Pay special attention to your customers this holiday season; they want to feel valued. This seems like a rather obvious statement. Of course, it is absolutely vital to provide the very highest level of customer service and treat shoppers with kindness, making every effort to satisfy their shopping needs.
Yet, perhaps surprisingly, there are many simple gestures that proprietors and their staff overlook that could go a long way in boosting customer appreciation and significantly increasing your profits. It’s all about personalizing the shopping experience. This is especially timely as you enter the holiday season, when stores see their highest foot traffic of the year and employees face distractions at every turn.
One key element to positively impacting customers is fostering genuine interactions at every step. For instance, matching faces with names could give your business a reputation for hospitality that towers over the competition, in November, December and all year long.
Some business owners and staff may say, ‘good to see you again’ to repeat customers whom they recognize by sight. You and your staff can go a step further. Greeting customers by name, whether it be the 5th or 50th time that they walk through your doors. No matter how busy it is, this gives them an instant level of comfort, familiarity and appreciation. It can take time, and some frustration along the way, to master memorization. Given your customers’ appreciation, and a positive balance sheet, it is well worth the effort.
Ensuring that your employees focus their complete attention on one customer at a time is another practice to impress. For example, if an employee is speaking to a patron while the store phone rings incessantly, hold back the urge to take the call. The shopper may say, ‘you can pick up the phone. I’ll wait.’ A great response: my job is to help you. Someone who is not busy will take the call.’
Another scenario that could play out is a shopper asking a question as you head to the stockroom to find an elusive item for the patron you are currently assisting. Explain that you will be with the other consumer shortly so that you can deliver the proper, dedicated service that they deserve. When possible, direct the person to the area of the store where they will find what they need, or flag down an available co-worker to attend to their needs.
Think about motivating your cashiers as well. When the lines are going non-stop, give a pep talk. Tell your staff how great they are doing. Tell the people online that you have an excellent group doing their all to keep the line moving. Remind them who is up next for a break and tell them, ‘you’re almost there!’ Perhaps treat everyone with a pizza lunch – this can extend to the entire staff. Your employees will be grateful. Go all out for them and they will reciprocate.
These are just a few of the numerous ways to turn potential distractions at holiday time into displays of dedicated, tailored and profit-generating customer service.
