EFFECTIVE

COMMUNICATION

Objective
Effective Communication
WOW moments

Repeat Client
More Spending, High Revenue

Benefits of
Effective Communication
Do your Job Better
Build Confidence & Self
Esteem
Gain Respect
Improve your Earning Power
Solve Every Day Work
Problems
Improve your Potential for
Promotion
Understand your
Responsibilities Better
Learn More about the
Hospitality industry

Topics
To Identify & avoid Roadblocks to
communication
Use your Body & Voice as a positive tool
Speak Clearly & Simply so that your message is
understood
Apply Active Listening Skills
Apply Proper Telephone Skills

CHECK YOUR SELF NOW..

Am I aware of where Im looking when
I talk to someone?
Do I stand & walk as though Im
Confident & Comfortable with myself?
Do I look at the person whom I speak
with?

 Do I give a person full attention and

not prepare my response when he
or she is speaking?
Do I follow my propertys standards
for prompt answering of
telephones?
Do I control my self when someone
set off my Emotional Triggers?
The more times you have answered
yes to these questions the better
your communication..!

At the Seasons
Inn
When Betty
..Spoke to Martin!

Betty is waiting in her supervisors office. She has come to talk

with Martin about a problem concerning next weeks staff
schedule. Just after Betty arrives Martin receives a phone call. He
has an angry exchange with the caller, slams down the receiver,
and storms out of the office, muttering to Betty, Wait here!
What a rotten time to have to bring this up. Betty sighs. hes
in a lousy mood.
When Martin returns, its clear hes still angry. He throws his clip
board on his desk and does not look at Betty, but asks rudely,
What do you want?
As Martin shuffle's through some papers on his desk, Betty says,
Several weeks ago I asked for next Saturday off for my sisters
wedding, Martin. I just looked at next weeks schedule and Im
working Saturday.
Martin stops his paper search, glares at Betty, and shouts,you
said you needed the third Saturday off, and I gave it to you. The
thirds Saturday is the 20th.
I meant the third Saturday form when we were talking. I need
the 13th off,.. Betty sighs. This is terrible. Can we do
something about it?
Martin leans back, covers his eyes with his hands, and replies
sarcastically, No problem, Betty. I ll. be happy to rearrange the
schedule to suit your family needs.

What Do you think Now..?

We Communicate only when we want to
(True / False)?
Words mean the same to both speaker
& Listener (True / False)?
We communicate Chiefly with Words
(True / False)?
We believe what a person says, not
how he says it. (True / False)?
Communication is one way affair. (True
/ False)?

Myths About Communication

We Communicate only when we want to..
Words mean the same to both Speaker &
Listener
We communicate Chiefly with Words
We believe what a person says, not how he
says it.
Communication is one way affair.
I speak you listen & Vice Versa?

Road Blocks in Effective

Communication
Communication should be a Simple,
Clear process in which each person
honestly tries to understand what the
other is saying or feeling

1. Unfair Comparison
It is a mistake for us to compare
one Employee with another.
Whenever possible Evaluate
each employee by how well he
or she matches up to the
standards of the job.

Dont compare the employee.

Compare their performance with
the standards for his or her job.

2. Just Like Me...

Look at your employees
strengths and dont
concentrate on how they
are different from or
similar to you.
Blend in ..!

We tend to look at those

individuals who behave or think
as we do, with similar
backgrounds & characteristics.
This may lead us to favor a few
more than the other.

3. Stereotypes
Stereotyping occurs when we form general
opinions about certain groups, and then
apply these opinions to every one in the
group. As a result when we meet a member
of that group we form a hasty , incorrect first
impression
Dont think that all people who
belong to that group are the
same. Every one is an individual
and we should not assign a
behavior.

4.Good Day / Bad Day Effect.

We all have them. Some allow their
feelings to affect communication
with others.
If they are having a Bad Day they
become more Critical.
If they are having a Good Day they
are less Strict.

Separate your personal feelings

from what is happening in the work
place.

5.Halo / Pitch Fork Effect

We practice the Halo Effect
when we favor the
person.They have a quality
we find Attractive &
Valuable.
The Pitch Fork Effect occurs
when we Dislike a person.
They have quality/s which
we dont value.
Look at all the employees
Characteristics before
making a value judgement
about that person.

Now I Know.
I am the most important link in the
Companys Communication Process.
People have certain false beliefs about
communication called myths. If I am aware of
these myths, I can improve my
communication Skills.
That as an individual, I Should avoid the 5
Roadblocks to effective communication:
Unfair Comparison
Just Like Me..
Stereotypes
Good Day/ Bad Day Effect
Halo or Pitch Fork Effect

End ..
Module

Effective Communication

Non Verbal
Communication
&
Elements Of
Communication

Non Verbal Communication

Non Verbal communication is how we say
something(vocal and visual) not what we
say(verbal)

At the Seasons Inn

With Marla
...andLisa

Marla tells Lisa, a cooks helper, that

she is short of a dish washer for the
lunch shift. When Marla asks her to fill
in, Lisa looks upwards and says in an
irritated voice, Sure. No problem.
As she fills the dish machine, Lisa
bangs pots and pans around and
slams them on the counter. She also
breaks several plates and saucers.

The Impact of Non Verbal

Communication
VERBAL
7%
VOCAL
38%

VISUAL
55%

Thus as a person speaks 93% of the information comes

from the nonverbal channels
There is 13 times more information available in non-verbal
communication than in words.

Elements of Communications

Vocal
38%

Verbal
7%

Visual
55%

Simple
Provide
Example
Direct & Clear
Repeat

Variety
Quality
Rate
Volume

Eye Contact
Postures
Gestures
Facial
Expression

Elements of communication

Visual, Vocal, Verbal

are the 3 elements of Communication
from which people get information

Vocal Communication the 38%

Even with our eyes
closed we can
probably tell who
each one is
because
everyones voice
has a unique
characteristic.
Check your own
voice application
with the following
characteristics

Variety
Quality
Rate
Volume

Vocalized Pauses

Visual Communication-the 55%

People often get a great
deal of information
by looking at one
another.
As you read on, think
of how you use these
point in talking with
co-workers.
In addition ask your
self if you use these
elements to get
information from
others as they speak
to you.

Eye Contact
Posture
Gestures
Facial
Expression

Verbal Communication-the 7%
In your roles you
may speak to
individual employees
or to small groups of
employees.
the following points
would help you to
make your
communication more
effective to share
information with 1 or
100

Keep it Simple

Explain/ Provide
Example
Use Clear, Direct
Words
Respect Your
Listeners
Repeat your Main
Idea
Check for
understanding

Now I Know.
When I Talk to people I should have that one
single point in mind that I want them to
remember
Providing an example helps the listener
understand better
When I talk I should use direct, clear words
I should always treat my listener with respect
I can increase my listeners understanding by
repeating my main idea
I can increase my listener's understanding by
checking to see if he or she has any questions.

End .
Module

Effective Communication

Listening

Work Related Listening Activities

A partial List of Work related activities that involve
Listening
Meetings
Giving Instructions
Receiving
Instructions
Sharing Information

Giving Presentations
Using Telephones.
Making Decisions
Marketing
Interacting with
guests

Listening
Each One of us spends about 60% of
their workday listening.
The bad news is that if you listen as
good as the average person, you are
probably understanding and listening
to only 25 % of what you hear.

Professional Benefits of Improved

Listening
Make you more successful
Gain Respect of Others
Improve the propertys profits
Increase your Job Satisfaction
Improve your Knowledge
Make you more promotable
Make you a more valuable employee

At the Seasons Inn

Martin is Listening.!

Its right at the height of a busy dinner hour, and

Martin is in the kitchen. He can hear two cooks
discussing the orders theyre preparing. At the same
time, the dishwashing machine is running, the
dishwasher is sorting more soiled dishes, and several
bus persons and waiting staff are scurrying around.
Joel, a waiter, comes in and tells Martin, I have a
problem with table 12. When I served the entre to the
gentleman, he said it wasnt prepared like he ordered
it. I got him a second order and he still doesn't think
its all right. Hes really mad.

4 Steps of Listening Process

Paying
Attention

Attaching
Meaning
Listening

Responding
&
Remembering

Evaluating
the
Message

A Case Study

The Supervisor is talking on the telephone in his

office when his hostess, Cheryl, rushes in,
talking loudly as she comes through the door.
I will NOT take orders from Lee! Who does he
think he is?And what makes him think that hes
more important than anyone else? He just came
up and corrected me in front of several guests.
Hes so rude and thinks hes so superior. Im
telling you, if you dont talk with him, Im out of
here.

Check Your Response

Paying Attention
A good Listener will
not try to divide his
or her attention
between two
different listening
situations.
The Supervisor has to
decide as to who, gets
the undivided
attention

Attaching Meaning
The Supervisor knows
that there has been a
problem . He also
knows that there
were many guests
around
The Supervisor has to
realize that there has
been a problem and
that someone in the
process is upset

Check Your Response

Evaluating the
Responding &
Message
Remembering
The supervisor
The Supervisor decides
decides how he feels
the respond. He
about the problem.
clarifies his doubts
He is concerned that
by asking questions
the problem has
to deal with actions
upset a team member
concerning this
and that it took place
incident.
in front of the guests

Active Listening
A Good Listener is an active Listener.
That is, the listener is an Active
Participant in the communication
process.
He or She is generally involved
Verbally
Non Verbally
Mentally
Physically

Check Your Active Listening Skills

I Encourage people
with comments such
as I See.
If I dont
understand, I ask for
an Explanation of
what is being said.
While the speaker
talks I look out for
his or her main ideas

I take notes so that I

dot forget important
information.
I give feedback by
using facial
expressions
I try to understand
how the speaker feels
about his or her ideas

Tips to Effective Listening

Dont Interrupt
Hearing a person out is a wonderful compliment

Dont Prejudge
Listen to the employees view point. Dont assume

Dont Script-Write
Dont allow yourself to mentally prepare the response while the
person is still speaking

Dont react Emotionally

Try to concentrate more on the issue and less on the emotion.
Check and control your emotions

Now I Know.
Listening is a major part of my job.

If I improve my listening ability I improve my

value as a professional
Listening is a four step process.
Be an Active Listener. Get involved:
- Dont interrupt
- Dont prejudge
- Dont script-write

- Dont react emotionally

End .
Module

Effective Communication

Using the
Telephone

It is essential that we make

a positive impression when
we are talking on the
telephone, regardless of
whom we are talking to.
Its an opportunity for us to
improve our professional
image.

Goal when using Telephone

Make that caller believe that you are pleased to hear
from them
Sound awake, alert and ready
Make the caller feel special
Have patience with those who perhaps deserve it
the least
Direct your personality and enthusiasm down the
telephone
Make a good first impression
Make a good last impression

 keep in control, without interrupting or bullying

inspire confidence
make the customer feel they are dealing with a
person and not being processed
not use any negative words or phrases
be believed
use the customers name regularly
conduct the call efficiently and quickly without
rushing the caller.

Customers create an impression of

you and your company based on how you
sound.

Using the Telephone

During any business telephone
conversation, follow these fundamentals
Smile
Sit up Straight
Stay Focused- Avoid Distractions

Telephone Voice
Pitch

More amplification and modulation, almost sing-song or melodic

Volume

match the customers

Speed

Slow down or adjust to match callers speed

Pace

Mirror or match the mood and speaking style of the caller

Words

Use short words, pronounce words carefully, spell names and figures

Sentence

Speak in chunks of 10-14 words at a time, listening for the callers

acknowledgement of Understanding

Emphasis

Mark out words that are important with a change of voice tone, speed or
volume (louder)

Pronunciation

Beware of mispronouncing words and peoples names

Mood

Match the mood of the caller and dont be overly cheerful if the situation or
topic does not merit it

Facial Expression

SMILE!!

Effective telephone guidelines

Focus on Customers
Be Helpful
Check Understanding
Be Attentive
Be Thorough
Personalise
Be Courteous
Exceed Expectations

Ten tips
1. Use appropriate volume. Speak as if someone were two or
three feet away.
2. Be clear. Speak crisply. Avoid slurring syllables or trailing
off at the end of words.
3. Smile. A smile conveys sincerity and enthusiasm.
4. Speed. Your speech speed can indicate your attitude. The
ideal rate is 150-160 words per minute. If you speak faster,
the caller may doubt your credibility. Any slower and you
may bore your listener.
5. Be expressive. Be yourself. Speak like you would to a
friend.
6. Use a positive language approach. The words and phrases
you use shape other peoples images of you and can
determine how they will react to you. Try positive phrases
like, Id be happy to rather than the negative I have
to

7. Use your first and last name to identify yourself.

8. Lower your voice at the end of a sentence,
especially a question. This conveys confidence and
competence. Raising your voice (as in your voice
going up to ask a question) conveys uncertainty.
Be careful to lower your vocal tone only, and not
your volume.
9. Write down ideas on how to respond. Jot down key
points and ideas so that you will be able to respond
effectively when you have a chance to speak.
10. Change your outgoing message daily when using
voice mail or an answering device. Leave a brief
professional message with todays date and when
you will be returning calls

Mechanics of
Answering the Telephone
As you receive a telephone call
treat all callers, both internal and
external, with courtesy and
respect.

Answering Telephone
Call Pick up
Let the telephone ring at least two complete
rings, but not long enough to annoy the
guest. This allows you to disconnect your
thoughts and concentrate upon the incoming
call.
Check your Property Standards.
Many Properties ask that you answer the
phone by three rings

 Identify Yourself
Your opening remark, as well as a cheerful
greeting, should always contain your name,
your company/ department.
Good morning CHPL, This is XYZ speaking,
how may I assist you
Dont carry on a conversation with someone
else when speaking over the telephone

 How long to Hold

When you are on the telephone, time can seem much
longer than it actually is and so some points are worth
mentioning.
Always give the customer the choice of holding, or
offer to call them back with the relevant information.
Use the hold button if the telephone has one.
Remember the receiver will carry sound even though
the mouthpiece is covered.
If your customer prefers to wait, check back every 1520 seconds.
If you anticipate you will be away from the telephone
longer than one or two minutes, you should suggest
calling the customer back.

Putting The Caller on hold

Ask Permission
Im sorry, I dont have that information in front of
me. If you would hold for a moment I, would be
happy to get it.

Wait for response

Dont assume that the person wants to be put on hold.
Ask for the callers permission.

Check Back
if you're going to take longer than you expect ask the
caller if he wishes to continue holding

 When Transferring
Explain to the customer why the call is being
transferred, and to whom. If the customer does
not want the call to be transferred, offer to
have the person concerned call the customer
back.
Avoid transferring more than once get the
details and ask the other person to call
back.
Always transfer as much information as you
have with the call, so that the caller does not
have to repeat the details.

Taking Telephone Messages

Often you may need to take
down a message for someone .
Its very important that you
listen carefully and take
accurate written notes while
speaking with the caller.

Ending a Call
Summarize
Repeat what you have understood from the caller
Tell what you will do
Inform the caller what you are going to do with the
information that you have
Conclude
Close the call in a warm and friendly tone of voice.
When to hang up
Always hang up after the customer has done so. They
may have more to say or may hear you (rudely) crash
the receiver down

Helpful words and phrases

you
thank you for waiting
New
Interesting
Different
I need to ask you
would it be possible
I promise
before four pm tomorrow
I will definitely do that
Certainly
my pleasure
its no trouble
please call back if you have any questions
the best thing I can suggest is

Do not Use

try to
Maybe
dont know
not my fault/department
not possible
I disagree
youre wrong
thats not true.

Frequently used and their better alternatives

EXPRESSION

BETTER ALTERNATIVE

Whats the problem?

How may I help you?

You ought to

May I suggest?

The systems down.

That may take a moment to look up, would

you like me to call you back?

I dont know what you mean by that.

Im sorry, please could you explain that

again?

No, I cant help you

Let me put you through to

You need to talk to someone else.

Let me put you through to

Hold, please.

Would you mind holding or can I call you

back/can I help you?

I cant do anything about it. This is our

organisations policy

The reason we ______________ is because

___________

What did you say?

Sorry, I seem to have a bad line, could you

repeat that please?

EXPRESSION

BETTER ALTERNATIVE

I cant understand you.

Please could your repeat that? Let me take

some notes.

Im afraid my manager is in a meeting at the

moment.

They are not available, may I help you or

take a message in the meantime?

Its not my responsibility.

Let me put you through to

We dont handle that here.

Let me put you through to

You have come through to the wrong

extension.

Let me put you through to

I havent a clue.

I need to look in to this, the best thing I can

do is call you back at

Theres nothing I can do

Im afraid that I cant do X, but I can do Y.

Id advise you to

May I ask you to/the best thing you can do

is

Mechanics of
Making the Telephone call
If you are the caller the same
mechanics and fundamentals
apply with a few extra tips to
increase your effectiveness

Preparing for Telephone calls

If you have to explain the same thing over and over
again, then perhaps it would be an advantage to actually
write down the expression, statements or questions that
you could use, making sure that it is practised, concise
and understandable.
If you are making outgoing calls, no matter what the
content, prepare carefully by making sure that you have
any relevant notes and files that you may require, to
hand.
Details of any previous telephone conversations you
may have had with that person and notes on your
objectives or agenda points may also be useful.

 Do not be afraid to schedule exact times of when to call

people.
Taking Notes
Slow your voice down on the telephone and ALWAYS
ask people to repeat numbers and important details, and
then repeat it back to them. This can prevent a
misunderstanding AND save time.
Replace scraps of paper and Post-It notes with proper
message pads and notebooks. If it saves one lost
message a year its worth it!
Make sure you summarise clearly at the end of every
telephone call people remember this the most

Making the Call

Be Prepared
Prepare before the call to increase your Efficiency

Identify yourself when the phone has

been answered
If you reach a wrong number
Apologize. Wait for the other person to hang up first

Have a Brief Message

In case the party is not available on the phone

Advanced telephone rapport

Matching: THE SKILL OF BUILDING CO-OPERATIVE
RELATIONSHIPS

Rapport skills enable you to quickly put others

at ease and create trust.
your ability to produce results in gaining and
creating rapport are
the degree to which you can perceive other
peoples words, gestures and speech patterns
the way with which you can match them in the
dance of rapport

 The fundamental elements of matching on the telephone are

VOICE
Breathing rate
Volume
Tone
Pitch
Tempo
Sounds
Words.
OTHER ELEMENTS THAT YOU CAN MATCH
Beliefs
Values
Interests
Common experiences

 Leading
Change the other persons behaviour by
getting them to follow your lead e.g. leading
them from complaining, into a more positive,
optimistic frame
Having rapport, and hence being able to lead
others, allows you to achieve mutually desired
outcomes (e.g. reaching agreement!)
It also allows you to take responsibility for the
outcome of all your interactions

Structuring a telephone call

Any telephone call should have four clear
sections:
1. Opening and initiating control, agenda setting
2. Fact finding and questioning
3. Proposing ideas, solutions, options or
information
4. Closing, confirming, summarising.

1. Open and initiate

BE PREPARED
Anticipate the needs of customers; have the information you
need to hand; know and prepare for times of peak demand.
WELCOME
Greet customers and convey an attitude through tone of
voice, verbal and body language, that you are interested and
willing to help.
OUTGOING CALLS
Explain the purpose and benefit of the call and then check
to ensure that the customer understands and agrees to
proceed.

2. Gather information
LISTEN
Remembering the feelings and facts and the significant
concerns that customers express.
ASK
Create effective questions to understand the customers
situation and what they really need to keep
participating.
RESTATE
Let customers know you understand what was said be
sure to agree on what is being asked.

3. Solutions and options

OFFER INFORMATION AND OPTIONS
Give customers useful information; provide them with
choices. Use clear explanations and statements: package
information and options.

SET EXPECTATIONS
Let customers know what you can and cannot do; be clear;
give specific details.
EXPLORE FURTHER NEEDS AND GET AGREEMENT
Ask questions; discuss features and benefits to help the
customer visualise the usefulness of the service; assess the
agreement level.

 Confirm and close

ASK FOR A DECISION
Be direct, concise and confident in asking for commitment.
SUMMARISE AND CHECK
Summarise key points and check for satisfaction.

THANK
Express your appreciation to external and internal customers; make
customers feel important.
FOLLOW UP
Ensure that what was promised to your customer is what they
received; if passing your customer to another person in the
organisation, make sure the transition is handled smoothly

Calling back on Someone

When you have a message to call
someone return all calls promptly.
By returning calls, you show
courtesy and avoid making people
call you repeatedly

Making a Personal Call

Be aware of the
propertys policy
on personal calls
Avoid making
personal calls on
company time

Now I Know.
The way I conduct myself on the telephone
affects the professional impression I make.
That any Telephone Conversation can be
improved by using fundamental guidelines,
such as smiling and sitting up straight
That I should use proper mechanics for both
answering and and making the telephone
calls.

The Effective Communication Challenge

Avoid the Myths of Communication
Avoid the road blocks to Effective
communication
Use simple and clear verbal communication
Be a good Listener
Use the Telephone in a Professional Manner

Communication is the glue that

holds human relationships
together.
With good communication skills
you will be more effective in
building, training, leading,
motivating, and coaching your
employee team.