Managerial Communication

Case Study Analysis: Managerial Communication

In the case regarding the unhappy customer at the Olive Garden restaurant, there are many business communication factors missing from this scenario. The lower level supervisors and employees are lacking customer service skills and the manager is lacking the business communication skills needed to communicate with the staff and the customers. According to the customers letter to the President of the Olive Garden Restaurants Division, everyone involved from the non-existent hostess to the shift manager, will need to undergo a customer service workshop with an emphasis on interpersonal communication in the workplace.

Interpersonal communication (communication between two or more people) is an important skill to have and an organization must provide training to employees and managers on how to effectively use these skills within the workplace. Through the interpersonal communication process, managers and staff can learn how to exchange information, create motivation within the team, express feelings in a constructive manner, and apply corrective actions for undesirable behavior. Those who lack communication skills in the organization should be trained to deal with different situations that involve communicating effectively.

There are seven practical principles that can be applied when communication skills is lacking between the staff. According to Modin and Hansson (2011) the seven practical principles are: 1) Be open and honest. 2) Disclose incentives and conflicts of interest. 3) Take all available relevant knowledge into consideration. 4) When possible, quantify risks. 5) Describe and explain uncertainties. 6) Take all the public’s concerns into account. 7) Take the rights of individuals and groups seriously (p. 314). It was the customer’s choice to dine at this particular establishment but it was not their choice to experience the bad customer service they received the moment they stepped foot in the...