Introduction

Introduction

A picture that shows to smile when greeting a customer
A picture that shows to smile when greeting a customer

Whether in a hotel, retail store or at the front desk of a company, greeting a visitor/customer is one of the most important topics. It can seriously damage sales, customer loyalty and therefore have a negative impact on the company. To ensure a long term relationship with the customers and subsequently for the benefit of the company it is necessary for the employees to have knowledge about

  • how greeting affects the customers,
  • how to act when greeting visitors/customers and
  • what to say when greeting visitors/customers.

Therefore we developed an app on social competences with the name „How to greet visitors/customers“. The app is divided into two parts:

  • How to Greet and
  • “I CARE”.

The first part is an introduction about how greeting affects customers; the second part is the actual main part of the app and provides answers the questions „How to act when greeting visitors/customers?“ and „What to say when greeting visitors/customers?“

 

Task

Task

This picture shows a customer who enters the door
This picture shows a customer who enters the door

Companies as well as their employees have an interest to improve their communication skills and customer relations. No matter which business your trainees are in, greeting a customer is one of the most important topics. It can damage sales and have a negative impact on them and their company. That is why the task of training over and again in the act of greeting is very important for companies.

The app serves to look up information of how to greet visitors/customers. It is also ideal for the mediation of basic knowledge in the field of greeting.

Process

Process

This app aims to aid with self-directed learning. Learners may pause, repeat and skip the lessons as they please, therefore setting their very own pace in terms of learning and processing the content.

Start of the app

start screen

These are the start screens of the app. They consist of pictures with spoken words and subtitles. The subtitles will be sequentially faded in. The reason why the pictures with spoken words and subtitles were chosen is that they are simple and effective for people with disabilities.

The main content should be really simple and in pieces for people with disabilities that they can easily remember it. Therefore, the content is seperated in pieces through letters which should represent the “chapters”. Every letter (= ”chapter”) has it’s own colour which should make it easy for the participants to know immediately where they are in the app. That provides a quick and easy navigation around the app.

The "I CARE"

The “I CARE” is based on the “I CARE” method from Dick Marks. The letters with the content from Marks were completely modified and only in few points similar than in the video with the “I CARE” method from Marks.

The content of every letter (= ”chapter”) should be images with spoken words and subtitles. They should represent a realistic view. The pictures include demonstrations and are therefore very effective for people with disabilities.

I: Make your customers feel welcome. Give them your attention, make eye contact and smile. Use their name whenever appropriate. If you don’t know the customer‘s name, show them that you remember them. If you don’t regonize the customer, ask her/him if she/he has visited before.

C: You want to engage the customer in a conversation, don’t use „Can I help you?“. The answer is usually „No, just looking“. Start a natural conversation that is welcoming and relaxed. Talk about something inoffensive and something everyone can relate to, like for instance the weather. If there is anything interesting, unusual or new in your store/company, mention it. Try to use the customers‘ name as well as your own.

A: If you can't greet the customer right away, acknowledge him or her by making eye contact and smiling. If you‘re serving another customer, ask if she/he minds if you quickly greet the new arrival before you do so. Never assume that someone wants to be left alone. Always greet an arriving customer warmly, and in case of a cold response, tell her/him you will be nearby.

R: Remembering what a customer‘ likes and dislikes pays dividends. It makes customers feel like a regular and that you care. Personal attention is a great way to create customer loyalty.

E: Ask questions and show you care. Don‘t forget to get the right exit: The effect of a great greeting can easily be lost with a bad goodbye. Don’t just thank them, walk them to the door and open it for them.

Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Learning outcomes

  • The learners will be able to analyse why greeting can affect visitors/customers in a positive as well as in a negative way.
  • The learners will be able to act with visitors/customers in a professional way.
  • The learners will be able to speak with visitors/customers in a professional way.

Knowlege acquired

  • A general understanding why greeting affects visitors/customers.
  • Learning how to act when greeting visitors/customers.
  • Learning a basic vocabulary when greeting visitors/customers.

Skills acquired

  • Develop an understanding for visitors/customers and why greeting can affect visitors/customers in a positive as well in a negative way.
  • To apply principles of greeting in their professional work.
  • To know how to handle visitors/customers in stressful situations (for example when the customer is in a hurry).
  • To know how to speak with visitors/customers in different situations.

Competences acquired

  • Learners will be more discerning and intuitive in acting with visitors/customers.
  • Learners will be autonomous when speaking with a visitor/customer.
  • Learners will show a raised level of responsibility when greeting customers

Conclusion

Conclusion

The benefits of the app are that it allows the LEARNER a slower progressive construction of basic competency in customer relations. The learner will get to a professional level at a steady pace through continual repetition. Based on the EQF descriptors the app covers level 1,2 and 3 as the learner is responsible for the learning outcome and little supervision is needed.

Based on the key competences identified within the EQF 10 level 1,2 and 3. The learner should gain the following Key Competences:

1. Communication in the mother tongue: The ability to express and interpret concepts, thoughts, feelings, facts and opinions in both oral and written format, and to interact linguistically in an appropriate and creative way in the full range of societal and cultural contexts – education and training, work, home and leisure.

2. Interpersonal, intercultural and social competences, civic competence: These competences cover all forms of behaviour that equip individuals to participate in an effective and constructive way in social and working life, and particularly in increasingly diverse societies, and to resolve conflict where necessary. Civic competence equips individuals to fully participate in civic life, based on knowledge of social and political concepts and structures and a commitment to active and democratic participation.