Francis is a customer service representative who has recently been through listening skills training. Which of the following skills was she most likely taught to make her a better listener?
Mentally picture the customer by grammar, voice, and tone to speak to them in a way familiar to them
Politely interrupt the customer to stay on topic if details begin to drift, then restate the originally described problem
Remain silent until the customer finishes to be sure the thought was completed
Make notes to not lose track of the customer details while performing administrative tasks

The correct answer is Remain silent for a few seconds after a customer finishes to be sure the thought is completed

Practicing active listening requires attention to what is said, what is thought and body language

Listening is a bit like being smart: most people think they are above average, even if that is impossible

The biggest mistake people make when it comes to listening is having such a big focus on what they are going to say next or how what they are going to say will be affected by what the other is saying that they fail to hear what is being said. The words are clear, but the meaning is lost. It may seem like a simple suggestion, but focusing is not as easy as it looks. Your thoughts can be incredibly dispersing.

People like to know that you are listening and even a simple act like asking a question to clarify something shows that you are not just listening, but that you care about what is being said. You will be amazed at how much respect and appreciation you get just by asking good questions.

In addition to checking what you've heard, you should ask questions that gather more information. Examples of investigative questions include "What happened next?" and "Why did he say that?" The key here is to make sure that your questions really add to the understanding of what was said rather than just taking the conversation to another topic.