AF_COM01_ Working Situations: The selling process in a shop
AF Unit 1: Greeting customers and saying goodbye
In the sales process we can identify
different stages, the first of which is to
welcome the customer when they enter
our store.
These different stages are described in
the following diagram:
AF_COM01_Working Situations: The selling process in a shop. / Unit 1. Greeting customers and
saying goodbye.
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The selling process in a shop
The customer enters the
shop
The seller greets the
customer and offers
assistance
The customer accepts the
seller’s assistance
The customer doesn’t want
assistance
The seller answers the
customer questions and
helps him
S him
The customer makes a
purchase
The customer does not
make a purchase
The seller completes the
sale
The seller says goodbye to
the customer
In this unit we will learn how to welcome the customers on their arrival, and how to say goodbye
to them on their departure.
AF_COM01_Working Situations: The selling process in a shop. / Unit 1. Greeting customers and
saying goodbye.
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1. Introduction
In this unit you will learn the sentences and words you can use to welcome the customers on
their arrival at the shop.
You will start building your own dictionary of useful sentences and words, and you will keep
working on it in the following units.
This unit will be developed in two sessions.
2. Vocabulary and Sentences
When you want to speak with customers you should use formal language. There are some
typical expressions you can use when greeting the customers.
You will collect them in a document, so you can find them easily when needed.
Activity 1. Unit 1. Building a Dictionary
In this activity we want to establish the working procedure for this activity that you will continue
in the following units.
You will build your own dictionary with the words and expressions used in the selling process.
For this activity you should have a Din-a-5 size notebook (or similar), a blue pen, a black pen
and a green pen.
You will divide the notebook in two: the front part will be for the Expressions Dictionary, while
the back part will be for the Vocabulary.
Expressions Dictionary
 Start by writing on the second sheet. On the left side, write the title: “Greeting a
customer”
 After the title you should write the sentences you can use to greet customers when they
enter the shop. For example: “Good Morning. My name is Mark. Can I help you?”. You
should use the blue pen for the sentence in English.
 On other side of the notebook, that means the right sheet, you should write the sentence
in Spanish or Catalan, using the black pen. In this case you should write: “Bon dia. Em
dic Marc. Et puc ajudar?”
 Finally, under the English sentence you should write the pronunciation, if you need help
saying it properly. You should use the green pen for that.
Vocabulary Dictionary
 Start on the last sheet of the notebook. You should draw a line in the middle of the sheet.
Write the title: “Shopping vocabulary”
 After the title you should write, on the left side, the new English words you learn. For
example: “Customer”. You should use the blue pen for this.
 On the other side of the line, that means the right sheet, you should write the word in
Spanish or Catalan, using the black pen. In this case you should write: “Client”
 Finally, under the English word you should write its pronunciation, if you need help to say
it properly. You should use the green pen for that.
AF_COM01_Working Situations: The selling process in a shop. / Unit 1. Greeting customers and
saying goodbye.
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Add any new expressions and words you learn, so that you build up your own dictionary of
business words and phrases.
Activity 2. Unit 1
In your glossary you will find some key vocabulary relating to greeting customers. Put these
items into your vocabulary notebook and see if you can find additional words and phrases
related to greeting customers in the following video.
Greeting and offering help to the customer video
In this video you can learn some phrases used while shopping. You should listen and write
down the phrases and pronunciation in the notebook, as explained in Activity 1. This will allow
you to acquire listening and pronunciation skills.
What you should be doing in this activity is basically:
a) Listening
b) Repeating the phrases
c) Writing down the phrases, the pronunciation and the translation in the notebook
d) Notice the use of formal language vs. informal language
HIGHLIGHTS
When you want to welcome the customers when they enter your store you should say:
-
Good afternoon, may I help you? or
-
Can I help you? or
-
Welcome to (name of the shop). Do you need help?
Activity 3. Unit 1
Greeting and offering help to the customer video (2)
In this video you can hear again some phrases used in the shopping process. You should listen
carefully and write down the phrases that you do not already have in your notebook. You should
also pay attention to the pronunciation, and write it down in the notebook, as explained in
Activity 1. This will allow you to acquire listening and pronunciation skills.
What you should be doing in this activity is basically:
a) Listening
b) Repeating the phrases
c) Writing down the new phrases, the pronunciation and the translation in the notebook
d) Notice the use of formal language vs. informal language.
AF_COM01_Working Situations: The selling process in a shop. / Unit 1. Greeting customers and
saying goodbye.
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Activity 4. Unit 1
Magic Words
In this document you can find some expressions that can help to provide sales. You should read
the article carefully and be able to identify the sentences you should use, writing some
examples in your notebook.
Activity 5. Unit 1. Final task: role play.
In this activity you should work in pairs.
You are going to simulate the greeting of a customer on their arrival to the shop.
Imagine that you are the salesperson in a shop and a customer comes in. You should welcome
the customer and offer them your help. You should also say goodbye on their departure. You
should use the sentences you have written down in your Dictionary.
Your colleague will be the customer. They will use also the appropriate sentences to answer.
Prepare the dialogues and do a simulation in front of your colleagues. They can help you if they
find something you can improve.
This activity can be used to evaluate the work done in the unit.
TO KNOW MORE
You can learn more in the following documents and video:
http://customerthink.com/making_customers_feel_welcome_when_they_visit_your
_store/
http://www.wikihow.com/Greet-Customers-Arriving-in-a-Store
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gv9SGg67qY
AF_COM01_Working Situations: The selling process in a shop. / Unit 1. Greeting customers and
saying goodbye.
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