IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 

1.   Does he think technology makes good communication easier?

No, he doesn’t. He thinks communication may have a better impact or it may worsen.

2.   What four key points does Alastair make about communication?

·         If communication going to be effective, there’s got to be some emotional connection in it.

·         Recognize that communication is about meaning, so don’t dump lots of data on people.

·         It’s as much about listening as it is about telling things.

·         People have limited attention, so communicate as succinctly as possible. 

3.   Alastair gives an example of a company which has used technology to change the way it communicates with customers. Give reasons why it communicates well.

Amazon have a great communication because they always know where you are. You get confirmation when the item is sent. They also make suggestions for things you might like to buy, based on your frequent purchase history.

4.   Where Alastair is describing a bad customer experience. What mistakes did the company make, and how could they have improved the customer experience?

The company has introduced a computerized voicemail system that is very difficult to understand for the user. It’s very difficult to can speak to a real person, the options don’t correspond to the caller’s problems and the caller ends up going round in circles or hanging up.