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How we communicate with our guests makes the difference
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Statistics
show that during our educational careers we spend the most
time learning the communication skills we use the least. For
example, we spend most of our formal education learning to
read and write. Yet, in the business world we normally spend
our days:
Listening
45%
Speaking 30%
Reading 16%
Writing 9%
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One
of the most important parts of verbal communication is listening.
Test have shown that a person can comprehend 5000 words per
minute, but most people speak at an average of 125 to 2550
words per minute. As a result, the average listener is unchallenged
and actually pays attention to only 5% of what is said. A
way to improve this percentage is to listen actively. Simply
stated, become involved in the conversation and attend to
words, tone, and nonverbal cues.
- Don't
jump to conclusions
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- Limit
your own talking
- Don't
get distracted
- Listen
for feelings and ideas
- Stop
and think before replying
- Clarify,
repeat important points, and ask for feedback
- Take
notes
- Pay
attention to body language and to of voice
- After
you've gathered information then react.
Listening
is an acquired skill and questioning is one of its key elements.
Questions can be framed to direct conversation.
To
clarify and confirm details, you might use feedback questions:
"You feel angry because your payment wasn't credited to your
account, is that right?"
However,
to elicit additional information or opinions, open-ended questions
should be used. " How do you feel about the new credit card
forms?"
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Close-ended
questions that offer an either/ or are superior to yes/ no
questions: " Would you prefer to put this on your charge or
pay cash?"
The
worst question is usually a "Why" questions because it makes
guests defensive and forces them to justify position: " why
do you need to return this item?"
Responding
to questions and comments can also create positive or negative
communication. Your grandma's old-fashioned courtesy suggestions-
"smile", say "please" and "thank you" -still go a long way
to create a positive impression.
At
the other extreme, there's nothing worse than a phony smile
accompanied by meaningless "Have a nice day" to demonstrate
insincerity. Another favorite is the veiled compliment- "That
dress is perfect for you. Of course, older women usually do
look younger in bright colors". A lack of response is also
considered negative communication. This would be simply ignoring
a customer or displaying total indifference toward the customer.
Finally, outright hostile communication is unacceptable.
| Verbal
Communication Tips: |
Don't
lie or exaggerate when answering a question.
Don't make a guest defensive by your remarks.
Keep your answers brief and to the point.
Be careful when providing an opinion.
Use positive statements whenever possible.
(Studies show that people will understand a positive statement
33% more rapidly than negative statement)
Successful
communication creates successful future….
Kevin Elangovan
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