The art of communication |Day in the life RCD
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| Communication is the key to everything. |
Hello RCD readers,
The importance of communicating with each other and most of all being able to say your peace calm and collectively is a skill everyone needs to learn.
Relationships
This is one of the worst from my side. Because with family and friends we have history. We have sometimes hurt that it's hard to heal. So the tone and pronunciation can always be interpreted wrong because we as loved ones have not entirely gotten over being judge, mistreated, underappreciated etc. Simple said when a loved one talk the "baggage" is the microphone through which we hear each other words.
Colleagues
From my side I don't know if it's a good idea but I use this. I communicate best with written words. From using WhatsApp to emailing or sms-ing. I find it easier to use these medium because you always have what is discussed and can go back when needed. Their is a small dance being as open as possible without oversharing personal information. But I've noticed freelance employer's, collaboration partners etc always want to know who it is their working with. I sometimes answer but not always. Sometimes I deflect the answer. Because I'm a private person and what I even share in this blog is still not everything about me. I follow the same as with freelance employer's
Clients
I use that same mediums as for colleagues. But the consultation clients would still love to do this while seeing the person. So I try to use the site visit as a perfect way to meet the client. But I would prefer other ways of communicating. That's why I'm designing a website with Vlinder Survey. Here I would love if the communication stays online because it's a perfect way to look back towards the conversation. And most important a perfect medium to see transparency of the project without getting lost in other emails etc. Or forgetting what has been discussed via phone. Or getting misguided during personal consult conversations.
But I always make sure to do the following:
- I always make sure to comment directly or the next day for question
- I only have a project update mail when certain phases have been completed
- I response to mails, WhatsApp or sms because written words or easy to follow up on if we have miscommunication
- one on one design meetings if they ask
Freelance employer's
I'm flexible with this. They can call, WhatsApp use email. Whatever works for them. But I always make sure to do the following:
- have a weekly project update mail
- discuss the preliminary design by first giving time for them to check it first
- only take calls early mornings or after 2' o'clock. Because it's good to have a schedule when I'm going be busy with working.
- always one on one design meetings
- always mail what has been discussed for no miscommunication.
That's why I find a new training really important. It's shows you how to communicate and how to handle customer's. This training is only in Suriname so in Dutch:
Share !!
Costumer Care & Communication Training
Datum: 12 maart 2022
Tijd: 09.00- 13.00u
Locatie: NSHI / Lallarookh Complex
Prijs: SRD 750 ( inclusief ontbijt )
Contact:
Email: training.m3consultants@outlook.com
Mobiel nummers: +(597)8741671 of +(597)8902009
Klik de link om te registreren
Communicating gone wrong
Project institution
This project I had an employer that was use to demeaning women. And that was the reason why he always took female instead of male architect. Because when necessary he would become mean and inappropriate. I didn't get this treatment entirely. One because he didn't take me full time but as freelancer. Two I saw him daily for a 2 to 3 hours. Three as a freelancer I had the power. If I wanted to leave I could because I wasn't tied down to his company.
My communication was via mail and sms-ing because that was easier for him. I always stayed professional and most often had to steer the conversation for nothing inappropriate. I choose not to ask personal quotes and choose not to talk about my personal life. Only what needed to be know.
1) I slowly slipped in a conversation that I have a boyfriend. So he wouldn't think he could go any further.
2) I don't like inappropriate jokes. I made sure to polite but never smiled with weird jokes so that he knew to stop. And that helped.
3) I was a ballet teacher assistant. So that he knew when I wasn't going to pick up the phone.
Project Derde rijweg
This project was a miscommunication from the client's part. It was a couple who hadn't communicated what they wanted before coming to me. So they talked as they agreed to the design, which they didn't. "Just unnecessary lying". The biggest communication problem from both side meaning mt side to is;
1) I should've pushed a faster response. I never pushed to get a response to mail etc. I waited. This was a big mistake. Because we lost time during this.
2) I should've always discussed with both parties. Because the best medium for them would've been personal. The woman had all the time to response. But the male didn't but had the most disapprovals that he wasn't being vocal about.
Project Nail Salon
A mother daughter combo. In which you have two people talking but only one's response is important. The medium wasn't working. I choose mailing and using WhatsApp. But some people hate responding to mail and never read. The design changed so many times because the client's wasn't listening nor giving visual interpretation of what they wanted.
The communication was very bad but I actually was able to work this out good.
1) I kept myself available to talk one on one multiple times when it was actually unnecessary but that was their best way of communicating
2) I made sure to design the possibility
3) I helped them with figuring out what part of my services they actually needed and to what extent.
Project B
This was renovation and extending freelance project. This project went really wrong because the client couldn't communicate correctly with two people meaning me the designer and my freelance employer the contractor. Our biggest problem was our medium was very different;
- I use writing to communicate. So that you can always look back what was discussed. That was something she really needed because she couldn't remember what she discussed and got mad when you explained her previous wishes.
- She uses calling but incorrectly. Because she forgets what was discussed, she couldn't make her point and keep it and end of each conversation we would have multiple designs instead of one.
- She didn't respect boundaries. For example; if you say I can't be reached a certain hour I will call you back in a respectable time. She would call five times or more.. And sms I can see you're busy. She wouldn't wait and call the next day at 6 o'clock because that felt good for her.
Now what have I learned
You have to know what your medium is and use that but be more flexible in other their mediums.
What can be your communication mediums?
- email
- calling
- WhatsApp
- pm from Facebook, LinkedIn or your website
- online calling for example zoom
- one on one conversation
Why is learning to communicate with client's and colleagues important?
All the time where communicating was really off and not working I lost a project or I had hell to go through the design process. If I knew how to handle certain miscommunications better I would've had successful project all a round.
Any tips!!
I can give tip till the cows come home but you have to find out what works for you and build on that.
- stay calm, professional and polite
- every conversation you have to make sure your point comes a cross what the client needs to know
- always talk with no judgement nor blaming but with problem solving sentences
- always be transparent
- make sure their is written proof of the conversation; example: if the person like to talk on the phone and one on one. always make sure to mail what was discussed.
Check the training. You learn about communication and costumer care.
Email: training.m3consultants@outlook.com for information
(only for people in Suriname)
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