Transcript Call Taking/Interview Techniques

Call Taking/Interview
Techniques
Agenda
• Telecommunicator
Code of Ethics
• Customer
Service/Expectations
• Taking Control
• Break
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Types of Listening
5 W’s
Closing the Call
Documentation
Q/A
Telecommunicator’s Code of
Ethics
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As a Telecommunicator I regard myself as a member of an important
and honorable profession.
I will keep myself in the best possible physical condition at all times.
I will perform my duty with efficiency at all times.
I will be exemplary in my conduct, edifying in my conversation,
honest in my dealings and obedient to the laws of the city, state and
county.
I will not, in the performance of my duty, work for personal
advantage or profit.
I will, at all times, recognize that I am a public servant.
I will give the most efficient and impartial service of which I am
capable at all times.
I will be courteous in my contacts at all times.
I will regard my fellow Telecommunicators with the same standards I
maintain myself.
I will be loyal to my fellow Telecommunicators, my superiors and my
agency.
I will accept responsibility for my actions.
I will do only those things that will reflect my honor on my fellow
Telecommunicators, my agency and myself.
Callers Expectations & Customer
Service
• Callers Expect 3 primary Things
– They will talk to a professional
– They will be treated with Respect
– That Action/Control will be taken
• When we meet these Expectations we
Provide Customer Service
Taking Control
• Caller’s are calling with a Crisis. The
Following 3 items help to take control a
call
– Reassurance.
– Focusing.
– Follow-up.
Methods
• Answer Promptly
• Identify Yourself and Your Agency
• Be Courteous
• Take Charge
• Repetitive Persistence
• Good Note Taking
• Be Specific/Don’t Assume
• Explain Waits
• Avoid Jargon
• Show Interest (Empathy)
• Terminate Calls Quickly
• Answer According to Priority
Break
Types of Listening
• Selective (Poor practice results in bad
habits)
– Typecasting
– Second Guessing
– Tuning Out
– Distractions
– Assumptions
– Punched Buttons
Active/Effective Listening
• Allows Call-Taker to accurately gain
pertinent information to assist the call
taker and the Responder
• Critical in reducing mistakes and
Complacency
Block Distractions
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Keep outside noises down
Keep work area clear
Self Assess
Get help with issues so you don’t bring
them to work
• Be Alert/Attentive
Concentrate on the Speaker
• Develop a picture of what they are talking about
• Ask Specific Questions
• Don’t Assume that you know what they are
describing
• Focus on the words
Provide Feedback
• Repeat Back what you are hearing
• Ensure they have reached the right place
• Explain and have them repeat what you
are asking them to do
Separate Emotion
• Get only relevant information
• Take control of the callers emotion
• Self Assess
• YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO ALL THE
TALKING!!!
Break
5 W’s
• Slow down
• Work through these W’s saves you time in
the long run.
• Be Specific
Where
• Location/Location/Location
• Should be asked first
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Where did this happen?
Where are you now?
Where is the suspect?
Where is the patient?
Where is this occurring?
Where can the field unit contact you?
Where can the field unit contact the victim?
Where Con’t
• Business name, inside or outside
• Concourse, Gates, Level, Doors.
• How far from a landmark? Can you meet the unit and
lead them in? Which direction, how far?
• Where may only be a phone number. Where includes
the phone number: the caller’s, the victim’s, the
suspect’s ALWAYS GET A CALL BACK NUMBER
• Start from the Broad to the Narrow
• Get Response Going
What
• The Call taker must accurately determine
“What” in order to send the best response.
• Many times the What a caller reports is
slightly different than the actual What
• Good interviewing will aid in making the
right determination
Pertinent Questions
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What is happening?
What has happened?
What is going to happen?
What are you reporting?
What is it you want done?
What is the problem right now?
• Be Specific
When
• Helps to determine Urgency
– In Progress
– Report Only
• Remember they are calling you and it is
often an emergency for them
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Is this happening now. Within 5 minutes?
How long Ago?
When will this become a problem?
Is there an ETA?
When did the party Leave?
Only Fires are always considered in
Progress you must ask when at all
other times.
Who
• Helps fills in the blanks
• Adds additional Information
• Consists of Descriptions (can include
inanimate objects)
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Who is calling?
Who is the suspect?
Who is fighting?
Who is there with you?
Who told you this?
Who did you talk with?
Who needs a Description
• Relationships
– Always put in RP’s relationship to the
situations (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
• Physical
• Emotional/Medical
• Who’s Location (Address)
Description Conventions
• Age/race/sex
• Description – head to toe (hair, eyes, facial hair,
height, weight, skin complexion, scars, marks,
tattoos)
• Clothing description – head to toe (hat, glasses,
jacket, shirt, pants, shoes, bags, etc.)
• Medications
• Has the person ever done this before?
• Phone, address, name of person involved
• History of the person
Weapons/Hazmat/Dangers
• This information is essential so that the
responders are kept safe
• Not all events are the same
Telecommunicators need to think ahead
about the Hazards
Why not Why
• We report what is occurring now or has occured
the why comes in the Investigation phase.
• Your other questions will help ascertain a
preliminary why.
• If the RP gives a why document it and report it
but do not make assumptions. The responders
will get better information.
Priorities
• Different Call Types will carry a different Priority
• Telecommunicator must consider priority when
resources are limited.
• Priorities can be:
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Mandated (Regulations)
Pre-planned (SOPS, Contingencies)
Based on responder protocol (Nature Codes)
DIA Dispatchers must think about Safety, Security,
and Efficiency
Closing the Call
• Repeat back Location/Call back number
• Stay on Call if in progress or more info is needed
• FOLLOW SOPS
• Giving the caller directions regarding Safety
should be avoided
• Advise them of the response type (Police,
Medic, Fire, Maintenance) Don’t Make
Promises
• Close the call positively and cautiously. Be
sure they know you are hanging up.
Documentation
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Nature of the call
Location
Complainant/Call back number
Time of occurrence
Call taker
Date
Time called in, dispatched, unit(s) arrived,
unit(s) cleared
• Unit(s) assigned
• Disposition
COMM/MCC Documentation
• Communications Personnel must
remember that these are official records.
• Document all pertinent details so someone
later can figure out what was happening
• Only the Facts!!!