Ensuring the customer who keeps you in business is satisfied is crucial. Here are some simple tips on how to maximize your customer service:
1. Keep in mind the quality of customer service can never surpass the quality of the people who provide it. Keeping those who work for you happy will improve the quality of service your customers experience.
2. Do for your customer as you would want to have done to you. It’s an easy principle really, knowing that your Employees take their cue from management. If you the employer don’t set the services expected by example, you are not going to find your employees doing as you would like. Don’t just tell them how, show them. Customers will notice it too.
3. Remember you regulars. Remember to acknowledge those who make regular visits. They appreciate it when you have an understanding of who they are. Their regular attendance pays your wages. Treat them with the respect they deserve, you will keep them happy and returning again.
4. Make a good impression. When your regulars come in, they will seek you out again and again. Your good service makes them want to return for your service. There’s a sense of trust and contentment knowing you’ve been a good representative of the company to them. Your smile and kind words will leave a lasting impression, and impression that will ensure they return..
5. Go the extra mile. Customers appreciate feeling like VIP’s when they are being served. Giving then you attention and any ‘special’ treatment will go a long way on how they view the service they received. Ensure you always thank the customer for their business and a smile can go a long way.
6. Are your customers greeted when they walk in the door or at least within 30-40 seconds upon entering? Acknowledging your customer with a welcome and a hello, accompanied by a smile will have a huge impact on the rest of your service. If a customer feels ignored they will leave and give their business to another company.
7. Give customers the benefit of the doubt. The customer is always right attitude goes a long way. Even when you believe they are mistaken, give them the courteously of listening go their complaint. Then do what you can to resolve their concerns.
8. If a customer is looking for something specific, it goes a long way if you can go out of your way to ensure you can provide their request. For instance a customer really wants an outfit you have in the store, but their size is sold out. Making efforts to bring in that item will really impress your customer. This will in turn bring about repeat sales.
9. Training staff on the proper customer handling procedures so all are on the same page will add an overall good impression of the customer service you have in your store.
10. Talk to your customer, if you know a few things about them, you may be able to suggest items they could use in addition to the products they are considering. Don’t be pushy, just suggestive. Keep in mind that the big money isn’t as much in winning customers as it is in keeping your customers.
Handling Difficult Customers
Some customers make it their goal to ‘cause’ strife when they shop. What can you do when faced with a difficult customer? Do you argue with them or do you let them abuse the system?
The answer is neither. Knowing that a customer may have issues from time to time and being willing to help the customer with their concern is a good thing.
If however this is a customer who repeatedly “has issues”, then it may be necessary to consider the source. An example of a customer who abuses the system is one who buys an item brings it back when it’s not “new” anymore only to replace it with the same thing, once isn’t too bad, even twice can be overlooked.
A customer, who brings their items back over and over again, may be looking at a chance to take advantage of your stores policies. Sometimes these are the very people who will cheat a company out of thousands of dollars.
Before arguing with the customer, prepare to look into this matter deeper. It may only require a manager advising the customer that this isn’t good practice or it may require a professional look into this person’s record.
The business industry is full of scam artists just looking to make a buck. Knowing the difference between a customer in need and a scammer may not be easy, but, you may need to consider how your company will handle scammers.
After all the harm a scammer can cause not only affects your profits, it can also affect other customers from obtaining their needs.
Tactics To Manage Difficult Customers
* Listen – Be a good listener if you hear the whole story it may help in determining what to how to serve their needs better.
* Think and respond – Consider ways to solve the problem, talk about them with your management.
* Empathize – An empathy statement may defuse a customer who may otherwise be irrational.
* Resolve the issue – Do all you can to rectify this situation and to ensure the matter will not happen again.
The customer can make or break your business. Acting with understanding and courtesy will go a long way.
