Better Customer Service to Increase Sales
We all think we are doing well with our own customer service. With so much information available on customer service, why is service still one of the biggest complaints by customers? What is the reality? Do customers expect more than is realistic? Is it simply that good service is taken for granted, but one incident of poor service is blown out of proportion?
Perhaps we can be blind to our own mistakes. Are you failing to look at your store from the customers' perspective? Are you satisfied with service that is just 'good enough' because you have so many other concerns to attend to?
To gain insight into some of these questions, I decided to go shopping. I resolved to visit a variety of different retailers in my community to get a sense of the level of service customers receive. Traffic seemed slow for a Wednesday afternoon, but was likely pretty average for this time of year. In general staff was lean and occupied with re-stocking and tidying chores. My impression was that none of the stores I visited would be considered to have 'bad' service, but in general the sales staff were a little aloof. They were visible, available to assist when necessary, and were competent when helping customers, but something was missing...
Most of the sales associates I saw lacked energy. They were quite willing to help anyone that looked like they were going to buy. They were not unfriendly, but no one appeared to be interested in actively selling, or providing more information than was specifically requested. In no case was I greeted within the first minute of entering a store.
With so many retailers providing similar products, stores need to differentiate themselves with customer service. Here are three great ways you can make your store stand out from the competition:
1. BE ENERGETIC
Your store needs to exude energy to attract customers. When traffic is slow employees tend to slow down as well. There is less of a sense of urgency in tasks, and the atmosphere seems a little laid back. This can be perceived by customers as being less interested, or aloof. Rather than fall into this trap, you need to keep the energy level high. Customers will be more attracted to shop in a store where the atmosphere is dynamic and positive, than one that is dull and lifeless.
2. BE SELLING
Your sales associates need to be actively selling - not just processing transactions. You can't just depend on the merchandise to sell itself. Train & re-train your staff in the basics of selling: greeting, asking questions, offering product knowledge & benefits, making suggestions, closing the sale and thanking the customer. Practice turning those 'browsers' into 'buyers' now, and your staff will be well-prepared for the busy times.
3. BE PERSONAL
If you want to stay ahead of the game, you need to be actively interested in your customers. Encourage your staff to get to know customers personally by name, and to engage in friendly conversation. Developing genuine relationships with your customers will do more to encourage repeat business and loyalty than any advertising campaign or loyalty card.
Think about the level of service in your own store. Instead of asking yourself if your business offers 'good' or 'bad' service (no one wants to admit to providing 'bad' service) ask yourself if you could do more to use customer service as a tool to increase sales. Just one more sale each day can add up to great sales at the end of the month!