Some simple tips for effective communication and improving your service delivery
In the last newsletter, we gave five tips on how to ensure your organisation communicates effectively and improves service delivery. The following are five additional tips for effective communication and to improve your service delivery.
- To assist a person with a hearing impairment, provide good eye contact, speak normally and clearly and make sure you don’t cover your mouth with your hands. Remember you can always write with a pen and paper to assist in communication.
- Ensure objects aren’t left lying around in circulation routes, at receptions and at waiting areas. Ensure testing of equipment takes place on a regular basis. This will include testing of induction loops and hearing enhancement systems; alarms in accessible WCs and two way communication systems in refuge areas.
- If you work behind a high counter/reception be prepared to move to the opposite side of the counter when meeting and greeting customers of smaller stature or wheelchair users. If a low counter is provided, ensure there are no objects lying on the counter and underneath the counter is kept free from obstruction.
- To facilitate effective conversations with people with disabilities, place yourself at eye level. Never lean or hang onto a person’s wheelchair. It is important to treat the chair as part of the person’s space.
- When meeting a person with a visual impairment always identify yourself and others who may be with you. Speak in a normal tone of voice and identify your movements if you move from one place to another. Remember describe anything that you point to.
If you would like further information on effective communication or improving your service delivery, please do not hesitate to contact one of our team on 01-4151285 or e-mail [email protected].
