Skills for Managing Client Expectations and Giving Advice

Workshop content:

• Using a structured approach when carrying out a telephone interview
• Employing active listening skills in order to help your client explore their situation
• Showing empathy to your client in order to help them understand their situation
• Utilising questioning and summarising skills in order to progress the interview
• Giving information clearly within the constraints of a telephone call
• Dealing with angry and distressed callers
• Ending a call assertively.

Learning outcomes

After this workshop, you will be able to:

• Understand the ‘real’ needs of callers
• Explore how to genuinely connect with callers
• Distinguish between being functional and empathetic
• Appreciate your own hooks and biases with some callers
• Maximise effective communication styles
• Maintain assertiveness
• End calls effectively.

Suitable for

Any staff who provide telephone based advice/guidance and who may also deal with distressed and/or angry callers.

Meet the trainer

Rob Hammond has been a trainer for Shelter since 2006 and is an innovative facilitator with a background of working with diverse groups. Rob is an accredited facilitator in Leading and Developing High Performance and The Self-directing Professional. Trained in psychometric profiling, Rob is licensed and accredited in MiRo Behavioural Modes TM and StrengthscopeTM, both of which maximise individual and team potential..

Rob has an honours degree in Psychology and a PG Dip in Integrative Counselling. He is a member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy and is a practising counsellor. Rob’s work has a strong emphasis on personal development and engagement.