About Customer Service
Have you ever said to yourself, “I’ll never shop here again!” as you left the store in which you were shopping? That has happened to me numerous times throughout the years, and it’s often for the same reasons. Here are some of them:
- The clerk was talking to a fellow employee about his/her work schedule rather than paying attention to my order.
- Groceries were loaded haphazardly into the bags with bread and eggs on the bottom.
- Bills, receipts, coupons, and coins were thrust at me with the coins on top. (The coins always get spilled!)
- The clerk had a sour face and barely acknowledged my presence.
- The clerk acted annoyed if I had coupons or because I had a question about a product.
- The clerk wasted a lot of MY time talking about his/her life while checking out my order.
- The clerk started ringing up the next person’s purchases while I was still loading my purchases into my cart. (Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?)
The list goes on and on. I’m sure you could add a few of your pet peeves to my list. While I know that everybody has a bad day now and then, putting yourself “in the shoes of your customer” can go a long way towards correcting many errors that could turn business away from you.
Good customer service provides something to the customer as they exit your business that causes them to remember their experience and want to return for more of the same. Here are some examples of things that you can do to please, not annoy, your customers:
- Stay focused on your job. Chat small talk with fellow workers at a better time.
- Be organized. Load items as if you had to unload them at your home!
- Hand coins to the customer first, then other receipts.
- Be pleasant and polite. Smile!
- Engage your customer by asking questions like:
Did you find everything that you wanted?
Do you want your receipt with you or in the bag?
Can I help you with those bags?
Do you need help getting these to your car?
- Don’t rush into your next sale until the current customer has left your space.
- If a customer says “thank you”, the polite answer is “you’re welcome” or “my pleasure”.
“No problem” is not an appropriate answer!
Good customer service is just that–giving good service to those people you want to see again, purchasers who will keep your business alive and well. Isn’t it worth the effort?
Marlene