Early this week I had an interview with my manager to talk about nonverbal communication in retail. I decided to take a survey of the sales associates to figure out what they thought about using nonverbal communication at work. Overall, what the sales associates thought and what the manager thought lined up pretty well! Here is what the 10 people I asked answered
Question: Are you less thrilled to help someone who doesn't make eye contact?
65% yes
35% no
here's why:
"I feel like they don't want to be bothered and it's not that I don't want to help them, I just don't want to heckle them"
Question: Can you usually pick up how a customer feels about a certain product you show them even if they didn't say anything?
80% yes
20% no
Here's why:
"Facial Expressions give off so much information. Even if a customer doesn't intend to there is always a little flash of emotion that you can tell if they really love or hate the product you showed them."
Question: Do you think being busy, moving around the store affects whether a customer approaches you or not?
95% no
5% yes
Here's why:
"Yea, I think sometimes if you are standing around just chatting, not really doing anything productive customers feel ignored and don't want to bother you, but on the other end if we are super packed and running around sometimes customers don't want to bother you. That's where verbal communication comes in and we have to reach out the customers and let them know we are still there to help."
Question: Could you be the best sales person without nonverbal communication?
100% no
0% yes
Here's why:
"There's is no way I could be an effective sales person without using both nonverbal and verbal communication. It's so much easier to convey a warm, welcoming environment when everything about you says it. Not just your words."
Now your turn. What do you think? Comment below your answers to my questions!
Question: Are you less thrilled to help someone who doesn't make eye contact?
65% yes
35% no
here's why:
"I feel like they don't want to be bothered and it's not that I don't want to help them, I just don't want to heckle them"
Question: Can you usually pick up how a customer feels about a certain product you show them even if they didn't say anything?
80% yes
20% no
Here's why:
"Facial Expressions give off so much information. Even if a customer doesn't intend to there is always a little flash of emotion that you can tell if they really love or hate the product you showed them."
Question: Do you think being busy, moving around the store affects whether a customer approaches you or not?
95% no
5% yes
Here's why:
"Yea, I think sometimes if you are standing around just chatting, not really doing anything productive customers feel ignored and don't want to bother you, but on the other end if we are super packed and running around sometimes customers don't want to bother you. That's where verbal communication comes in and we have to reach out the customers and let them know we are still there to help."
Question: Could you be the best sales person without nonverbal communication?
100% no
0% yes
Here's why:
"There's is no way I could be an effective sales person without using both nonverbal and verbal communication. It's so much easier to convey a warm, welcoming environment when everything about you says it. Not just your words."
Now your turn. What do you think? Comment below your answers to my questions!