A Practical Guide to Airline Customer Service. Colin C. Law

      The receiver then needs to remember the message, or at least the important sections in order to follow up on it.

      Evaluating

      The receiver will evaluate the value of the message by using critical-thinking skills and determine whether it is important. Do they agree with the sender’s point of view? Is the sender’s argument logical? Are the requests reasonable?

      Responding

      After analyzing the message, the receiver then needs to respond accordingly. The receiver may choose to interpret the message or paraphrase it and reply to the sender to ensure it is received correctly. The receiver may also request for the sender to repeat the message verbally when he or she is confused.

According to Owen Hargie, the main purpose of listening includes the following:8

       Identify the message sent and the background noise from the surrounding environment

       Understand others’ communication style

       Evaluate the message

       Identify the non-verbal signals

       Identify whether the receiver is paying attention to the sender

       Build relationship by showing care and concern

       Engage in a conversation, exchange information, debate on a topic and come up with an agreement.

Active listening skills

      It is important to allow someone to finish conveying the entire message without any interruption. It is always a good practice to allow the speaker to finish the message before offering responses, and the listener should also remove all noise distractions. This can be done by stopping what they are doing and paying full attention to the speaker, and turning down the volume or turning off any devices which are sources of distraction.

      It is also important that the listener demonstrates non-verbal communication techniques to indicate they are receiving the message and do not challenge what the speaker is saying even if they may not agree with the former. Non-verbal communication techniques include gestures such as maintaining eye contact and nodding one‘s head to show acknowledgement. These translate to the speaker that the listener shows interest in the conversation.

      Evaluation should be only made after the complete message is received and the receiver should not demonstrate defensive actions at any point in time. Otherwise, the speaker will hesitate to continue the conversation. The listener is encouraged to ask questions when appropriate to clarify points that are ambiguous and to paraphrase the message whenever necessary to help in grasping and understanding the message. The listener may also pay attention to the speaker’s facial and hand gestures so as to gauge the latter’s feelings and emotions and to offer an appropriate feedback.

Barriers to effective communication for airline service agents

      Speaking and listening related barrier results in the failure of the airline service agent to communicate with customers effectively. These barriers often cause confusion in which the airline service agent is either unable to communicate or ends up misinterpreting the customers’ intentions.

Environmental barrier

The surrounding environment affects one’s level of concentration. According to a study conducted in Cornell University, human performance is affected by the following environmental factors:9

       Temperature—The room is too hot or too cold.

       Brightness—The lighting is too bright or too dim.

       Sound—This includes noise and other disturbances.

       Air quality.

       Vibration.

      The majority of the environmental factors are controlled by the airport, and frontline service agent will have to get used to these. In the aircraft cabin, some environmental factors may be adjusted by the cabin crew to help enhance their level of concentration whilst at work.

Linguistic barrier

      The way that a message is delivered can be also a barrier to effective listening. In this instance, the use of difficult words, another language, slangs and jargons are barriers to listening that can create confusion.

      The tone used, volume of speech and speed of talking are other linguistic barriers that airline service agents need to take into consideration.

Psychological barrier

      The emotion of the receiver also pays a part in effective communication. When the recipient receives the information in a state of anger, frustration or when with prejudice, this often causes the original message to be perceived and interpreted differently.

Perceptual barrier

      The receiver may sometimes regard the same situation from a different point of view due to differences in societal background, cultural background, and physical appearance. A culture that relegates female to a lesser position can also cause less effective communication.

Content barrier

      The receiver may also lose their concentration when the subject of the message is not interesting or not related to them. The main point of the message may also be altered or diminished when the speaker talks for too long. Barriers are also created when the speaker repeats the same message too many times, causing the receiver to lose their level of concentration.

      The Confusing Armagnac

      An Asian customer is taking a business-class flight. After the meal, a customer called for the cabin crew.

Customer:	Excuse me, can I please have an Armagnac?
Cabin crew:	I am sorry, Mr. Wang, what do you need?
Customer:	I would like an Armagnac. AR-MA-GNAC.
Cabin crew:	One moment please, sir.

      Several minutes later, the cabin crew returned with a senior cabin crew.

Senior cabin crew:	I am sorry, Mr. Wang. We cannot offer any medicine to the passengers.
Customer:	I am asking for Armagnac. Do you understand? AR-MA-GNAC.? A drink?
Senior cabin crew:	I am really sorry Mr. Wang. We thought you wanted an ān mián yào.

      The pronunciation of sleeping pill in Chinese is “ān mián yào” and it sounds very similar to the beverage Armagnac. The cabin crew should have clarified with Mr. Wang right at the beginning by asking additional questions to avoid the awkward situation.

Effective internal communications

      Communication barrier may also be created during internal communications. On many occasions, the service agents are required to communicate with other internal staff through electronic devices such as a telephone or a walkie-talkie.

      Communicating through electronic devices is much more difficult as compared to face-to-face communication as both the sender and the receiver are located in different locations and are very likely positioned in areas where there is environmental noise in the background. As such, the receiver needs to pay additional attention when listening to the message.

      In this instance, one way of enhancing the effectiveness of internal communications is to use slangs and industry language.

Summary

      Communication