Importance Of Communication In Service Industry

While working in the service industry I learned many important aspects about communication that I consider invaluable, not only in my past positions, but in the career I seek. The communication skills that I learned help me not only learn how to get my message across, but how to do so in a way that could either escalate or deescalate a certain situation. Also it taught me to read the person I was portraying the message to, taking into account things like culture, sex, and demeanor I learned to choose words that were more fitting to each audience so that I could be not only understood but relatable and therefore could have my message accepted better. These communication skills I’ve acquired I will be able to use in my desired career as a social worker, working with pregnant teens.

Years ago, before I had children, I worked in the guest service industry in several areas of Orlando, FL. Coming from a small town, I hadn’t really encountered many communication conflicts. I learned quite quickly however, that I would have to be a fast learner in order to be successful in this industry. Six steps I found to be quite helpful in communication with guests, are described by Skylar Burris in an online article entitled “Six Steps Towards Effective Communication at Work,” were to be clear, get to the point, be personal, listen, think before you speak and don’t be overly negative. (Burris, 2005)

To be clear is to use direct concise speech without the use of complex speech or vulgarity. As the poet William Butler Yeats once said, “Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.” Then get to the point. Don’t waste time by getting off topic or going of on tangents, by doing this your audience may stop listening and miss the message. “Many attempts to communicate,” Wrote Robert Greenleaf, “are nullified by saying too much.” Make sure in getting to the point that you don’t forget to be personal. In order for your message to be accepted you must be able to empathize and relate to the listener. Listen to the person’s feedback and to the true want and needs they are trying to convey to you. “As James the apostle once said, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak.” Think before you speak. Don’t be too quick to spout out an answer or defend your point. Choose your words carefully taking into account the nature of the situation, so is not to cause misunderstandings or unnecessary arguments. Finally, don’t be over negative about a situation. You must remain positive in trying to solve a problem in order to keep both parties calm and collected.

These are steps I had to use regularly in communicating with guests. If I didn’t, the guest, especially those that spoke different languages, had accents or just different terms, could become frustrated, confused or even irate with the conversation and information I was portraying to them. For example, while working as a guest service agent at Universal Orlando, a guest came into guest services lobby very upset that he could not get into the park. The gentlemen spoke Italian and did not understand much English. When my co-worker asked the man if we could see his tickets he shook his head in a way as to say “I don’t understand.” My co-worker took a blank ticket held it up and said “I need to see these.” The man then replied with, “no tickets.” My co-worker assumed that the guest had yet to purchase tickets and pointed the man to the ticket booth, about a half-hour wait, to purchase them. About thirty minutes later the man returned even more upset and said, “I give no more money!” By this point my co-worker had left, so it was just me. The man was very clearly extremely frustrated, so in an attempt to understand him I began using much simpler words and speaking much softer. “You already pay?” The guest shook his head yes. “Tickets?” I then noticed he had been pointing to his hand. At this point I realized that the man had most likely been in the park already. On his way out when told he needed a hand stamp and ticket for re-entry, understood it as, a hand-stamp instead of a ticket for re-entry and threw away his tickets; therefore, not being able to re-enter the park. I showed the guest a receipt and asked if he had one. He handed it to me while yelling something in Italian. I reprinted the tickets handed them to him and said, “Keep! No toss!” The guest, who had been so frustrated, calmed and said. “Ahhh, I see.” In guest services we were taught not only to listen with our ears, but our eyes as well. That is watching for non-verbal communication. Had my co-worker been more patient and tried to fully understand the guest, the man would not have been inconvenienced and therefore, would not have gotten so upset.

The communication I used and how I used that communication affected the outcome of nearly every conversation I held with a guest. Likewise, in my future career these steps will be just as important. I will have to be clear, concise, listen and empathize with every teen I work with to ensure I am able to help them the best way possible in each scenario.

Understanding how culture and gender effect interpersonal communication are very important elements in communicating in the service industry. Montaigne said, “The most universal quality is diversity.” Given that diversity is found everywhere, the process of understanding one another is both difficult and important. It is a process that is never finished, because the process and the outcome change constantly. The process is made more difficult with communication and conflict, since misunderstandings and miscommunication can cause and escalate conflict. Often times the only key to making progress in a conflict is effective communication.

Tannen says many men use “report talk” to relay knowledge and skills and convey self-importance. While women on the other hand, tend to use “rapport talk” to institute intimacy and make a connection. Tannen goes on to say that men will then see women as irrational and insecure, while women will then see men as self-centered and controlling. The results are accusations that can be hurtful. Women will accuse men of not listening, discrediting their feelings, and always stepping in to solve problems with a lot of “you shoulds.” Men will accuse women of asking for advice and then not taking it, of rambling on about nothing, and of being unable to make decisions. (Hybels, Weaver, 2007)

Culture can be defined as the constantly changing shared beliefs, values, traditions and behaviors that the members of a society use to cope with their world and with one another, and that are inherited generation to generation through learning. It is the acquired habits, attitudes, and relationships of a group of people that define for them their general behavior and way of life; the total set of learned activities of a group of people that creates a single worldview. It combines all the knowledge and values shared by a society or the attitudes and behavior that are characteristic of a particular social group or organization. (Hybels, Weaver, 2007)

Both Culture and Gender are important considerations in terms of communicating in the service industry. In order to effectively reach another human at any level you must be able to relate to them, you cannot do so without understanding them. By understanding culture and gender differenced you are better able to choose words based on the needs or expectations of the receiver.

Another important aspect of communication to consider when working in the service industry is self-concept or how you think and feel about yourself. People develop these feelings in a number of ways. One of which is Reflected Appraisals. Or the thought that others give you your identity by the messages they convey to you. Not only do these messages determine how you feel about yourself, but they help one to know what is expected of them. Social Comparisons, or how you measure yourself compared to another, is another factor in self concept. Without this it is difficult to have an accurate self-perception.

Gender also plays an important part in forming self-concept. Men tend to think social comparisons are more important while woman think reflected appraisal is more important. Females gain more from relationships with others and men gain their self-confidence from achievement. Psychological safety is important in reinforcing self-concept while psychological risks, such as life changes, help to improve it.

Having a healthy self-concept is important in being able to effectively communicate, to serve them. Without you are more likely to hold ideas back and take offense to negative attitudes. This can cause a simple misunderstanding to escalate quickly.

Communication is the foundation of how you are perceived by another. In any career, in any relationship, having good communication skills is the key to success. In the service industry good communication is essential in being able to help others. Taking into account aspects like gender and culture can help you to communicate more effectively. Understanding these factors along with self-concept and how it works will be an invaluable asset in my future career as well.