Colleagues and Customers (week 7)

1. Colleagues and Customers (week 7) Develop Interpersonal Skills

2. Interpersonal skills • Interpersonal skills: are those skills that help us communicate and interrelate with other people. • All hospitality professionals require excellent interpersonal skills as they enable us to communicate and interrelate effectively with other colleagues and customers. • The main interpersonal skills you need are: • outstanding personal appearance • clear communication skills • initiative in social interaction • teamwork

3. Cont. • In the workplace, we demonstrate our interpersonal skills through our attitudes,assertiveness,our self-confidence and our open-mindedness.

4. Other Interpersonal Skills • Personal presentation and grooming • Communications • Social Interaction • Teamwork

5. Interpersonal skills required of a service provider • Excellent personal appearance and hygiene: • This includes: Personal grooming/shoes polished/washing hands/ light make-up, nail manicured. • Personal appearance includes dress and grooming which must be of a very high standard. • Remember that you do not have a second chance to make a first impression on a guest.

6. COMMUNICATION SKILLS • The clarity of communication depends on the availability of information based on six simple questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? • Communication involves sending and receiving a message which is understood clearly. When we send and receive messages, not only do we speak, but we also send “non-verbal” messages. • Verbal communication involves questioning, listening and answering. • Non-verbal communication involves body language, which includes facial expression, eye contact and posture.

7. SOCIAL INTERACTION • Social interaction is the way you conduct yourself with others. • Social interaction occurs on all occasions that you deal with other people. • It broadcasts your attitude towards them, establishes that you feel comfortable with them and invites them to react to you in the same way. • Being friendly and approachable normally means people will be the same with you. • You must interact socially with staff and customers in a variety of ways.

8. TEAMWORK Teamwork is your ability to work with others for a common purpose. • Effective teamwork is a major factor in customer satisfaction. • In the Tourism and Hospitality Industry you interact with other staff members on a daily basis in order that the establishment functions smoothly. • There will be a constant flow of information to and from your work area. • Knowing how to work with others to achieve a common goal is an important interpersonal skill.

9. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS COMMONLY USED IN THE WORKPLACE Interpersonal skills that you can adopt immediately are: • take care in your appearance • face the person you are speaking to • maintain eye contact if possible • smile and establish rapport with the customer • address the customer by name (if you know it)

10. cont. • listen attentively to the customer • ask questions within the topic of conversation • maintain good posture • stay at a social distance, about one metre, when speaking to customers • react immediately to a customer’s query or complaint

11. INTERACTIONS TO AVOID • Touching the customer. • Using bad language or statements which put people down. • Giving personal observations, opinions or criticisms. • Rudeness which includes ignoring calls for attention or interrupting a customer’s conversation without saying “excuse me” first.

12. Positive body language • This involves: Good body posture ( no leaning) • Initiating eye contact with customers • And smiling

13. Polite greetings • It involves: knowing the right way to address, greet/farewell customers • Listening skills

14. Cont; • Positive questioning: • For example: Where can I go and get something to eat? • You could reply “ we have a range of food outlets, and what types of food were you looking for?”

15. Cont. • Maintaining social distance: The amount of space an individual needs in order to feel comfortable. • Attentiveness to customers’ needs: involves ensuring that their visit is comfortable and free from problems. • Problems are detected before the customer complains.

16. Cont. • Anticipating customer requirement: Understanding of the range of customer needs and expectations. • Positive self concept: involves communicating confidence. It is a believe that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out tasks professionally.

17. Standards of personal presentation Factors to consider include: • Enterprise/establishment requirements and standards • Work location/job function • OHS Issues • Customer expectations of standards

18. PERSONAL PRESENTATION • Clothing Clean, pressed and in good repair • Shoes Should be clean, in good repair and suitable for your work • Hair and Grooming • Clean Hands and nails • Minimum Jewelry • Correct posture/deportment • Follow any appropriate OHS issues

19. HEALTH AND HYGIENE • Good Skin Care ( you should clean your skin regularly and moisturise it) • Personal Freshness/hygiene – pleasant body odour (Oral hygiene should be exercised to prevent bad breath and embarrassment) • Good oral hygiene - looking after your teeth • (Dental treatment should be sought if problem areas are evident.) • Attention to hair care and styling • Nail and hand care (nail care is to use only a clear polish while on duty)

20. Etiquette and Manners • The principles of good manners is they should demonstrate appropriate behaviour – What do you think is good manners? • Demonstrate your good manners by not only saying the right thing – but doing and meaning them • Points to remember include: • Forms of address and conversation • Making introductions • Getting names right

21. Cont. PERSONAL CONDUCT • Punctuality • Apoligising • Giving praise • Pointing • Grooming in public • Swearing • Personal questions

22. SELF CONCEPT Is how a person feels about themselves AND what they think about themselves!!!!! How do you see yourself? • One positive comment about your appearance • One positive comment about your personality • One skill you have

23. SELF CONCEPT We can have either a POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE Self Concept about ourselves

24. What are the benefits of a positive self concept? You are more confident, have greater motivation and find you are able to communicate with other people more effectively

25. SELF DEVELOPMENT • SELF IMAGE • SELF MOTIVATION • SELF CONFIDENCE

26. HOW YOU CAN DEVELOP A POSITIVE SELF CONCEPT? • Identify your strengths and build on them • Identify your weaknesses and look for ways to overcome them • Complete appropriate training to develop your skills • Set goals and achieve them