Communication Skills
Communication at the counter
Use the 7Cs: clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete and courteous. Communication is verbal and nonverbal: eye contact, posture, distance and gestures matter. Active listening means attending, paraphrasing, clarifying and summarising. Open questions explore needs; closed questions confirm details. Common barriers include noise, jargon, assumptions, language differences and emotion.
Telephone and face-to-face etiquette
Answer promptly, identify the store, speak clearly, repeat numbers and confirm the action. Use the customer's name if known. Avoid slang and sarcasm.
Worked example
A customer says, 'That one is too costly.' Paraphrase: 'You feel the price is higher than expected.' Ask whether the concern is the initial price or the running cost. Present a lower-priced model with the trade-offs, or justify the higher price with warranty and service. This avoids arguing and keeps the choice with the customer.
Traps
Interrupting, arguing, using SMS language, promising without checking and ignoring body language lose marks. Do not assume a customer's budget or language preference.