Skills and practices in this component provide the interpreter
with the mechanics and rationale for determining audience
needs and providing quality customer service. The interpreter
will develop appropriate strategies to decide the extent
and detail of daily public interactions.
Objectives
Upon completion of this component, the learner will
be able to:
Assess
audience needs and respond appropriately;
Demonstrate
the effective use of interpersonal communication
to deal with a range of audience contacts;
Demonstrate
how to provide quality customer service.
Approach
Application of the skills learned in this component
results in quality service. When providing informal
interpretation, both accurate information and quality
service are essential for success. Excellent information
delivered poorly or quality service containing inaccuracies
hinders the ability to provide effective interpretation.
The Quality Service component may be learned by itself
or combined effectively with the Demonstrating Informal
Interpretation component.
Informal interpretation takes place in a variety of
settings including visitor contact stations, cooperating
association sales areas, many law enforcement/resource
protection activities, staff offices, trails, and many
more. A fundamental component of providing quality service
is to assess the needs of the audience while making
ourselves accessible. The effective use of communication
skills applied to these needs increases the opportunity
for quality service.
Research on communication learning indicates that information/knowledge
about communication does not necessarily translate into
the ability to communicate effectively. Lecture, examples,
and video clips may be used as a part of training; however,
interpreters must demonstrate interpersonal communication
skills. This component reinforces the concepts of the
interpretive equation that focus on the knowledge of
the audience and appropriate techniques presented in
Module 101--Fulfilling the NPS Mission: The Process of
Interpretation.
Books
Environmental Interpretation: A Practical Guide for
People with Big Ideas and Small Budgets, Sam H. Ham,
North American Press, 1992, (Chapter 1, pp. 3-31.
Chapter 6, pp. 171-178. Includes information on audience
types, interpretive approach to communication and
references).
Interpreting For Park Visitors, William J. Lewis,
Acorn Press, 1980. (Chapter 1, pp. 22-25; Chapter
4, pp. 58-65. Include information on visitor center
contacts and roving interpretation).
Interpretive Master Planning, John A. Ververka, Falcon
Press Publishing Co., 1994, (Chapter 2, pp. 23-25.
Verbal and non-verbal communication skills).
Non-Verbal Communication in Human Interaction, Mark
L. Knapp, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1978, (This
book is a thorough examination of non-verbal communication.
Chapters contain information on environment, personal
space, body language, touch, children, and vocal cues).
POSitively Outrageous Service, T. Scott Gross. Mastermedia
Books, 1991, (Strategies for quality customer service,
one visitor at a time).
Serving the Visitor, Gary Machlis, 1995, (pamphlet
distributed to parks on Visitor Services Project results).
That's Not What I Meant, Deborah Tannen, Ballantine
Books, 1994.
The Good Guide: A Sourcebook for Interpreters, Docents,
and Tour Guides, Alison L. Grinder and E. Sue McCoy,
Ironwood Publishing, 1989, (Chapter 7, pp. 117-133.
Information dealing with style, audience interaction,
verbal communication, non-verbal communication).
You Just Don't Understand: Men and Women in Communication,
Deborah Tannen, Ballantine Books, 1992.
Videotape
Dealing With People, Available from Mather TC.
Knowing Your Audience, Bill Lewis series.
Seminar
How to Deal with Difficult People, National Seminars
Group, 1-800-344-4613. Interactive seminar examines
how an individual handles difficult people in difficult
situations.
How to Handle Conflict and Manage Anger, National
Seminars Group, 1-800-344-4613. Interactive seminar
examines how individuals can handle conflict and manage
job anger. Provides practical management theories,
principles for personal intervention, and hands-on
training in mediation.
1) Role play "typical" visitor interactions
including: visitor asking for directions, visitor
wanting conversation instead of information, visitor
with complaint, non-English speaking visitors, etc.
2) Brief demonstrations: (a) use nonverbal behavior
to invite conversation (b) use non-verbal behavior
not to invite conversation (c) initiate a conversation
and (d) discuss what was done and why during each
demonstration.
3) In-park observation: accompany or watch a
more experienced person at work. Discuss examples
of each of the strategies used for (a) initiating,
(b) sustaining, (c) ending conversations.
4) Case study: identify a situation where quality
service is observed and discuss what made it a positive
experience and how it might be improved.
Definitions
Accessible: capable of being reached,
used or seen.
Approachable: taking steps to create desired result.
Assess:
to determine importance or value of.
Audience: reading, viewing,
listening, or participating public.
Baggage: beliefs,
attitudes, values and experiences.
Informal: subject
to, resulting from, or occurring by chance.
Interaction: mutually or reciprocally
active.
Perspective: mental view or prospect.
