Good communication helps members get the right information in ways that they can understand and use. That means great member service at your credit union. Excellent communication also benefits your career — it helps people see you as caring, competent, and confident. In this course you’ll learn to communicate in ways that get things done effectively and enhance your career opportunities.




This course features interactive online activities as a part of the print-based course. See them for yourself.

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Following are the topics and learning objectives:

Basic Communication Concepts:

• Describe the importance of effective communication
• Communicate that you are caring, competent, and confident in all your contacts
• Explain the communication process
• Avoid and overcome communication breakdowns
• Comprehend four important communication principles

Communicating the 3Cs:

• Project that you are caring, competent, and confident (the "3 Cs") through verbal communication
• Project the "3 Cs" through nonverbal communication
• Use active listening skills
• Apply communication skills when referring, cross-selling, and maintaining member confidentiality

Advanced Verbal and Nonverbal Skills:

• Use your voice effectively
• Avoid speech habits that reduce your credibility
• Improve pronunciation
• Avoid the most common grammatical mistakes

Telephone Communication Skills:

• Distinguish telephone communication from face-to-face communication
• Overcome limitations of telephone communication
• Convey professionalism through words and procedures in basic telephone contacts
• Develop specific telephone skills

Communicating Effectively with Difficult People:

• Set up the environment for good communication
• Obtain the information you need to solve the member’s problem
• Convince the member you are on his or her side
• Avoid escalating the problem into a major conflict
• Work with the member to come up with a solution
• Use techniques for saying no, dealing with minor irritations, making referrals, and dealing with verbally abusive members