Wednesday, December 3, 2003
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Wednesday, December 3, 2003 |
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Tis' the season to be jolly Two Factors To Improve Customer Service By Gregory P. Smith This is the season to be jolly. For the first time in several years, customers want to spend money. An improving economy and a stronger employment picture is fueling a more upbeat holiday buying season. Therefore, if shoppers are ready to spend money, then the question is: Are you going to be ready? The winners of this holiday season will be the ones who know exactly what they are doing. The recipe for shopper-friendly service boils down to some important ingredients.ÊSome of those ingredients include friendly sales people, short lines, easy access, and catering to the unique shopping patterns people expect during this holiday season. A one-size-fits-all approach may not be the best strategy. Each shopper, whether man, women, young or old has unique needs and expectations. If those expectations are not met, that could represent a lost opportunity and that holiday sales dollar may go to the competition. What is shopper friendly service? There are two key factors creating a shopper friendly place of business. Develop a system of service. When you walk through the doors of Bates Ace Hardware in Atlanta, you feel a major difference in the attitude of the people working there.ÊWhen a customer asks for a special type of hammer, employees don’t point, they escort them to the proper location.ÊIt was not always this way. Store owners realized they had to create a system to insure all employees treated customers the “right way.” Facing competition from large retailers, they realized they had to improve customer service or face extinction. Following the example of the Ritz-Carlton hotels, a team of Bates employees designed “20 Customer Service Commandments.”Ê Each commandment identified a trait/behavior the store wanted employees to display when dealing with customers and fellow employees. They printed the commandments on a small card and asked employees to have it on them at work.Ê Furthermore, supervisors quiz employees on the commandments during each shift.Ê Passionate service pleases customers. Keep in mind your employees are your internal customers. When employees feel good about working for you, then that attitude will reflect on external customers and sales increase accordingly. To get employees passionate about their jobs, IKEA has an annual ‘Staff Bonus Day’ where stores take the gross receipts of the day and split the proceeds between all employees.ÊIt is divided in half, one-half paid on the basis of a management assessment of each worker and the other half paid on the basis of years of service and number of hours worked. This has been a massive morale builder and a great retention strategy. Take care of your senior shoppers. By 2025, nearly one out of every five Americans will be 65 or older. Make senior citizens feel welcomed in your store. Senior customers appreciate personal support and additional informative material. Guarantee or warranty offers for the product give the sale more credibility. Show your senior customers you care how they get along with your product. Train your salespeople on the right approach to help and respect senior consumers. Music is one of the first elements customers perceive when they enter the store. Try to understand the newest rap hit would make senior citizens turn around on their heels and walk straight out of your store.ÊConsider the following shopper friendly services for senior citizens: áLarger print on signage. •Easy and safe access from parking lot. áGood lighting. áNo steep steps. áPut products within easy reach. áWide aisles to cater to wheelchairs and scooters. If you would like a free subscription to our newsletter, please fax us your letterhead to 770-760-0581 or e-mail us the word “Navigator” to navigator@chartcourse.com. Greg Smith is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and business performance consultant. He shows business owners how to attract and keep loyal customers and retain great employees. He has written numerous books and featured on television programs such as Bloomberg News, PBS television, and in publications including Business Week, Kiplingers, President and CEO, and the Christian Science Monitor. He is the President and "Captain of the Ship" of a management-consulting firm, Chart Your Course International, located in Atlanta, Georgia. Phone him at 770-860-9464. More articles available: http://www.chartcourse.com
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