This presentation contains information on undertaking suggestive selling.

1. UNDERTAKE
SUGGESTIVE
SELLING

2. SUGGESTIVE SELLING
• Suggestive selling is the act of giving suggestions and ideas
to add to the dining guests’ original orders, which in turn leads
to increased sales and a higher level of customer satisfaction.
• The server should be careful not to become aggressive but
rather, he should be more helpful by giving ample time to the
guest in deciding.

3. SUGGESTIVE SELLING TIPS
1. Do not interrupt the dining guest while they are
ordering something. Suggest food and beverage when the
guest is done with their order. Such an interruption might
create an element of doubt in the guest’s mind that you are
merely suggesting items only to increase the sales and that
you really have no concern for his needs.

4. SUGGESTIVE SELLING TIPS
2. Feel free to suggest things at the proper time. Do
not hesitate! You might lose extra sale due to your reluctance.
You can make suggestions from each section on the menu. For
instance, a guest might be thinking of just getting only one
dish, but you can guide him to all the sections of the menu,
starting with the section on appetizers, then soups, salads, and
so on, suggesting items which will go well (or can be paired)
with his original order.

5. SUGGESTIVE SELLING TIPS
3. Understand the guest’s needs. Try to suggest
something relevant to his/her requirements. For example, find
out whether the guest is health conscious or vegetarian, and
suggest him/her accordingly.

6. SUGGESTIVE SELLING TIPS
4. Avoid using words describing negativity such as
“do not”, “not”, and “cannot”. Find some relevant positive words
that would not change the meaning but would serve the
purpose of expressing thoughts. For example, if you suggest
something and the customer comes up with some different
idea, and unfortunately, you don’t have it, try to avoid answers
such as, ‘We do not have it’ or ‘We do not serve it’. Instead, try
saying, ‘ We are extremely sorry that we are unable to serve
you with (name of dish/beverage) at this time’.

7. SUGGESTIVE SELLING TIPS
5. Use descriptive words to describe the dish. Let
the guest visualize the dish that they will be persuaded to order
it. Use appropriate words to describe the food such as; freshly
prepared, delicately seasoned, soft and juicy, mouthwatering,
flavorful, and/or spicy.

8. SUGGESTIVE SELLING TIPS
6. ‘Repeat’ your suggestion to the other guest. It
might happen that the guest you initially suggested something
turns down the offer. Do not get discouraged, as the next guest
or some other guests within the same group or party might like
it. Just a word suggestion costs nothing to either of the parties.

9. SUGGESTIVE SELLING TIPS
7. Always be price-sensitive. Treat each sale differently
according to its own situation. Like, if someone is looking at
orders in the range of Php300 – Php500, do not try to order
something over Php1,000 or more.

10. SUGGESTIVE SELLING TIPS
8. Suggestions according to the season also play an
important role.

11. Suggestive selling can lead to the growth of the business
because the ultimate aim behind suggestion is ‘revenue
earning’. The ultimate goal of every restaurant is profit-making.
Moreover, suggestions contribute to the guests’ satisfaction,
particularly when there are sincere desires to really help the
guest in the first place.

12. ACTIVITY
Suggestive Selling
Role play the correct ways of undertaking suggestive
selling.

13. ACTIVITY
Situation
You are very efficient receptionist of AVJ Hotel. Your
friend Rose who is assigned as the waitress in the restaurant
asked you to replace her in doing her task the next morning
because she has to attend her mother who is sick. You know
that one of the tasks of a waitress is to make suggestive selling
of food to the customers. How are you going to do it
effectively?