings offer each person the opportunity to participate and
provide input. To engage each individual, effective facilitators focus on asking
questions and guiding the conversation so that everyone understands that their
perspectives and ideas are valued. These discussions can even spark
collaborative brainstorming sessions that produce new ideas and creative
solutions.

2. Increased accountability

A good meeting leader is skilled at creating an environment in which everybody

feels that their contribution is valued. This helps make participants feel more
comfortable taking on assignments and makes it clear that every task has an
impact on the project as a whole. Committing to a task in a meeting often has
more weight than doing so in a one-on-one situation or via email. When saying
“yes” to an assignment in a meeting, individuals feel more accountable to the
group and are more motivated to complete their piece of the project. Capturing
action items and responsibilities in the meeting also increases personal
accountability because the team will be able to review the task assignments in
the meeting notes.

3. A shared sense of purpose

Clearly stating the purpose of the meeting and providing an agenda in advance
ensures that everybody is on the same page about why it is being held and what
they need to do to come prepared. A skilled leader then uses the agenda to keep
the discussion moving in the direction of the team’s goals. Sharing the agenda
and goals with the team provides a shared sense of purpose because everyone
understands the importance of the meeting and why they have been included.
This shared purpose is motivating both during the meeting and after, when the
team disperses to work on their individual action items.

4. Opportunities for personal growth

A truly effective meeting creates opportunities for each person to develop

important skills. The facilitator is refining their leadership skills by practicing
effective communication techniques and motivating the group to be
accountable for their commitments. Participants are able to witness the benefits
of a well-run meeting and adopt the skills and behaviors modeled by the leader.
An effective meeting also enables participants to challenge themselves and try
something new. When tasks are being discussed and assigned, participants can
volunteer to take on the work that interests them most. Even if they have limited
knowledge or experience, they can join a group that will allow them to learn and
develop their skills in that area.

· Participation in validation meetings

Validation is a quality review process. Its purpose is to check that the assessment
system and tools used in an assessment process produce evidence that is valid,
sufficient, current and authentic so a reasonable judgment can be made as to
whether the requirements of the relevant aspects of the training package or
accredited course have been met. Validation may occur before, during or after
assessment. The outcome of a validation should include recommendations for
future improvements to the assessment instruments, methods and processes.
Validation panels may be set up by registered training organizations or
businesses to validate their assessment methods and instruments as part of
their continuous improvement cycle. A validation involves rigorous planning and
preparation on the part of the validation coordinator to ensure there is a
validation action plan and all participants receive the relevant units of
competency, examples of assessment

tools and samples of evidence. Those who are asked to participate in a

validation also need to be well prepared; they need to understand the validation
approach they will use to evaluate the assessment process and be ready to
provide information when asked, offer suggestions and make decisions when
required. The term ‘moderation’ is used to describe the process of bringing
assessment judgments and standards into alignment. Moderation is a process
that ensures the same standards are applied to all assessment results within the
same unit of competency.

o Research/consultancy

Research consultants conduct specialized and targeted research on behalf of a

client and produce a final analysis of key findings. They are normally experts in a
particular field, sometimes scientific, who can provide reports in areas the
company's full-time staff cannot.

For example, a pharmaceutical company may hire a consultant to conduct

research into existing patients who will then report back on their findings, while
the company's scientists focus on product development

Another example would be a specialist marketing research consultant who

would supply reports on market research to the client company so it can make
informed strategy decisions.
1. Make your to-do list.

Listing on paper what you want to accomplish for the day is an effective way to
remember the things you need to do. It can be a weekly to-do list, but daily ones
are more effective. Write your list on a notepad, starting with the important tasks
and then adding the less important ones.

2. Rank your to-do list.

After writing your tasks on a notepad, rank them from the most important to the
least. Rewrite your list on another page, and make sure that your handwriting is
legible. Tip: Did you know that usually bigger fonts can motivate you to complete
the task more than small fonts?

3. Post your to-do list.

Put your to-do list somewhere you can always see it: on your planner or calendar,
in your wallet or purse, cell phone (type it in your memo section), or on the board
in your office. If you always see the list, you’ll never forget that you have
something to do.

4. Note your responsibilities.

Type or write in bullet points some notes about your reminder. For example, you
can write the exact time when you have to finish the task, materials that you
need for the task, or the name of the person that you’re about to meet (if the task
is a meeting). Notes are especially important for people who forget things easily.

5. Avoid unnecessary tasks.

When you’re done writing your to-do list for the day/week, try to analyze the less
important task/s in terms of whether you really need to do it/them. If so, then you
may need to adjust your schedule for the day; if not, then you can allocate more
time for the other tasks or you can just take that opportunity to rest.

6. Set realistic deadlines.

When you’re working on something and a deadline was set by your boss, set your
own deadline ahead of the deadline that your boss gave you. However, set
realistic ones. Don’t try to rush yourself just to finish it earlier. Take everything one
step at a time and don't set yourself up for failure.

This is also applicable for your everyday work. Don’t overwhelm yourself. You
don’t want to force yourself to finish something and then suffer the
consequences of creating poor-quality work.

7. Set your break time.

Working all day with no break is not fun. If you’re already tired, take a break.
There’s nothing wrong with a 10- to 15-minute food break or a quick nap. Drink
coffee when you need or want to. Stretch when your body feels cramped. A rule
of thumb: rest for ten minutes after every hour of work.

8. Put away distractions.

In this modern world, a lot of things can distract us from doing our work. These
include camera phones, mobile devices, gadgets, the World Wide Web
(especially Facebook and Twitter), and many more. How are you supposed to
finish your work if you spend your time on these things?

Put away the things that distract you. Don’t check your inbox every minute; you
can do this during your breaks from work or schedule time slots in your day to
check. Once you learn to pay less attention to these things, getting the job done
will be much easier.

The key to productivity is good time management. Prioritizing is difficult but is

also essential if you want to get things done. Aside from being more efficient and
productive, it will also help you alleviate stress in your life. Learning how to
prioritize is not an impossible task; you just have to determine what needs to be
done and how much time you need to do it.

The guideline was developed to identify and describe:

- Staffing and workload practices that foster healthy work environments

resulting in better outcomes for nurses.
- System resources that support healthy staffing and workload practices.

- Organizational cultures, values and resources that support effective staffing

and workload practices.

- Outcomes of effective staffing and workload practices.

This guideline is not intended to replace existing workload measurement systems

, prescribe staffing levels or provide a formula to determine the “correct” number
and combination of nursing personnel. Rather, its purpose is to assist nurses,
nursing leaders and senior management teams to enhance positive outcomes
for patients/clients, nurses and the organization by:

Identifying best practices that effectively address environmental complexities

that contribute to nursing workload.

Making recommendations regarding organizational structures and processes

needed by organizations necessary to implement and achieve manageable
workloads for nurses.

Recommending staffing models to achieve positive outcomes.

Providing an assessment framework of evidenced-based factors to assist

organizations in making appropriate staffing decisions.

Technical skills are qualities acquired by using and gaining expertise in

performing physical or digital tasks. There are many different kinds of technical
skills. Traditionally, people working in mathematics, computer science,
mechanics and information technology have used many technical skills. Today,
however, many more industries rely on employees with technical knowledge. For
example, retail and foodservice workers often need to know how to use point-of-
sale software.

Some specific examples of technical skills might include:

- Programming languages

- Common operating systems

- Software proficiency

- Technical writing

- Project management

- Data analysis

Technical skills vary widely between industry and job type. For computer
programmers, knowledge of various coding languages is considered a technical
skill. Customer service representatives may need technical skills relating to
customer management and telephone systems. Teachers might need technical
skills related to instructional technologies and software applications ranging
from student behavior monitoring to grading.

Performing any job requires the use of multiple skill sets. Many jobs require skills
related to physical or digital tools—these are often called technical skills.
Technical skills can vary widely across industries and jobs. In this article, we
explore the variety of technical skills you might need in your career path, as well
as how to improve them.

Easily apply to jobs with an Indeed Resume

Create or upload your resume.

Technical skills are important because nearly every job relies on different tools,
programs and processes. If you have sought-after technical knowledge and skills
common in your industry, you’ll be a more competitive candidate. For example,
while a welder may have a positive demeanor and excellent customer service
skills (these are good examples of “soft skills”), her skillful handling of a torch will
be crucial to her technical and practical success.

Related: Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

What skills are employers looking for?

When employers post jobs, they often include lists of both “required” and
“desired” technical skills.

“Required” skills are often considered a prerequisite to performing the job

successfully upon hire. For example, if you’re applying to be a chef, you may be
required to possess basic cooking skills. While some companies can provide on-
the-job training, others may need to hire an experienced chef who will only need
to be trained on new recipes.

When an employer lists “desire” skills they are indicating that while there are
some competencies they would like to see on a resume, they may be open to
hiring someone without that experience. Employers are often willing to help new
hires acquire desired skills on the job, if necessary. This may be common for
positions with a high turnover rate or those that have specialized tools or
programs difficult to gain experience in prior to employment.

Related: Best Skills to Include on a Resume

Examples of technical skills

The type of technical skills that you may be required to know or learn will depend
on the job you’re seeking. However, there are several technical skills that are
common across different industries.

Here are a few examples of different technical skills you may see listed on job
posts.

The term 'employee relations' refers to a company's efforts to manage

relationships between employers and employees. An organization with a good
employee relations program provides fair and consistent treatment to all
employees so they will be committed to their jobs and loyal to the company.
Such programs also aim to prevent and resolve problems arising from situations
at work.

Employee relations programs are typically part of a human resource strategy

designed to ensure the most effective use of people to accomplish the
organization's mission. Human resource strategies are deliberate plans
companies use to help them gain and maintain a competitive edge in the
marketplace. Employee relations programs focus on issues affecting employees,
such as pay and benefits, supporting work-life balance, and safe working
conditions.

One of the most effective ways for a company to ensure good employee
relations is to adopt a human resource strategy that places a high value on
employees as stakeholders in the business. Stakeholders are people who are
committed, financially or otherwise, to a company and are affected by its
success or failure. When employees are treated as more than just paid laborers,
but as actual stakeholders with the power to affect outcomes, they feel more
valued for the job they do.

Think about the last job you truly loved. Was it because you were treated like an
important part of the team? You probably had an interest in seeing the business
succeed, like a stakeholder.

The definition of employee relations refers to an organization’s efforts to create

and maintain a positive relationship with its employees. By maintaining positive,
constructive employee relations, organizations hope to keep employees loyal
and more engaged in their work. Typically, an organization’s human resources
department manages employee relations efforts; however, some organizations
may have a dedicated employee relations manager role. Typical responsibilities
of an employee relations manager include acting as a liaison or intermediary
between employees and managers, and either creating or advising on the
creation of policies around employee issues like fair compensation, useful
benefits, proper work-life balance, reasonable working hours, and others. When it
comes to employee relations, an HR department has two primary functions. First,
HR helps prevent and resolve problems or disputes between employees and
management. Second, they assist in creating and enforcing policies that are fair
and consistent for everyone in the workplace.
To maintain positive employee relations, an organization must first view
employees as stakeholders and contributors in the company rather than simply
as paid laborers. This perspective encourages those in management and
executive roles to seek employee feedback, to value their input more highly, and
to consider the employee experience when making decisions that affect the
entire company.

Relationships are crucial to the development of your nursing career for a wide
variety of reasons. Whether it’s seeking a new position, requesting a reference,
learning new skills, or developing camaraderie with your colleagues and
supervisors: relationships are central to your life as a nursing professional.

In fact, relationships with your clinical and non-clinical peers matter as much to
your career as your resume, social media presence, LinkedIn profile, and
interview skills. If you’re a superlative nurse clinician with a weak professional
network and no colleagues to call upon when you need them most, your career
can be hampered by these significant deficits.

Your relationships with other healthcare professionals also matter in terms of

being happy in your workplace, engaging in productive and congenial
multidisciplinary collaboration, and having a generally pleasant and growth time.

Human beings are naturally social creatures – we crave friendship and positive
interactions, just as we do food and water. So it makes sense that the better our
relationships are at work, the happier and more productive we're going to be.

Good working relationships give us several other benefits: our work is more
enjoyable when we have good relationships with those around us. Also, people
are more likely to go along with changes that we want to implement, and we're
more innovative and creative.

What's more, good relationships give us freedom: instead of spending time and
energy overcoming the problems associated with negative relationships, we can,
instead, focus on opportunities.

Good relationships are also often necessary if we hope to develop our careers.
After all, if your boss doesn't trust you, it's unlikely that he or she will consider you
when a new position opens up. Overall, we all want to work with people we're on
good terms with.

We also need good working relationships with others in our professional circle.
Customers, suppliers and key stakeholders are all essential to our success. So, it's
important to build and maintain good relations with these people.

Defining a Good Relationship

There are several characteristics that make up good, healthy working

relationships:

Trust – This is the foundation of every good relationship. When you trust your
team and colleagues, you form a powerful bond that helps you to work and
communicate more effectively. If you trust the people you work with, you can be
open and honest in your thoughts and actions, and you don't have to waste time
and energy "watching your back."

Mutual Respect – When you respect the people who you work with, you value
their input and ideas, and they value yours. Working together, you can develop
solutions based on your collective insight, wisdom and creativity.

Mindfulness – This means taking responsibility for your words and actions. Those
who are mindful are careful and attend to what they say, and they don't let their
own negative emotions impact the people around them.

Welcoming Diversity – People with good relationships not only accept diverse
people and opinions, but they welcome them. For instance, when your friends
and colleagues offer different opinions from yours, you take the time to consider
what they have to say, and factor their insights into your decision-making.

Open Communication – We communicate all day, whether we're sending emails

and IMs, or meeting face to face. The better and more effectively you
communicate with those around you, the richer your relationships will be. All
good relationships depend on open, honest communication.

Where to Build Good Relationships

Although we should try to build and maintain good working relationships with
everyone, there are certain relationships that deserve extra attention.

For instance, you'll likely benefit from developing good relationships with key
stakeholders in your organization. These are the people who have a stake in your
success or failure. Forming a bond with these people will help you to ensure that
your projects and career, stay on track.

To find out who these people are, do a Stakeholder Analysis . Once you've
created a list of colleagues who have an interest in your projects and career, you
can devote time to building and managing these relationships.

Clients and customers are another group who deserve extra attention. Think of
the last time you had to deal with an unhappy customer ; it was probably
challenging and draining. Although you may not be able to keep everyone happy
100 percent of the time, maintaining honest, trusting relationships with your
customers can help you to ensure that if things do go wrong, damage is kept to a
minimum. Good relationships with clients and customers can also lead to extra
sales, career advancement, and a more rewarding life.

This unit specifies the competency required to use Training Packages and
accredited courses as a tool to support industry, organization or individual
competency development needs. Application of the Unit Training Packages
represent the national industry benchmarks for nationally recognized vocational
outcomes in the vocational education and training system. Accredited courses
represents other industry benchmarks for vocational education and training.
Being able to use Training Packages and accredited courses is a core
competency required of all persons with a training, assessment or associated
role operating in recognized vocational education and training. This unit
addresses the skills and knowledge required to use Training Packages and
accredited courses. This includes identifying and sourcing Training Packages and
accredited courses to meet client needs, and interpreting the requirements of
Training Package/s including the competency standards/units, the packaging
rules for qualifications and the assessment guidelines. It also includes selecting
and contextualizing competency standards to meet client needs, and identifying
the multiple applications of Training Package/s and accredited courses for
workplace or educational needs
The world is getting smaller. Nations and communities are becoming more
diverse. Due to advances in communication, the spread of e-commerce and the
ease of travel, many businesses today can expand to cross cultural and
geographic boundaries. With the rapid changes in technology, modern day
customers have grown comfortable with shopping online from whichever corner
of the world they like, and e-commerce businesses may easily receive orders
from virtually anywhere.

Professionalism in customer service means different things to different people,

but all of them are worthy of your time, respect and attention. When customer
service representatives acknowledge and respect diversity, they have a greater
opportunity to attract and retain diverse customers, build better rapport with
them and increase customer satisfaction.

In this article I’d like to highlight some ideas on how you can develop your
cultural competence for customer service to better understand the different
needs and expectations of diverse groups of customers.

Respecting customer diversity is more than simply good manners

We all know the old golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. But
simply treating customers with the same courtesy and dignity is no longer
enough in this shrinking world. In order to truly succeed, you need to grow beyond
the “one size fits all” mentality and learn to understand and respond
appropriately to the preferences of customers from varying ethnic, social, and
economic backgrounds. In this truly global economy, skills like cultural
awareness, flexibility, and effective communication are critical for customer
service representatives to properly deal with the expectations of people from
different cultures.

Companies want to stay relevant and innovative and often look at other
successful companies, hot industry trends or new shiny products for inspiration.

However, a vital component to growth is at every businesses' fingertips -- their

customers.

Yes, customers are the ones with the ability to determine your business' longevity
and progress.
Access Now: Free Customer Journey Map Templates

"You've got to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the
technology," Steve Jobs notably stated. "You cannot start with the technology
and try to figure out where you are going to sell it."

Although the importance of being a customer-centric company is not a new

concept, the right steps to achieve a customer service focus are still hazy.

Customer Code: Creating a Company Customers Love from Hub Spot

How do you understand customers' needs? What can your company change? Do
other departments need to change their goals?

Navigating this arena can be daunting and a steep learning curve if you haven't
paid close attention to customers before. So to steer you in the right direction,
here's a beginner's guide that defines customer needs, unpacks common
barriers that prevent companies from fulfilling their customers' needs, and
discloses solutions to start improving customer service.

What are customer needs?

Types of Customer Needs

What is a customer needs analysis?

Types of Customer Service

How to Solve for Your Customers' Needs

What are customer needs?

A customer need is a motive that prompts a customer to buy a product or

service. Ultimately, the need is the driver of the customer's purchase decision.
Companies often look at the customer need as an opportunity to resolve or
contribute surplus value back to the original motive.

An example of customer need takes place every day around 12:00 p.m. This is
when people begin to experience hunger (need) and decide to purchase lunch.
The type of food, the location of the restaurant and the amount of time the
service will take are all factors to how individuals decide to satisfy the need.

Below are the most common types of customer needs -- most of which work in
tandem with one another to drive a purchasing decision.

16 Most Common Types of Customer Needs

Product Needs

1. Functionality

Customers need your product or service to function the way they need in order to
solve their problem or desire.

2. Price

Customers have unique budgets with which they can purchase a product or
service.

3. Convenience

Your product or service needs to be a convenient solution to the function your

customers are trying to meet.

4. Experience

The experience using your product or service needs to be easy -- or at least clear
-- so as not to create more work for your customers.

5. Design

Along the lines of experience, the product or service needs a slick design to make
it relatively easy and intuitive to use.

6. Reliability

The product or service needs to reliably function as advertised every time the
customer wants to use it.
7. Performance

The product or service needs to perform correctly so the customer can achieve
their goals.

8. Efficiency

The product or service needs to be efficient for the customer by streamlining an

otherwise time-consuming process.

9. Compatibility

The product or service needs to be compatible with other products your

customer is already using.

Service Needs

10. Empathy

When your customers get in touch with customer service, they want empathy
and understanding from the people assisting them.

11. Fairness

From pricing to terms of service to contract length, customers expect fairness

from a company.

12. Transparency

Customers expect transparency from a company they're doing business with.

Service outages, pricing changes, and things breaking happen, and customers
deserve openness from the businesses they give money to.

13. Control

Customers need to feel like they're in control of the business interaction from
start to finish and beyond, and customer empowerment shouldn't end with the
sale. Make it easy for them to return products, change subscriptions, adjust
terms, etc.
14. Options

Customers need options when they're getting ready to make a purchase from a
company. Offer a variety of product, subscription, and payment options to
provide that freedom of choice.

15. Information

Customers need information, from the moment they start interacting with your
brand to days and months after making a purchase. Business should invest in
educational blog content, instructional knowledge base content, and regular
communication so customers have the information they need to successfully use
a product or service.

16. Accessibility

Customers need to be able to access your service and support teams. This
means providing multiple channels for customer service. We'll talk a little more
about these options later.

In this article, we're going to explore how to attract and sustain customers based
on meeting their inherent needs and imposing value. For lunch, this could be a
special promotion, a short wait time, or a post-dining thank-you email. If
companies can begin to make changes before their customers' needs aren't
fulfilled, this can ultimately lead to growth, innovation, and retention.

What is a customer needs analysis?

A customer needs analysis is used in product development and branding to

provide an in-depth analysis of the customer to ensure that the product or
message offers the benefits, attributes, and features needed to provide the
customer with value.

To conduct a customer needs analysis successfully, you need to do the

following:

1. Customer Needs Analysis Survey

The customer needs analysis is typically conducted by running surveys that help
companies figure out their position in their respective competitive markets how
they stack up in terms of meeting their target customers' needs.

The survey should primarily ask questions about your brand and competitors, as
well as customers' product awareness and brand attitudes in general.

Questions can include:

- Questions about positive and negative word associations with your brand

- Questions asking customers to group your brand in with similar and/or

competing brands

- Questions comparing and sorting brands according to their preferences for

usage

You can learn more about which questions to ask in this survey in our guide and
this guide from dummies.

2. Means-End Analysis

Once you've conducted the customer needs analysis survey, you can use the
answers to get a fuller picture of the reasons why your customers purchase from
you, and what makes your product or service stand apart from your competitors'.

A means-end analysis analyzes those answers to determine the primary

reasons why a customer would buy your product. Those buyer reasons can be
divided into three main groups:

1. Features: A customer buys a product or service because of the features

included in the purchase. If the customer were buying a computer, for example,
they might buy it because it's smaller and more lightweight than other options.

2. Benefits: A customer buys a product or service because of a benefit, real or

perceived, they believe it will offer them. The customer might also buy the
computer because it syncs easily with their other devices wireless.
3. Values: A customer buys a product or service for unique, individual values, real
or perceived, they believe it will help them fulfill. The customer might think the
computer will help them to be more creative or artistic and unlock other personal
or professional artistic opportunities.

As you might imagine, these reasons for purchasing something can vary from
customer to customer, so it's important to conduct these customer surveys,
collect the answers, and group them into these three categories. From there, you
can identify which of those motivating factors you're solving for, and which you
can improve on to make your product or service even more competitive in the
market.

Many legislative and policy requirements impact the way that government
interacts with its external suppliers, including the rights and obligations owed.

These requirements seek to achieve many aims, some of which include:

- effective public financial management (e.g. auditing requirements) fair

treatment of suppliers (e.g. fair payment and intellectual property requirements)

- transparency and accountability (e.g. freedom of information and contracts

publishing)

- broader social, economic or environmental outcomes (e.g. industry

participation and social procurement)

In many instances, compliance with policies and legislation requires Agencies to

include certain rights and obligations in their contracts with external suppliers.

Summary of legislative requirements

This is not an exhaustive summary of policy and legislative requirements that

may be relevant to contracts for works or construction services. Agencies must
ensure that they comply with any other policy or legislative requirements that are
not summarized here.

Not all laws or policies apply to all procurements. Verify the operation of policy or
legal requirements before addressing them in contracts.
Communication strategies are strategies that learners use to overcome these
problems in order to convey their intended meaning. Strategies used may
include paraphrasing, substitution, coining new words, switching to the first
language, and asking for clarification. These strategies, with the exception of
switching languages, are also used by native speakers.

Some basic skills can help you to be a more effective communicator in the
classroom. This Teaching Tip explores:

- barriers to listening and strategies for effective listening;

- barriers to accurate perception and strategies for accurate perception; and,

- barriers to effective verbal communication and strategies for effective verbal

communication.

Barriers to listening

Focusing on a personal agenda. When we spend our listening time formulating

our next response, we cannot be fully attentive to what the speaker is saying.

Experiencing information overload. Too much stimulation or information can

make it very difficult to listen with full attention. Try to focus on the relevant
information, and the central points that are being conveyed.

Criticizing the speaker. Do not be distracted by critical evaluations of the speaker.

Focus on what they are saying - the message - rather than the messenger.

Getting distracted by emotional noise. We react emotionally to certain words,

concepts and ideas, and to a myriad of other cues from speakers (appearance,
non-verbal cues such as gestures, etc.). Make a conscious effort to quiet your
own emotional reactions so that you can listen properly.

Getting distracted by external “noise”. Audible noise may be extremely

distracting. Some things can be minimized – e.g., turn down the ringer on your
phone, and notifications on your phone or computer while meeting with
someone. Other noises may be unavoidable – e.g., construction, other people.
Also, there may be figurative “noise” from the external environment, such as
distracting or inappropriate decor in a room, or environmental conditions such
as the room being too hot or cold.

Experiencing physical difficulty. Feeling physically unwell, or experiencing pain

can make it very difficult to listen effectively. You may wish to communicate that
this is not a good time, and reschedule the discussion.

Strategies for active listening

The following strategies are intended to promote active listening, or a type of

listening with the goal to “develop a clear understanding of the speaker’s
concern and also to clearly communicate the listener’s interest in the speaker’s
message”

Stop.

Focus on the other person, their thoughts and feelings. Consciously focus on
quieting your own internal commentary, and step away from your own concerns
to think about those of the speaker. Give your full attention to the speaker.

Look.

Pay attention to non-verbal messages, without letting yourself be distracted.

Notice body language and non-verbal cues to allow for a richer understanding of
the speaker’s point. Remember that “active listeners need to communicate to the
speaker that they are involved and giving the person unconditional attention”
(Weger, Castle, & Emmett, 2010, p. 35).

Listen.

Listen for the essence of the speaker’s thoughts: details, major ideas and their
meanings. Seek an overall understanding of what the speaker is trying to
communicate, rather than reacting to the individual words or terms that they use
to express themselves.

Be empathetic.
Imagine how you would feel in their circumstances. Be empathetic to the feelings
of the speaker, while maintaining a calm center within yourself. You need not be
drawn into all of their problems or issues, as long as you acknowledge what they
are experiencing.

Ask questions.

Use questions to clarify your understanding, as well as to demonstrate interest in

what is being said.

Paraphrase.

If you don’t have any specific questions to ask, you may choose to repeat back
to the speaker, in your own words, what you have taken away, in order to allow
the speaker to clarify any points

Barriers to accurate perception Stereotyping and generalizing. Be careful not to

hold on to preconceptions about people or things. We often have a tendency to
see what we want to see, forming an impression from a small amount of
information or one experience, and assuming that to be highly representative of
the whole person or situation. Not investing time. Making assumptions and
ignoring details or circumstances can lead to misconceptions. When we fail to
look in-depth for causes or circumstances, we miss important details, and do not
allow for the complexity of the situation. Having a distorted focus. Focusing on the
negative aspects of a conversation or a situation is a habit common to many
people. Even though we may recognize the positive things, we often give more
weight to the negative, allowing one negative comment to overshadow
numerous positive ones. Assuming similar interpretations. Not everyone will draw
the same conclusions from a given situation or set of information. Everybody
interprets things differently. Make sure to check for other people’s interpretations,
and be explicit about your own. Experiencing incongruent cues. As speakers, and
as listeners, we are constantly and simultaneously sending cues and receiving
them from other people. Try to be consistent with your verbal cues and your body
language. Do not say one thing and express something else through your body
language. Be aware of how your non-verbal communication relates to your
spoken words. If someone else seems to be sending a double message — by
saying one thing and expressing something else in their body language — ask for
clarification.
Strategies for accurate perception

Analyze your own perceptions. Question your perceptions, and think about how
they are formed. Check in with others around you regularly, and be aware of
assumptions that you are making. Seek additional information and observations.
You may just need to ask people if your perceptions are accurate.

Work on improving your perception. Increase your awareness of barriers to

perception, and which ones you tend towards. Check in with yourself regularly.
Seek honest, constructive feedback from others regarding their perceptions of
you as a means of increasing your self-awareness. Focus on others. Develop your
ability to focus on other people, and understand them better by trying to gather
knowledge about them, listening to them actively, and imagining how you would
feel in their situation.

Barriers to effective verbal communication

Lacking clarity. Avoid abstract, overly-formal language, colloquialisms, and

jargon, which obscure your message more than they serve to impress people.

Using stereotypes and generalizations. Speakers who make unqualified

generalizations undermine their own clarity and credibility. Be careful not to get
stuck in the habit of using stereotypes, or making generalizations about complex
systems or situations. Another form of generalization is “polarization” or creating
extremes. Try to be sensitive to the complexities of situations, rather than viewing
the world in black and white. Jumping to conclusions. Confusing facts with
inferences is a common tendency. Do not assume you know the reasons behind
events, or that certain facts necessarily have certain implications. Make sure you
have all the information you can get, and then speak clearly about the facts
versus the meanings or interpretations you attach to those.

Dysfunctional responses. Ignoring or not responding to a comment or question

quickly undermines effective communication. Likewise, responding with an
irrelevant comment -- one that isn't connected to the topic at hand -- will quash
genuine communication. Interrupting others while they are speaking also creates
a poor environment for communication. Lacking confidence. Lacking confidence
can be a major barrier to effective communication. Shyness, difficulty being
assertive, or low self-worth can hinder your ability to make your needs and
opinions known. Also, a lack of awareness of your own rights and opportunities in
a given situation can prevent you from expressing your needs openly.

Strategies for effective verbal communication

Focus on the issue, not the person. Try not to take everything personally, and
similarly, express your own needs and opinions in terms of the job at hand. Solve
problems rather than attempt to control others. For example, rather than ignoring
a student who routinely answers questions in class with inappropriate tangents,
speak with the student outside of class about how this might disrupt the class
and distract other students. Be genuine rather than manipulative. Be yourself,
honestly and openly. Be honest with yourself, and focus on working well with the
people around you, and acting with integrity. Empathize rather than remain
detached. Although professional relationships entail some boundaries when it
comes to interaction with colleagues, it is important to demonstrate sensitivity,
and to really care about the people you work with. If you don’t care about them, it
will be difficult for them to care about you when it comes to working together. Be
flexible towards others. Allow for other points of view, and be open to other ways
of doing things. Diversity brings creativity and innovation.

Value yourself and your own experiences. Be firm about your own rights and
needs. Undervaluing yourself encourages others to undervalue you, too. Offer
your ideas and expect to be treated well. Use affirming responses. Respond to
other in ways that acknowledge their experiences. Thank them for their input.
Affirm their right to their feelings, even if you disagree. Ask questions, express
positive feeling; and provide positive feedback when you can.

Customer satisfaction is a term frequently used in marketing. It is a measure of

how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer
expectation. Customer satisfaction is defined as "the number of customers, or
percentage of total customers, whose reported experience with a firm, its
products, or its services (ratings) exceeds specified satisfaction goals."
It is seen as a key performance indicator within business and is often part of a
Balanced Scorecard. In a competitive marketplace where businesses compete
for customers, customer satisfaction is seen as a key differentiator and
increasingly has become a key element of business strategy
Customer Satisfaction measurement process

Even if it turns out customers are 100% satisfied and you can’t improve anything it
can change anytime – customers’ habits and needs change, competition
constantly works on offering a high quality of customer experience as possible,
you might overlook some changes happening in your company, etc.

This is why you should constantly research customer satisfaction and look for
possible improvements.

Before we begin, let me highlight one thing: you should aim to beat results from
the previous survey, not to compare yourself against industry benchmarks. They
can be misleading, especially when you operate in industries that traditionally
report low customer satisfaction, like entertainment (read more about customer
satisfaction across industries.)

If you reach the average score of 77%, should you be happy? On the one hand,
you’re similar to your competitors. But on the other hand, you’re still far away
from providing similar quality of customer satisfaction to IT companies who
score 95%. Why shouldn’t you aim to reach their level of delighting customers?

In this article, I will show you what are the steps of a successful customer
satisfaction process.

Steps of customer satisfaction process

Define a goal and metrics

It’s easy to say that you want to research customer satisfaction. But you should
be more specific before you start a survey. Define a core metric that you are
going to track (for example, Net Promoter Score).

You can also set success metrics related to the survey itself – for example, the
number of answers you want to get or completion rates.

Hint: The core metric should be quantitative – either expressed in numbers (like
NPS) or answers to a close-ended question. It will make tracking changes over
time much easier and reliable. Open-ended questions are useful for digging
deeper into customers’ opinions and collecting valuable insights.

Create a customer satisfaction survey

When you know what exactly you want to research, it’s time to create a survey.
But before that, think what is the best method for running this survey. Should you
use targeted website surveys, in-message surveys, questionnaires, or maybe call
customers (but keep in mind that online sources are usually favored by
customers)?

After choosing the method, time to create effective customer satisfaction survey
and implementing the right customer satisfaction software.

The basic rule: Keep it as simple and short as possible to maximize response
rates. Also, surveys must be relevant – make sure customers are asked only
questions they can know answers to. It usually means the need for segmenting
customers.

Example: Ask different questions a new and repeat customer and use a different
set of questions in a post-purchase survey you send immediately after purchase
and in a survey, you send half a year later.

Collect answers

People new to analyzing surveys often get excited after collecting a few answers.
It’s understandable that but you should wait longer for results. It’s difficult to talk
about a minimum sample size because it often depends on the number of
customers you survey.

For most of the companies, it’s impossible to reach statistical significance and a
few hundreds of answers or even less must be enough. For a very small
company, getting more than 100 answers can be challenging yet it shouldn’t
discourage you from measuring customer satisfaction.

Analyze results
This is the core part of the customer satisfaction process – analyze the results to
find out how satisfied your customers are. If you use only closed-ended
questions, analyzing answers will be easy – you’ll see a breakdown of answers.

If you used open-ended question you will need word cloud to quickly make
sense of collected answers. While analyzing answers, think about what they
imply.

analyzing results of customer satisfaction surveys

Turn conclusions into changes

You analyze results not to be smarter but to be able to make decisions whose
aim is to improve customer satisfaction. Without this step, researching customer
satisfaction or running any other kind of survey is mostly a waste of time.

If customers complain about the quality of customer service, dive into this issue
and think about what exactly can be improved.

Maybe all the people complaining contacted the same customer service agent?
If people complain about the website – talk to the IT team how you can fix the
issues. When changes are in place, it’s time to move to the last point of customer
satisfaction process.

Survey again

When you implement changes inspired by answers to one survey, run another
one to see if they worked. Customers might not like the solution or solving one
problem can bring another one to the surface.

It’s important to stop the old survey and run a new one, even if it is the exact
copy – then you will be sure that answers are not mixed. Don’t be surprised if
changes resonate differently with new and returning customers – often people
don’t like changes.

Summary

The described process ensures you will research the satisfaction of your
customers in-depth and be able to increase it over time. Remember that your
goal should be to provide a high level of customer satisfaction as possible, not to
reach or beat industry benchmarks. Challenge yourself and analyze how
improving customer satisfaction affects your bottom line.