How to be a great communicator

What do all airline, travel and tourism jobs have in common? The need for excellent communication skills.

Welcome to Part 3 of our series ‘Becoming a Successful Distance Learner’. Every week, we share one practical tip to help you excel at your studies. If you’re new to the series, be sure to check out Part 1: How to Get Organised, and Part 2: How to Improve your Reading and Writing Skills.  

New Zealanders are famous around the world for being friendly and polite communicators. For example, in London you’ll find many Kiwis working in pubs and hotels – tourism and hospitality employers just love our charming approach to customer service.

Although we have a natural talent for communication, there’s always room for improvement. At ITC Study From Home, we don’t just teach airline, travel and tourism – we also give you the skills you need to be an effective communicator in a professional environment.

When you study with us, your natural communication skills will be supercharged!

In the meantime, you can start practising good communication skills from today.

The first step is to be aware of how you – and others – communicate. Start reflecting on your own habits, and observe those of others around you. For example, do you remember to say please and thank you when appropriate? How do customer service representatives treat you in shops and restaurants? What makes you feel valued and respected, and what makes you feel unseen or unappreciated? By being aware of other people’s habits, you can start to refine your own.

Another tip is to listen carefully. Most people think of communication as talking – when in fact, the best thing you can do is listen. Pay close attention to what people say and you will naturally find it easier to respond to them in a polite and genuine manner.

When communicating online, it’s also important to write clearly. Did you know that around 90% of communication is nonverbal? This means people pay a lot of attention to the tone of your voice, your hand gestures, and your overall ‘presence’. When you’re writing an email, all of these important communication cues disappear – you only have the words on the page to convey your true meaning. So try to write as clearly as possible, and always remember to be kind! See our Online Communication Tips for Distance Learners for more advice.

Becoming a great communicator takes practice and patience, but if you remember to listen carefully and be polite, you can’t go too far wrong! Just remember the wise words your mother told you: ‘treat others as you’d like to be treated’.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask your tutor or post a comment below. We’d love to help.