ENTREPRENUERSHIP FORM FOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS

COMMUNICATION  SKILLS. Communication refers to the process of conveying information from from one person to another.

Explain the communication process. An illustration of communication process           It can be explained as below. i. Sender. This refers to a person who sends the message. ii. Message. This is what the sender communicates. iii. Encoding. This involves delivering information in symbols a receiver can understand to make the message meaningful e.g gesturing iv. Medium. This refers to the ways or means through which the message is delivered. v. Recipient. This is the receiver of the message. vi. Decoding. This refers to the interpreting the message sent. vii. Feedback. This refers to the response/reaction a receiver gives to the sender. It determines whether the message has been understood. viii)Noise.This refers to any obstruction that is caused by the sender of the message or receiver during the communication process. Forexample bad telephone connection,faulty encoding,poor understanding of the message. Explain the major forms of communication FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

a) Written communication: This involves writing business letters, memorandums, circulars etc.

b) Oral communication/ Verbal communication.:This is the form of communication which involves use of mouth.

c) Visual communication:This involves presenting information through use of diagrams and pictures like chats, photographs, posters etc.

d) Non-verbal: This involves converging message without using words, but symbols and signs. FORMS OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION a) Business letters.This is mainly used for both internal and external communication. E.g reminder letters for delayed payments, warning letters etc.

b) Agenda. This shows a list of items to be handled in the meeting. c) Meeting minutes. These are records of what took place in the meeting d) Notices. This refers to the written information to the general public or staff informing them specific event or warning. e) Reports. This is often written to explain certain things or events. f) Memo. This is written communication from one office to another within the same organization or branch organization. It is mainly used to internal communication e.g. a manager may inform the workers about a certain meeting using a memo. FORMS OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION These include; 1. Organizational charts. These show the structure and flow of authority.         2. Photographs. These can be used to give physical illustration to create some impression in the message communicated.

    4. Graphs.These can be used to present information about business performance e.g. line graphs.

a) What is meant by the term effective communication Explain the features of effective communication EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Questions  

Effective communication takes place when the message is understood by the receiver in the same way the sender intended to send it and received in time. ELEMENTS/FEATURES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 1. Completeness of the message. This involves communicating all the facts the receiver needs to know. 2. Conciseness. This involves communicating the message in the fewest words possible. 3. Correctness of the message. This involves communicating the message when it is as correct as possible. 4. Concreteness of the message. The message should be specific and not vague or too general. 5. Clarity /clear. The message should be as clear as possible in the language which is familiar to the receiver. 6. Timing. The message should be conveyed at the time when the receiver is able to listen to it and to receive it. 7. Environment. The message should be communicated in a conducive environment which is noise free. 8. Media. The sender must use a media that a target receiver uses e.g most of the villagers use radios. Questions a) What are the barriers to effective communication b) Suggest the solutions to communication barriers BARRIERS FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION – Language barrier. If the language used is not familiar to the receiver. - If the message sent is incomplete. - If the receivers mind is in improper state e.g. in case of stress - Wrong address - When the message is pre-judged. i.e. I knew it before attitude. - When the environment is noisy - When the message is not well packed or not attractive to make the receiver getting interested in it. - If the message is not clear. This may be due to poor handwriting/ wrong spellings. - If the channel of communication used is inappropriate. E.g. using the television to blind people. - If the receiver has made quick conclusion to the message being communicated. - When there is a gap between the boss and subordinates i.e poor relationship between the sender and receiver. - When the sender and receiver have poor communication skills e.g poor listening skills. - When there is communication over load i.e communicating so many things for long period of time. - Failure to plan for the message before it is communicated. MEASURES TO OVERCOME COMMUNICATION BARRIERS - Using languages which is familiar to the receiver. - Communicating completed messages. - Communicating form noise free environment. - Being brief when communicating. - Ensuring attractive packaging of the message sent. - Planning for the message before communicating. - Using good communication skills. - Ensuring use of right address. - Ensuring good relationship between the receiver and the sender. IMPORTANCE OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION - It helps an entrepreneur to pass relevant information to his staff all the time and the customers. - It helps an entrepreneur to recruit and select workers of his business. - It helps an entrepreneur to implement policies by giving instructions to his employees. - It creates good relationship between the entrepreneur and his customers. - It helps an entrepreneur to co-ordinate business operations that are done by different departments. - It enables the government to monitor and guide business operations. - It links the business to supportive organizations like insurance. - It creates good understanding between the entrepreneur and his employees. - Facilitates advertising. This increases sales. - Facilitates market research. This expands market. a) Outline the techniques to be used when presenting a business product to customers. b) What are the techniques used to collect overdue accounts from customers? c) Outline the techniques used when handling difficult customers? Answers Techniques to be used when presenting a business product to customers - Ensuring customer privacy and convenience. This involves serving a customer a product in a place where he feels comfortable. - Considering the target customer’s needs. - Giving samples and guarantees to back up the product. - Offering product aids like photographs to back up the product. - Ensuring good product knowledge. - b)The following are the Techniques used to collect overdue accounts from customers. - Sending polite reminder notice to customers suggesting the dates to settle their accounts. - Employing courts of law to handle the defaulters - Asking for collateral securities. - Assessing credit worthiness of a customer before giving a credit. - Setting short credit periods to effect payment c)The following are the Techniques used when handling difficult customers. - .- Acknowledge and evaluating customer’s objections fairly. _. Listening carefully to the words and feelings being expressed by the customer. - Apologizing to the customer. - Giving compensation to the customer. - Avoid dominating a customer and give him a chance to open to understand the reason of his being difficult. - By holding argument until the customer is ready for them. - By suggesting that you will handle the issue later.