Oral Communication is the ability to talk with others to give and exchange information & ideas, such as: ask questions, give directions, coordinate work tasks, explain & persuade.

Within the extremely competitive call centre industry, one local company frequently reviews staff training needs as part of its goal of continuous improvement. Even though there were no glaring performance concerns, the company decided to include Essential Skills training for their new hires.

A needs assessment determined that effective call centre work requires a full range of oral communication skills, including speaking with confidence and providing clear and concise information using listening, questioning, reiteration and problem-solving skills.

Unexpectedly, incorporating Essential Skills into the existing training for new hires resulted in a decrease in customer dissatisfaction rates. Company officials were doubly pleased because increased customer satisfaction is often associated with higher employee satisfaction and retention.