Proper Verbiage
Habits are Hard to Break
It may not seem fair but how we speak to people is how we’re looked at, stereo-typed, profiled. Being appropriately dressed for a job interview without the proper use of language will not necessarily get you hired.
Nobody acquired the use of slang better than I did especially in high school way back then.
It was the way to talk and most of us did what everybody else did to be cool.
How I spoke became a habit and every once in awhile I’d get the stink eye from my Dad.
And then you wake up one day, must work for a living and learn how to speak all over again. Some of those habits were very hard to break. It’s not always about using slang words it’s also using words that are correct but don’t have a positive vibe. There was no YouTube back then and the best way to learn something was to go to the library and read about it, go to a seminar or find a successful role model.
With today’s technology you can teach yourself anything without leaving your home.
Here are just a few easy examples of how to change the “feel” of what you’re trying to communicate to a customer or member:
It makes a difference when you switch the word “can” with “may” but sometimes it’s easier said than done.
When saying “Can I help you?” Use “How may I assist you?”
When saying “Can I get you a drink?” Use “May I offer you a beverage this afternoon?”
When saying “Can I take your plate?” Use “May I remove your plate?”
When saying “Can I get you another drink?” Use “May I freshen your beverage?”
You can hear how different the word “may” sounds, it sounds softer, more polite and caring. When I’m dining out I do not like when a server asks me if I want another drink or cocktail.
It makes me feel like I have a drinking problem, like I’m on drink number seven or something. But if they ask if I’d like my beverage freshened it sounds better to me.
Here are more easy switches that will have additional positive effects:
When saying “How is your lunch?” Use “Is everything to your satisfaction?”
When saying the word “What” Use words like “I beg your pardon?” or “Pardon me?”
When saying the word “Yes” Use words like “I’d be happy to,” “Absolutely,” or “Certainly.”
When saying “Thanks for coming.” Use “Thank you for dining with us this afternoon.”
Boy, I hate to admit it but I really believe my ninth grade typing class and English class were very instrumental in how I talk and email today.
I thankfully learned how to discriminate when using my slang lingo (Thanks Dad).
When texting I still like to use a capital (yes, upper case) letter to start a sentence.
Habits cam be hard to break but it's possible
