THE CUSTOMER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN YOUR BUSINESS.
THE QUESTION IS, SO WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO START TREATING THEM THAT WAY?
IT IS VERY SIMPLE
NO CUSTOMER = NO BUSINESS = NO JOB
|
Ask yourself the question: “Why will a customer come to my store and not
go to my competitor?”
It is a known fact that products and even prices can easily be replicated;
the only real differentiation that will set you apart from your opposition is providing
superior customer service.
We at Master Retailing believe in the BEDU principle regarding customer
service
B – Basic
E – Expected
D – Desired
U - Unexpected
Today we will be looking at just a couple of
of Basic Customer Service Guidelines
Topic: HOW TO DEAL WITH CUSTOMERS ENTERING MY
STORE
When a customer enters your store, literary drop
everything you are doing and immediately attend to the customer, this will make
the customer feel important and valued:
1. If you are busy with
your boss:
·
Excuse yourself from your
boss and immediately go and attend to the client, your boss will understand that
the customer always comes first, if not, then customer service is definitely not
a priority in your business and chances are this could be a contributing reason
why your store may not be performing to its full potential.
2. If you are busy with
another client:
·
The client you are busy
with will not be offended if you politely mention you would just quickly like
to inform the other client that you will attend to them shortly.
·
Then very quickly go to the client who has just entered the store and greet them with a friendly welcome
and smile and inform them that you are just busy with another customer and you
will come and assist them asap. With a friendly smile suggest they browse around
so long and reiterate that you will be with them as soon as you have finished
helping the other client.
·
Quickly make your way back
to the client you were busy with, apologise for the interruption and then
continue with assisting the client. I can assure you both clients will respect
your level of customer service and professionalism.
3. If you are busy on the company phone:
·
The client entering the
store does not know if you are busy with work, another client or even a
personal call, either way they don’t really care.
·
Immediately explain to the
caller you have a customer who requires your attention, if it is another
customer then ask if you can call them back or would they momentarily hold just
so that you can go inform the client that you are busy with another customer on
the phone and that you will be with them directly thereafter.
·
Quickly return to the
phone, apologise for the disruption and continue assisting the person on the
phone.On completion of the call immediately go and assist the client and appologise to them for having been on the phone.
·
If it is a co-worker, your
boss or even Head Office on the phone, you need to respectfully request to end
the call so that you can go attend to the customer. Once you have finished with
the customer and they have left your store, immediately return the call that you
were busy with prior to the customer entering your store.
·
Worst case scenario if your
boss or Head Office don’t value customer service excellence as much as you do,
and you are not able to end the call, at least then make eye contact with the
customer and acknowledged their presence and even by using hand gestures, indicate
you will be with them shortly.
For more on the art of customer service, don’t
hesitate to contact us for accredited workshops, learnerships and/or distance
learning at the most competitive prices in South Africa.
Don’t forget, the customer pays your salary and superior
customer service will give you the competitive advantage above your opposition
The Master Retailing Team
