It is very important not to interrupt people because it can damage a conversation. Interrupting shows the person speaking that you are impatient and you might not be listening very closely. Once you make the interruption, the speaker can lose his thought and might not be as likely to tell you what he wanted to say.
When someone interrupts me, I tend to try to shorten the conversation because it makes me feel like the person listening does not have the time or patience to listen to me. In some cases I will consider the conversation over when I have been interrupted more than once. In my opinion, a person who interrupts a conversation appears immature and disrespectful.
When a thought or question arises while listening to someone, it is important to wait for him to at least finish his sentence and even complete his thought if possible. Customers are more likely to trust your response if you are polite and allow them to complete their thoughts. When customers feel appreciated and respected, they are more likely to use your business.
Assignment Reflection
I learned a lot from reading Chapter 3 in the textbook, which is all about listening to your customers. I have always considered myself to be a good listener, but after reading this chapter I realized I have a lot of room for improvement. Among other bad listening habits, I occasionally interrupt people and I sometimes allow my mind to wander during conversations. Since completing this assignment about the importance of not interrupting people, I have been better about listening more closely and letting people complete their thoughts. I will continue to work on developing better listening habits and I'm looking forward to seeing the benefits from applying what I have learned.
