Observation at a Bar
Communication is simply defined as the exchange of information from the speaker to the receiver. The nature of the information can be words, body language, tone of voice and nonverbal cues. It is as two way process. First is the transfer of the information coming from the speaker and travel to the medium going to the receiver. And the receiver will respond to the information received. In a social setting, there are various communication behaviors that are displayed. A good example of different communication types are the observations gathered at a bar.
Communication can be observed in a bar since there are different people who go there and hang out for different purposes. The setting is really noisy and the lights are not good enough to see each other because it is usually colorful and moving too. However, people go to bar to mingle and party with friends, colleagues and acquaintances. They use different communication types to convey the message to the people that they are talking with. If words are uttered or spoken, basically, it is a verbal communication. But if signs, facial expressions, body language, gestures and writing compositions are used, it is called nonverbal communication.
By observing at a bar, one can’t help but notice that both verbal and non verbal communication is utilized. When the sounds is too loud and people cannot hear each other, they find themselves using hand signals especially when calling waiters and bar attendants (non-verbal communication). If there is an important message to be said like the name of the food they are ordering, they need to say it loud to be fully understood (verbal communication). A representation of self is also observed in a bar when one tries to catch other attention using his/her own style of dancing, dressing and giving signs to the receiver of the information.
The perception is then made by the receiver of the message. It is up to him. /her to think what the speaker is saying to him. At a bar the usual misinterpretation with non-verbal communication is flirting. One cannot help but think that the motive of the speaker is that he/she is just flirting. An example of this observation is when body language is being used. Misreading of the body language, tone and other nonverbal mode of communication will hinder the effectiveness of a communication.
When a person in a bar wants to inform the other person he/she is talking to that she needs to go to the toilet, he/she must transmit the message clearly with the use of his/her body to inform others without implying any form of seduction. Going to another part of the bar which is the kitchen and cashier, communication types are also present. The attendants and waiters along with managers and bar performers needs to stay focused on their job and the messages given out by customers and co-employees. It is a big no for them to not understand the message given because it will ruin out the quality of service that their bar offers.
When the waiter goes near the tables and ask for the orders of the customer, good comprehension should be at hand so that he can take down of the orders properly. Menus are given to customers so that they can browse through food list without asking the attendants regarding price and food descriptions. In some bars, the menus contain pictures of food to attract the appetite of customers. After reading the menu, it’s the customer’s turn to order and this is the time when listening is a must for the waiter no matter how noisy the environment is.
After getting the orders, it should be given out immediately to kitchen staffs so that they can prepare the food quickly and serve the food right away. Upon delivery of the food, another observation with the communication type is the use of facial expression to attract customers to give out tips. Waiters and waitresses who always smiles has bigger chances of getting bigger tips. Making phone calls at a bar is quite impossible to happen. Thus, it can also be observed especially when a customer is waiting for companions to arrive.
In this case, the medium is the telephone and the communication is verbal minus all non verbal communication as the person cannot be seen. The loud noise from the speakers hinders communication from the one using the phone because it is very difficult to listen to the other line as the sound interferes. On the dance floor, people communicate among one another on an informal basis; they can talk about general stuff, including the presentation of the bar, making friends, their dance steps and show it off through non verbal communication by dancing at their best.
One can get involved in a conversation with a stranger only if he has good interpersonal communication skills. The possession of good interpersonal skills helps out people at a bar gain friends. Some bar has V. I. P rooms which are less noisy yet more comfortable for customers. They can talk inside these rooms about formal topics like business deals. Customers who usually use V. I. P rooms are businessmen or those who wanted more privacy. They are concern on both enjoying and discussing things in a not so loud place of the bar.
The obvious communication type present inside V. I. P rooms is verbal communication since talking is given more chance to happen because of the moderate sound being heard. As an observer at a bar, the type of communication being utilized is the use of perception and listening. An observer is also part of the communication process because perceptions are used to interpret what is being seen in the environment. I am not sending many signals to the rest of the people in the environment since I am more focused on getting information alone.
Communication is effective when the message sent by the sender is received and understood by the receiver exactly the way the sender meant it to be. For communication to take place, good interpersonal and intrapersonal skills are required; processes such as listening, evaluating, processing, analyzing and even speaking as a feedback. Communication is a very important tool in life; it is used in every walk of life – schools, hospitals, post offices, police stations, businesses, community, friends, enemies, families, weddings, funerals and every event one can think of.
Without communication, one cannot interact with other human beings and life becomes difficult if one is not able to put his/her point across. The way people communication varies from one individual to another. Considering that communication is incorporated in every corner of the bar, it is easy to say that without effective communication, a bar or any other place for that matter will be totally disorganized and dysfunctional to quite an extent. Therefore, it is important for everyone to maintain good communication skills in today’s world for success.
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