Not everyone has what it takes to be a retail manager. You go to work early and leave late. Even when you go to work tired, you still need to put a smile in front of your customers and run the store successfully. You have to be versatile, have good communication skills, and have a lot of patience. Having communication skills is one of the key traits a retail manager should possess.
Giving a business speech can be nerve-wracking, especially if you’re not used to public speaking. But with a little preparation and practice, you can learn how to stay calm and focused during your speech.
If you have doubts about your communication skills, here are ten ways to improve your communication skills.
- Listen
Some may think that listening is common sense, however, they disregard the fact that others don’t listen attentively. When you’re in a conversation, you must make the other person feel heard, this means that you should avoid replying to messages or using your phone when you are talking to someone face to face.
- Who you are talking to matters
Talking to your best friend and talking to your boss are two completely different things. When talking to your best friend, you may use informal language like “c u” or “brb”, however, you can’t use this while talking to your boss as this can be seen as disrespectful and unprofessional. Remember that abbreviations may have different meanings for other people, talking to your boss like that may cause a misunderstanding and therefore can get you in trouble.
- Body language matters
This is very useful in face-to-face meetings. Body language like eye contact can indicate that you are paying attention, also make sure to appear open and approachable, so avoid crossing your arms.
- Check your messages before you send them
A lot of miscommunications happen through text since you can’t hear the tone and volume of the other person’s voice. Cold texts can make the other person assume that you’re mad. Make sure to check your grammar and spelling so that you can avoid misunderstandings and deliver the intended message
- Be brief, yet specific
This can be used when responding to emails or giving updates to your boss. You should make sure that you don’t get too much of a person’s time, but are able to provide the needed information to them. When responding to emails, make sure you have read and understood the entire email before you give your response, this can help you avoid asking questions that already have answers in the email.
- Take notes
This is very helpful when you are in a meeting, take note of the important things discussed, and do not rely on your memory because it is inevitable to forget things.
- Sometimes it’s better to call than text
There are some instances where you have a lot to say, instead of sending a very lengthy message, you can opt to call the person instead. By doing this you can communicate faster and more effectively.
- Think before you speak
Avoid saying the first thing that comes to your mind, think about what you are going to say. Make sure it isn’t rude or insensitive, by doing this you can avoid hurting other people’s feelings and avoid being hated by other people.
- Maintain a positive attitude
When you radiate positive energy, people will also respond to you more positively. Even when dealing with rude customers, always keep your composure.
- Treat everyone with respect
No matter what job a person has, or what race they are, always treat everyone with respect. Never look down on a person just because you think you are better, you never know what a person is going through.
Conclusion
Learning good communication is a valuable skill. It can help you communicate with customers more effectively and you can do your job better. If you are aspiring to be a retail manager and are trying to apply for different jobs but don’t know how to make your resume, looking at examples of retail manager resumes can be a big help.
