Learning Experience Acquired from the Classroom - Coursework Example

Final Report Introduction The main purpose of this final report is to present a reflection of learning experience gathered while studying Communications, Customer Service, Telephone Techniques, Time Management, Business Meetings, Records Management and Ergonomics. Definitely, additional knowledge was gained during the lecture and class discussions. Important business skills such as communication and interpersonal skills were also learned which gave me self-confidence. However, the most important thing is having the right attitude to become a successful professional one day. Communication Every person who wants to become a professional must have good communication skills. These skills include writing and oral communication that has a large influence on how one conveys ideas about products or services. For example, we learned how to take down notes of a meeting as well as prepare an agenda for meeting. Even beforehand, we had to inform attendees about a certain meeting, and this calls for writing skills. Some format must be followed and writing must clearly convey the purpose of the said meeting. Likewise, the minutes of the meeting would be disseminated later, which must not only be free from typographical errors but factual as well. When it comes to oral communication, this is very useful when making presentation to a group. Besides, we also learned how to facilitate a meeting so the group would not be sidetracked to other topics that may be irrelevant. There were many instances wherein we had the chance to improve our communication skills; thus, everything we learned can be useful one day. Telephone Techniques The telephone has been the medium for dealing or transacting with customers for almost fifty years before computers came into the scene. Good salespeople always used the telephone to make sales calls and close contracts. No matter how advanced technology may be using online transactions ( chat support) ,nothing comes close to the assuring human voice at the other end of the line. The lessons about telephone techniques were helpful but each company has their own way of using the telephone for business means. The lesson about telephone technique was rather basic, but it covered enough details so new employees can transact over the phone politely. Customer Service In this lesson, I learned that the success of a business largely depends on the type of customer service that it renders. Why? Simply, because competition among companies is very intense nowadays; hence, buyers are not only after a good price. They also value after sales support and this where the value of customer service comes in. Some of the things that I learned included good customer service behavior, handling customer complaints and determining customer/client satisfaction. I realized that from the very moment that employees start greeting customers, a relationship is established that can lead to satisfaction or dissatisfaction. In real life, I have witnessed bad examples of sales people making the wrong choice of words that can turn away customers. When customers feel that their needs are given due attention, they feel valued and get interested about a certain product. During the sessions, I practiced the steps of good customer behavior by looking myself in the mirror. I tried to analyze how I project warmth or if my expression were sincere enough. Indeed, I realized that successful sales people have charisma because they can easily persuade a person by just using their charm. Lastly, I also gained a lot by understanding the LEAF Theory regarding handling customer complaints. This is a very touchy subject since dissatisfied or angry customers can bring bad business by telling other people about a company. This lesson made me interested in jobs that handle complaints on services because it is challenging to appease customers. Nevertheless, the more you experience such situations, the better your customer service skills become. Time Management Even as a student, time management skills are crucial because missing deadlines in coursework can have repercussions. Also, late submissions is not a good practice; in the corporate world, it can be very counter-productive and even affect team members production. I learned that one of the pitfalls committed by supervisors when it comes to time management is sorting out their priorities. I have read a book written by Stephen Covey, which is First Things First that teaches the concept of what is urgent and important. This was much similar to the lessons we had because one must learn how to say no in order to finish previous tasks. Likewise, not all tasks can be accepted especially if they don’t seem related to what you are trying to do. I have also learned from my experience that when I cannot handle a task properly, I should let someone else do it. Many people find this hard to practice since they are ashamed of saying that they have limitations. What happens instead is that they finish the tasks haphazardly which compromises the quality of their output. Knowing what one’s limitations are very important in being a professional. If it’s possible to give the workload to someone more competent or more willing to do it, then it would be better that way. Another important thing I learned about time management is how to handle all interruptions effectively without being rude. One must be objective in relating with others because you have to make an impression that time is an important element. Because I learned so many pointers in this lesson, I think I can become very good at managing my time. Relationships There are many valuable lessons that I have learned about relationship building within an organization. First of all, working with team members entails understanding team strategies so you can have everybody working on the same page. A good team leader is like a conductor in an orchestra that must harmoniously combine different sounds; in the case of team members, different skills, attitudes and personalities. Among the five steps on the action plan to success, I find step 2 – defining member’s role and responsibilities as very important. In my own belief, this sets the measure of accountability or responsibility that each member must be aware of so they can successfully do their duties. I have observed in real-life that a lot of conflicts within team members happen when they do not know their limitations. More often, they argue on who gets the credit and complain of having more work than the rest when, in fact, it was not just established that the workload is distributed properly. The lesson about relationship management was very helpful in developing a more positive attitude towards co-workers. Today, organizations are more complicated due to diversity so a better understanding of different cultures can minimize conflict in the workplace. Another important thing about relationships is learning how to handle confidential information because not all people have access to the same information within a business. Certain protocols must be observed when disseminating sensitive information in order to prevent potential problems. Again, this falls under relationship management, which says “respect the rule”. When people in an organization follow the rules, there are fewer problems so time is spent on more productive endeavors rather than correcting behavioral problems. In addition to this, as long as human relationships exist in any organization, there would always be conflict no matter what system or procedure is installed. Behavior can be modified so workers can subdue their personal interests under organizational interests. This is where ethical behavior should be emphasized so people in an organization would have a good value system. The examples set by Enron showed the world that profit is not everything for business. Companies must observe social responsibility so they can help society. Lastly, part of being successful is knowing how to handle stress. The lesson taught us that stress cannot be avoided but people must know how to manage it for their health’s sake. Many young adults nowadays die from heart diseases because they are unable to handle stress effectively. In the end, all the accomplishments are not worth it if would mean losing your health. True Colors Each person has a unique personality which defines his being; thus, this makes the workplace a representation of humanity as different people from various backgrounds work together. In project management, true color is very useful because a project manager can successfully lead a team by knowing the characteristics of each color. For example, if you have a team member whose color is green, then tasks that would entail problem-solving can be given to such a person. If a person has an orange color, then this team member can assist the leader in motivating others and making sure that things are done. Orange is somehow similar to blue, the main difference is that blue is more interested in creating harmony in a workplace rather than pushing people to do things like orange. Another important color that can contribute to effective project management is the color Gold. A gold person is a good planner and very dependable person. Planning is an important function in management because it precedes all other managerial functions. If planning is poorly done, there could be a lot of loopholes in the project that can lead to failure. Meetings One of the most common ways of disseminating information within an organization is conducting meetings. Meetings serve different purposes depending on the agenda stated by the one calling for the meeting. It is also important for someone to take down notes, which are known as minutes of the meeting so all the attendees can review the agreements or resolutions made. The minutes can serve as a guide to monitor team members who are given responsibilities. I also learned that some people have roles to play in the meeting (Chairperson, minute taker) so the meeting can go on smoothly. Since there are many participants with different ideas during a meeting, it can be challenging to put the meeting in order and wrap it up in the shortest time possible. This is the reason why a facilitator is needed in a meeting because the agenda must be covered without much distraction from irrelevant discussions. Aside from a facilitator, polices such as turning off mobile phones during a meeting can help ensure smooth meetings. Likewise, it is very important to have good interpersonal skills so you can effectively handle attendees that have poor meeting behavior. Project Management The things I learned about project management were informative but nothing is as more educational than getting in a real project. All the theories about project management are good, but it takes leadership aside from management skills to run a project. While careful planning and clearly established systems can increase efficiency in completing a project, team members are another side of the story. Like what I have mentioned about colors, the different personality types really matter a lot when assigning job functions. Thus, project management is a balance between maximizing resources, meeting goals and managing people. If any of these three factors are overlooked, then project management may not be successful. Office Environment The office environment is an important consideration when designing a workplace. However, I would like to emphasize that office environment is not just about space, aesthetics pr decorations; it also involves organizational culture. Indeed, there is no perfect formula that could establish the “ideal environment” because every organization has its own culture. For example, BMW modern factories are built with spaces where employees and management could come across each other and talk about concerns. There is much open-space and the flow of traffic ensures that employees from different levels of the organization can highly interact with one another. I have experienced working for a short period in company that practiced Kaizen. There were no clutter and everything was in its proper place that contributed to a more organized environment. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that one principle applies to all organizations. It takes a lot of effort from the management to orient employees about the working environment that must exist. Records Management Records management can complement project management and office environment. First, an efficient records management system can increase production. Second, records are maintained with integrity so privacy is protected. One of the challenges of records management nowadays is not just proper filing because there are many tools that can be utilized for effective records management. In my opinion, the accuracy of records is more important than anything else because information is crucial. Also, records management requires privacy and confidentiality. In the US, different Acts ( laws) on record keeping has been instituted so personal information would be protected from data theft and abuse. I think, these issues must be given focus on the lessons because record keeping using online database is exposed to many risks. Ergonomics and Open Office Nowadays, the open office concept is used by most companies which has its own advantages and disadvantages. The open office concept is an open environment that has its advantages such as easier communication and monitoring for supervisors. Unfortunately, employees also lose their privacy in transacting with customers. Nevertheless, in industries like call centers, open office is highly-recommended because the arrangement of chairs and workstation complements the jobs of the customer support. Lastly, whatever kind of organization, ergonomics should be considered so workers can be protected from repetitive stress injuries. The right height of the chair and an armrest can help workers perform encoding jobs easily. Also, ergonomic chairs that provide full lumbar support can ease back pain from prolonged periods of seating. In the US, companies must comply with OSHA standards to ensure that workers are provided with a safe working environment that includes ergonomic principles. Conclusion The learning experience acquired from the classroom is very important to prepare students to become professionals. Various skills in the aforementioned topics were acquired as we practiced telephone strategies, ways of greeting customer, taking notes in a meeting among many others. We learned how to interact and collaborate with other students and saw the value of team work. However, reading books, listening to lectures and doing research is not enough to fully prepare oneself for real-life situations. Experience can help an individual acquire not only skills but also the right attitude to become an ethical professional. Read More