Service encounters have indeed received significant attention from various researchers of pragmatics and discourse analysts who have investigated numerous aspects of talk-in-interactions. Service interactions can best be understood as the social interactions that often exist between the customers and service providers. Many scholars have established that service encounter interactions usually ensue from a regular pattern that is systematic and has five stages (Duranti 2009 p 54).The organization of the pattern typically begins with the opening stage, in which communication is paramount. The second is the stage in which the customer requests for the service. The third is the interrogative series which is optional. In the fourth stage, the service can either be availed or not depending on the circumstances and service availability and the final stage is the closing stage. The service encounter interactions often occur after completion of the main business transactions.
In order to understand the aspect of service encounters, I conducted different observations at Taco Bell restaurant, in a supermarket and also in a grocery shop. The conversations are as given below.
Example1at Taco Bell restaurant
1. Attendant: Will that be all?
2. Customer: Yes, it has rained a lot today. Can you feel the cold?
3. Attendant: Yes, it is a cold season
4. Customer: Ensure you keep warm in order to avoid being sick.
5. Attendant: Thanks again.
Example 2 at a Supermarket
1. Attendant: Will you need anything else?
2. Customer: No, Thank you.
3. Attendant: Is she your sister?
4. Customer: Yes, she is
5. Attendant: She resembles you a lot. Otherwise, thank you
Example 3 at a Groceries shop
1. Attendant: Will that be all
2. Customer: Yes. I haven’t seen you around lately?
3. Attendant: I have been ill.
4. Customer: Am sorry, I wish you a quick recovery
5. Attendant: Thanks again
The above observation at Taco Bell breakfast restaurant was conducted in the morning since customers were few at the time. The conversation did not have any relationship to the business transaction at hand since the customer introduced a topic regarding the cold weather. The customer offered the uptake in this conversation whilst either the attendant or the customer can bring up an uptake. The customer was an elderly woman, and this is evident from the conversation she had with the attendant. The elderly woman seemed like someone who is composed in nature. She even advised the customer to keep warm so as not to become sick. People in a particular age bracket usually have the tendency of behaving in a particular manner. From the observation, the woman was concerned about the attendant’s health even though she did not know him very well.
The second observation was conducted in a supermarket. In this case, the uptake was initiated by the client. After completing the business transactions, the attendant sought to inquire if the customer needed anything else. The customer was a young woman probably in her early twenties who seemed afraid. She was probably a first-year student at the University judging from the way she was dressed and also the shopping she had done. The attendant inquired if the young lady with her was her sister and he probably did that in order to make her feel at ease.
The third view was that between a middle-aged man and a woman who was most probably in her forties. The customer did bring up the uptake. It was clear that the man bought his everyday groceries at that particular stall hence it was much easier for him to note the woman’s absence. In the conversation, the customer asked the woman about her whereabouts and the woman responded that she had been unwell hence the customer wished her a quick recovery. In all the three conversations, uptakes can be noted.
Reasons why a person may not offer an uptake
Nevertheless, there are various reasons that can make people not to provide uptakes. Language barrier can be a hindrance to conversations especially when the language spoken by both parties is different. Intercultural differences may also make an individual not to offer an uptake (Duranti 2009 p 144).This is because some people might be lacking knowledge of other people’s way of life and as a result they may refrain themselves lest the subjects become offended. Difference in ethnic backgrounds may also contribute to lack of interactions though this should not be the case. Other factors include: age barriers and difference in status (Kotthoff 2007 p 56). A younger person might fear engaging in a conversation with a much older individual. Also, other people may shy off due to status differences especially between the wealthy and the poor ( Trosborg 2010 p 125).Nonetheless, Service encounters have indeed contributed to the creation of friendship and respect among individuals from different walks of life. People can communicate their ideologies through interactions.
Works Cited
Duranti, Alessandro. Linguistic Anthropology: A Reader. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.
Print.
Kotthoff, Helga, and Helen Spencer-Oatey. Handbook of Intercultural Communication. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 2007. Internet resource.
Trosborg, Anna. Pragmatics Across Languages and Cultures. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2010. Internet resource.
