Mama’s Subs

LESSON 2: EFFECTIVE

COMMUNICATION

Mastering effective communication involves six steps:1. Saying what you mean and meaning what

you say2. Using nonverbal communication3. Putting words together: grammar4. Asking the correct questions and answering

questions correctly5. Dealing with the customer when they say no6. Listening actively

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

By the end of this lesson you should know:How to say things in the right way to convey the right message

How body language and other forms of nonverbal communication impact your message to the customer

How to use proper grammar when speaking with customers

How to ask the correct questionsHow to answer customers’ questions correctlyHow to deal with customers when they say noHow to listen effectively to customers

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

When you communicate with customers at Mama’s Subs, you can either speak or listen

As the speaker, you control the conversationAs long as you say something that interests your

customer, you have their attentionAs the speaker, it is your responsibility to get your

message across the way you mean it–you may not get a second chance to explain

STEP 1: SAYING WHAT YOU MEAN/MEANING WHAT YOU SAY

Choose the right words Think before you speak Choose words that the listener will understand Opt for easy and familiar words when describing the menu

items to customers: “Would you like chips with your order” vs. “May I assist you in

developing your order with the addition of chips?”

Add welcome words your vocabulary When you use words that sound positive and confident,

you will project a positive and confident attitude Use welcoming words such as:

Sure! Definitely! Absolutely!

SAY WHAT YOU MEAN

Make sure your tone fits the message you are sending How you say something can be more important than what

you say In addition to choosing the right words, think about what tone you should use to convey them

If you’re tone is negative, the message may also be conceived in negative terms

When speaking to a customer who is upset, use a serious, helpful tone

When asking a customer if you can help, use an enthusiastic tone

When asking a customer a question, use a tone that shows you are truly interested in the answer

Pay attention to nonverbal cues to make sure your tone fits your customer

SAY WHAT YOU MEAN

Be professionalWhile Mama’s Subs strives to maintain rapport with customers, there is a point at which what you say can be unprofessional

Keep conversations with customers on a professional level

Do not ask intruding or personal questions to customers

Talk to them in a respectful manner Treat them as you would treat a respected boss

SAY WHAT YOU MEAN

As has already been mentioned, how you say something can be more important than the words you choose

You can choose the right words and use the appropriate tone, but still send a diff erent message to customers through nonverbal communication

Your appearance and behavior when you talk with customers are also important for nonverbal communication

STEP 2: USING NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

Remember that actions speak louder than words You may have a great attitude and personality, but

your actions leave a lasting impression on your customers

Always be aware of your body language to make sure that you are sending the right nonverbal messages

Smile often A smile is one of the most powerful messages you can

send A smile makes the customer feel welcome Get in the habit of smiling often

When you make a habit of smiling, your smile will look more natural

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

Make eye contact If you are uncomfortable making eye contact when

you speak, first get into the habit of making eye contact when you listen

Once you are comfortable doing that, then try to make eye contact when you speak

Wandering eyes send the message that you are bored Keep your energy level steady

Choose healthy, nutritious foods that will give you long-lasting energy (e.g., some of the lighter options at Mama’s Subs)

If you start feeling drowsy during the shift, breathe deeply and do a few stretches

Maintaining posture also helps keep energy levels up Try to get enough rest in your daily life

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

Proper grammar is critical for eff ective communication

When you use proper grammar, it is easier to communicate messages to customers

Proper grammar is important for taking orders and dealing with monetary (cash, credit, or debit) transactions

It is also important for handling any issues customers may have

Proper grammar signals to the customer that you are an eff ective communicator

STEP 3: PUTTING WORDS TOGETHER: GRAMMAR

Reflect Mama’s Subs’ personality At work, you are the voice for Mama’s Subs You should always choose words that reflect the

restaurant For example:

“Hi! Welcome to Mama’s Subs, where we make subs just as good as mama does. How can I help you today?”

Notice in the previous example how professional, yet somewhat informal the greeting was

While some so-called “fine-dining” restaurants may require their employees to use formal language when speaking with customers (e.g., “Hello” instead of “Hi!”), Mama’s Subs is all about casual, welcoming (yet professional) communication

GRAMMAR

Speak Clearly Using overly casual terms or running words together can

make a message diffi cult for some people to understand Get in the habit of using the correct words in their correct

form EX: saying “Hi” instead of “Hey, man”

Speak clearly, and you will present yourself as an intelligent, competent person

Avoid using slang, jargon, or shorthand terms related to working at Mama’s Subs Customers are not likely to know jargon or terms related to

working at Mama’s Subs This may cause confusion and frustration as the customer

tries to specify how they would like their food Explain items on the menu, deals on orders, and any pricing

information using language that customers will understand

GRAMMAR

Customers ask questions to gather information: information about the food, the prices, deals, children’s options, etc.

Typically, you will ask questions to complete an order, solve a customer’s problems, or resolve a customer’s complaint

There are two types of questions: Open questions: require more than a yes or no answer

and encourage the responder to provide information Closed questions: require only a one-word (e.g., yes vs.

no) or short answer and are often used for clarification purposes

STEP 4: ASKING THE CORRECT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERING THE

QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

Keep your questions simple Stick with one type of question When you lump two types of questions together, you run the

risk that customers may not register all the responses they need to give

If a question is long and involved (e.g., determining what kind of combo they may want), break it down: Employee: “Would you like to add the $1.99 medium combo to your

sub today?” Customer: “Yes, please. Employee: “Great. What kind of drink would you like?” Customer: “A Coke if you have it.” Employee: “We sure do! And with that side item, what kind of drink

would you like?” Customer: “Chips, please.”

Notice in the previous example that the employee at the cash register broke the question up by asking each individual part separately

ASKING/ANSWERING QUESTIONS

Before answering a customer’s question, make sure you understand it If you do not understand a customer’s question, recap

it or ask a clarifying question question rather than guessing the answer: Customer: “I want that combo deal you have with my

order.” Employee: “Do you mean the $1.99 medium combo or the

$2.49 large combo?” Customer: “The $2.49 large combo.”

Also, never answer a question unless you are sure your answer is accurate It is better to say “I don’t know, but I can find out for

you” than giving an answer that may be incorrect

ASKING/ANSWERING QUESTIONS

Try to give more than a one-word answer No matter which questioning technique customers

use, answer as though the question is open ended Giving more than a one-word answer can have an

added bonus: you can generate sales: Customer: “Can I get chips with the $1.99 combo?” Employee: “Yes, ma’am! Or you can get potato salad,

coleslaw, fruit, or yogurt. You can also add extra side items to your for only $0.64.”

Notice in the above example that the customer now has many options to choose from They may decide to order more than one side item as

well

ASKING/ANSWERING QUESTIONS

You will definitely have to deal with customers who say no

When you off er a valid solution and your customer says no, your job is to uncover the reasons for your customer’s objections

When you get a real reason for the objection, you can figure out the best solution for that particular customer

STEP 5: DEALING WITH CUSTOMERS WHEN THEY SAY NO

Listen to the customer’s objection To learn the reason behind the no, ask a combination of

open and closed questions You need to understand why the customer is saying no so

you can best help them Acknowledge the objection

Always validate the customer’s reason and then respond with a positive statement: Customer: “I do not want the $2.49 deal. It is too pricey.” Employee: “I can understand that the price seems too high, but

it is only $0.50 higher than the $1.99 combo, and the drink is twice as large as the drink in the $1.99 combo.”

After acknowledging the question, follow up with “how does that sound?”

WHEN CUSTOMERS SAY NO

Consider the customer’s answer to your proposal for their objectionThe customer’s response will determine whether they are objecting because they do not agree with your proposal or whether they are looking for more information

In the previous example, if the customer says “that costs too much for me”, do not press the issue further

If the customer responds with “twice as large? How man ounces is that?”, proceed to answering their question and getting the sale locked in

WHEN CUSTOMERS SAY NO

Speaking is important because you are delivering a message, but listening is often more important because you cannot communicate the message without listening to the customer carefully

If you do not listen to the message, you might easily give the wrong response

STEP 6: LISTENING ACTIVELY

Focus entirely on the customer Think of the customer you are helping as the only customer

in the restaurant When you are listening to the customer, stay interested

(even of the message is long) Nod occasionally and say something like “I see”, “tell me

more”, or “hmmm” to show you are listening If your customer gets off track, politely interrupt and ask

some clarifying questions to take control of the conversation Listen completely

When you listen and talk at the same time, you do neither effectively

Pay attention to the customer Try not to think of your response while the customer is

talking Wait until the question is winding down before thinking of how

you want to respond

LISTENING ACTIVELY

Handle interruptions from other customers professionally If another customer interrupts you while you are listening to

your customer, explain to the interrupter that you will be with them as soon as you are done helping your customer

If it is an unavoidable interruption, excuse yourself momentarily from your customer to answer the other person then quickly return attention and apologize for the interruption

Remain objective Before drawing a conclusion or making a judgment, gather as

much information as you can This will help you avoid jumping to conclusions

Listen for what is not said Pay attention to the customer’s nonverbal communication Pay attention to what customers are really saying If a customer appears on edge or upset, show empathy in your

replies

LISTENING ACTIVELY