Verbal communication

Verbal communication means speaking to another person. This may be face to face, on the telephone or through video conferencing.

It is important to speak in a clear, concise manner in order to be heard and understood.

With face to face conversations it is easy the see the reaction and response of the other person and this makes it possible to modify the way you speak to build a good rapport.

Good grammar should be used, and using jargon, slang or bad language should be avoided.

To check if the other person has understood you can repeat what has been said to clarify and avoid misunderstandings.

Tone of voice used should be pleasant and pace and pitch will show interest in what a customer is saying. It is essential to listen attentively to get an accurate understanding of customer requests.

Effective verbal communication is essential between staff at all levels within a hospitality outlet. Staff frequently talk with each other to pass on, check and share information between departments.

There are a number of factors that can affect the quality of verbal communication:

The environment – a noisy kitchen, loud music in a bar, a busy restaurant means you must speak louder, but without shouting as this may appear aggressive
Language barriers – a customer who does not speak English may struggle to understand so speak slowly or use a translation app to assist
Hearing impairment – be aware of a customer’s response to you when you have spoken, and if necessary, move closer and face the customer to allow lip reading or write down what you need to say to accompany your explanation

Examples of verbal communication

Between Staff	Staff and Customers
In house training e.g. commis chef and sous chef Front office staff talking with administration staff about query on customer bill Departmental meetings Accommodation manager and maintenance staff discussing repairs Waitress reporting customer complaint to restaurant manager Chef calling orders ready to go to waiting staff Hand over at the end of a shift to update colleagues taking over Fast food counter staff with cooks to pass on customer orders	Hotel receptionist greeting guests on arrival A manager resolving a customer complaint Answering a customer query about a dish on a menu Taking a food or drinks order Staff presenting a bill and receiving payment Telephone calls

Between Staff

Staff and Customers

In house training e.g. commis chef and sous chef
Front office staff talking with administration staff about query on customer bill
Departmental meetings
Accommodation manager and maintenance staff discussing repairs
Waitress reporting customer complaint to restaurant manager
Chef calling orders ready to go to waiting staff
Hand over at the end of a shift to update colleagues taking over
Fast food counter staff with cooks to pass on customer orders

Hotel receptionist greeting guests on arrival
A manager resolving a customer complaint
Answering a customer query about a dish on a menu
Taking a food or drinks order
Staff presenting a bill and receiving payment
Telephone calls

Between Staff	In house training e.g. commis chef and sous chef Front office staff talking with administration staff about query on customer bill Departmental meetings Accommodation manager and maintenance staff discussing repairs Waitress reporting customer complaint to restaurant manager Chef calling orders ready to go to waiting staff Hand over at the end of a shift to update colleagues taking over Fast food counter staff with cooks to pass on customer orders
Staff and Customers	Hotel receptionist greeting guests on arrival A manager resolving a customer complaint Answering a customer query about a dish on a menu Taking a food or drinks order Staff presenting a bill and receiving payment Telephone calls

Between Staff

In house training e.g. commis chef and sous chef
Front office staff talking with administration staff about query on customer bill
Departmental meetings
Accommodation manager and maintenance staff discussing repairs
Waitress reporting customer complaint to restaurant manager
Chef calling orders ready to go to waiting staff
Hand over at the end of a shift to update colleagues taking over
Fast food counter staff with cooks to pass on customer orders

Staff and Customers

Hotel receptionist greeting guests on arrival
A manager resolving a customer complaint
Answering a customer query about a dish on a menu
Taking a food or drinks order
Staff presenting a bill and receiving payment
Telephone calls

Telephone conversations

With this type of conversation there is no visual contact so your voice is extremely important.

The tone and pitch will convey your interest to the customer. A bright tone will create a better impression than a dull, bored sounding reply.

The basic rules when answering the telephone are:

Give your name and the name of the business
Ask "how may I help you?" sounding pleasant and confident
Smile when you speak as this is reflected in your tone of voice
Speak clearly
Listen carefully and repeat what has been said to check you have got the information correct
Ask the caller at the end if there is anything else you can help with
Thank the caller and say goodbye

Non-verbal communication

Written communication

CommunicationVerbal communication

Verbal communication

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