Customer Service: Do your customers love you?

Jan 26, 2010 by mandeewidrick

Go through any checkout line at your favorite retail store and you’ll find that each employee is different. Some cashiers say “Hi, how are you?” and others hardly say a word. Here are some customer service tips based on my own shopping experiences.

1) Greet your customer.

I hate being ignored when I walk into a place of business. Whenever I walk into a store and the employees stare at me blankly, I’m tempted to do something just to prompt some sort of reaction to my presence. This doesn’t mean I’m seeking attention wherever I go, it merely means that if I’m going to spend money at your store, you’d better darn well acknowledge me just out of common courtesy.

2) Offer assistance and ask if you can help with anything.

Some employers require that you offer assistance to every customer you see. I think this is a great rule of thumb. Even if the customer doesn’t need something at the moment you ask, they are more likely to come looking for you later if they need a hand rather than leave the store in a frustrated manner. When I am lost in a store and cannot find an employee to help me, what do I do? Leave and spend my money elsewhere. Don’t let your customers walk out of the store frustrated…they might not come back!

3) Make eye contact and speak clearly.

I recall needing help finding a new computer keyboard in an electronics store not long ago. I found the first employee wandering about, and asked him where I could find the item. He hardly looked at me when he pointed me in the right direction. Ideally, he should’ve looked me square in the eye with a smile, and escorted me to the product. Granted, I found the item just fine with the point of a finger; however, I consider it to be excellent service when an employee takes me directly to the product and finds out what my needs are. I have gotten lost and confused during past shopping trips simply because an employee was too lazy to show me where something was.

4) Don’t yell at your customer even if they make you mad.

Oddly enough, at the very same store where the employee wouldn’t make eye contact, I had seen another employee yelling at a customer just weeks earlier. A man had walked in to make a return and wasn’t understanding a certain store policy, and the girl behind the counter audibly lost her patience. The other employee assisting me glanced at her co-worker nervously and whispered something about bad behavior not being allowed. I was shocked and ready to walk out of the store, even though it had not happened to me personally.

5) Have integrity and don’t be the “class clown” at work.

Everyone likes to laugh and have a good time, but there are limits. When I was young and new to the working world, my co-workers and I many times got loud and silly. There was no professionalism about our goofy behavior, and I often times think back and recall how passers-by would glance at us with eyebrows raised. I learned my lesson. Don’t get overly loud and obnoxious, it just makes a bad impression and can harm your sales.

6) Appreciate your customer. Say hi and thank you, and mean it.

When I finish a transaction at any store, I like to be appreciated. If the bag containing my purchase is tossed in my direction with ignorance as soon as I pay, it gives me the impression that I just spent my money and you want me to leave ASAP. Here’s a tip: hand the bag directly to the customer. It’s good etiquette and saves the customer having to gather everything in a rush. I also like it when a cashier asks if I want the receipt in the bag.

7) Make it a happy environment.

I understand that not everyone loves their job. Even though it’s great when people pursue their dream job, I know it doesn’t always work out that way. So if you don’t love what you do, at least act like it for the sake of the customer (or get a new job!). A miserable attitude never makes anyone feel better. If you want a customer to spend money you have to be HAPPY!

In conclusion, these are just a few ways you can increase sales and step your game up. Raise the bar high and then watch your customers keep coming back for more.