2. Mastering effective communication involves
six steps:
1. Saying what you mean and meaning what you say
2. Using nonverbal communication
3. Putting words together: grammar
4. Asking the correct questions and answering
questions correctly
5. Dealing with the customer when they say no
6. Listening actively
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
3. 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 questions
How to answer customers’ questions correctly
How to deal with customers when they say no
How to listen effectively to customers
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
4. When you communicate with customers at Mama’s Subs, you
can either speak or listen
As the speaker, you control the conversation
As long as you say something that interests your
customer, you have their attention
As 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. Be professional
While 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
8. 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 different 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
9. 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
10. 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
11. Proper grammar is critical for effective 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
effective communicator
STEP 3: PUTTING WORDS TOGETHER:
GRAMMAR
12. 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
13. Speak Clearly
Using overly casual terms or running words together can make a
message difficult 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
14. 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
15. 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
16. 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
17. 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
18. You will definitely have to deal with customers who say no
When you offer 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
19. 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
20. Consider the customer’s answer to your
proposal for their objection
The 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
21. 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
22. 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
23. 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