sender and a receiver and a message that is understood by both. The interference (lack of understanding or distraction)  that  garbles  the  message  becomes  a  barrier between  the  sender  and  receiver.  In  this  case,  the receiver  should  ask  for  a  repeat  or  explanation. Misunderstood  information  may  be  worse  than  no information. It can result in disappointment, frustration, missed  opportunities,  or  improper  actions  by  the receiver.  Following  are  some  causes  of  interference  that the AK should know: l l l l l l l The customer was vague about the particulars of the  problem. The AK used unfamiliar terms, acronyms, or slang. Because the AK understood the subject so well, it was not explained as thoroughly as it should have  been. The  AKs  attitude  inferred  that  the  customer  and the problem are not important. Other  problems  were  bothering  the  customer. The  customer  felt  rushed. The  customer  lacked  the  confidence  in  the  AKs ability to provide correct information. Since you serve as the single point of contact to provide  aviation  supply  support  and  services,  the customers  have  no  other  place  to  go  for  answers.  You should  ensure  that  the  customer  understands  the message. Language barriers also exist with the contact point  representative.  Wherever  the  barriers  exist,  you should make a conscious effort to eliminate them or to compensate  for  them.  To  compensate,  you  should  speak slowly and give listener time to follow and interpret what was said or to ask questions. There are several types   of   language   barriers   that   interfere   with communications. Some are cultural, some are physical, some  are  habit,  and  some  are  intended  to  confuse. Cultural  and  physical  barriers  are  the  most  difficult  for the speaker to overcome. Individuals for whom English is   a   second   language   often   have   difficulty   with pronunciation,  meaning,  and  sentence  structure.  Speech impediments  also  cause  misunderstandings.  Some speech habits that interfere with understanding are slurred pronunciation, running words together, speaking too fast, exaggerated drawl or brogue, and profanity. When  a  customer  with  one  of  these  speech  defects comes  for  service,  concentrate  on  WHAT  is  being said—not HOW it is said. This will reduce distractions to a minimum. The  inability  to  differentiate  between  routine  and priority will keep you from fulfilling responsibilities to customers. Routines or procedures will enable you to do jobs easier, faster, and more accurately. Thus, they are the  methods  used  to  achieve  the  contact  point goal-service to customers. If routines are allowed to become the goals, the effectiveness of the contact point will suffer. In the AK billet, routines are to serve people, not  people  to  serve  routines. Satisfying Customer Needs As previously discussed, a customer’s needs can be satisfied either by you or through referral to other units that perform the job required by the customer. In large activities where specialization is implemented, it is difficult for the customer to find the right desk or office. When  you  refer  a  customer  to  another  location,  be courteous.  Always  give  good  directions  or  take  the customer to the area, if possible. If additional action will have to be taken later, you and the customer should agree on who will initiate the future action. The customer should have no doubts about WHAT must be done, WHEN it should be done, and WHO is to get it started. It may help to repeat basic information just before the customer  leaves. Answering questions requires a sizeable amount of patience. Some of the questions are repeats by the same customer  or  another  customer.  In  all  cases,  questions deserves  the  courtesy  of  an  answer. You  must  provide  correct  and  up-to-date  informa- tion  to  the  customers.  People  obtain  information  from many  sources.  Even  when  they  have  heard  and interpreted it correctly, it may not be correct. This incorrect  information  is  usually  revealed  through conversation  with  the  customer.  Regardless  of  where this incorrect information was obtained, you should correct it. The filing system and record keeping help provide good customer service. You use them as a proof for material delivery, signature of the person that accepted the material or service, history of events, and so on. When  good  customer  service  is  provided,  the PROBLEM  that  was  countered  by  a  solution  becomes a  TEMPORARY  SITUATION. 2-16