Would You Like Customer Service With That?
December 18th 2008 04:00
You can't help but wonder sometimes how there can be such a BIG difference in the customer service from one store to another.
Sure, some of the difference can be put down to differences in personalities working in the stores. The bright, cheery, always smiling, always chatting, friendly helpful personality stands out no matter what store you spend your money in.
Exploit Customer Service - it is your business asset
In today's "doom and gloom" economic climate, where every possible spend in the store could be the difference between booming, breaking even or going broke, wouldn't it seem only "logical" that customer service be the MOST important asset a business exploits?
After all, we all know we refuse to return to a store where we received lousy customer service (even if we got the product that we wanted.)
We "hate" (severely dislike) bad customer service.
Recently, I went to a major retail store for an ink cartridge. It was unfortunately clear the store didn't have the particular colour cartridge in stock.
That wasn't the problem.
The customer service representative for the store had a miserable look on his face, and made NO attempt to help me - he certainly tried to upsell me to a full package of all the ink cartridges because as far as he was willing to explore it, I would need to replace all the inks one day.
Yeh, buddy, never mind the difference in cost ($16 for one, $90 for all).
Had he asked me any questions, like, how soon did I need it, approximately what area had I come from, he might have learned I needed it asap, and was willing to travel to another store in the same chain to get the ink cartridge.
When it was clear I wasn't getting any further help and he had totally lost interest in me, I walked out and made my purchase at their competition (where I received friendly customer service).
Ironically, the CEO of the chain store was interviewed on the news only days later saying there were likely to be store closures if the hard economic times kept on.
In another incident, my mother and I had a light lunch at a franchised cake shop where they serve great snacks (like pasties, sandwiches) and coffee, which is what we had for our meal. I had the pastie and forgot to order tomato sauce (in one of those squeeze packets for .30c).
When the very pleasant assistant brought part of the order over, she stood for a moment, looked directly at me and said apologetically, "I didn't ask, did you want tomato sauce with that?" - at which time I immediately smiled and handed her the coins which I'd already fished from my purse. She anticipated well and made the experience of our lunch really pleasant - because she went out of her way to ensure great customer service was delivered along with our food order.
Never Underestimate the Importance of Customer Service
Customer service may seem like a menial task in the minds of some - but most businesses if not every business can ill-afford to fall down on highest standards of customer service.
With the internet and other mod cons we have ready access to so many goods and services these days that we don't need to be loyal to any store.
However, product reputation, location and cost may keep us returning to the store of choice, but it only takes ONE episode of poor customer service to lose our business.
And what does that loss of business really mean to the store owner?
You won't tell your family or friends where you shopped, or you will tell them to avoid that store like the plague.
Your friends and family won't shop there, and so they won't then tell anyone to shop there.
If we consider that most of us have at least 6-10 people in our immediate circle, who also each have 6-10 people in their immediate circles, it doesn't take a mathematician to realise hundreds of potential referrals, and literally thousands of dollars are LOST when a store owner is ignorant of the level of customer service on offer to their customer base.
We should never have to ask for customer service - it is a business "given".
It is expected and the highest standards should be met and maintained.
It is in the financial interests of the business owner to invest in customer service education for all staff.
Sure, some of the difference can be put down to differences in personalities working in the stores. The bright, cheery, always smiling, always chatting, friendly helpful personality stands out no matter what store you spend your money in.
Exploit Customer Service - it is your business asset
In today's "doom and gloom" economic climate, where every possible spend in the store could be the difference between booming, breaking even or going broke, wouldn't it seem only "logical" that customer service be the MOST important asset a business exploits?
After all, we all know we refuse to return to a store where we received lousy customer service (even if we got the product that we wanted.)
We "hate" (severely dislike) bad customer service.
Recently, I went to a major retail store for an ink cartridge. It was unfortunately clear the store didn't have the particular colour cartridge in stock.
That wasn't the problem.
The customer service representative for the store had a miserable look on his face, and made NO attempt to help me - he certainly tried to upsell me to a full package of all the ink cartridges because as far as he was willing to explore it, I would need to replace all the inks one day.
Yeh, buddy, never mind the difference in cost ($16 for one, $90 for all).
Had he asked me any questions, like, how soon did I need it, approximately what area had I come from, he might have learned I needed it asap, and was willing to travel to another store in the same chain to get the ink cartridge.
When it was clear I wasn't getting any further help and he had totally lost interest in me, I walked out and made my purchase at their competition (where I received friendly customer service).
In another incident, my mother and I had a light lunch at a franchised cake shop where they serve great snacks (like pasties, sandwiches) and coffee, which is what we had for our meal. I had the pastie and forgot to order tomato sauce (in one of those squeeze packets for .30c).
When the very pleasant assistant brought part of the order over, she stood for a moment, looked directly at me and said apologetically, "I didn't ask, did you want tomato sauce with that?" - at which time I immediately smiled and handed her the coins which I'd already fished from my purse. She anticipated well and made the experience of our lunch really pleasant - because she went out of her way to ensure great customer service was delivered along with our food order.
Never Underestimate the Importance of Customer Service
Customer service may seem like a menial task in the minds of some - but most businesses if not every business can ill-afford to fall down on highest standards of customer service.
With the internet and other mod cons we have ready access to so many goods and services these days that we don't need to be loyal to any store.
However, product reputation, location and cost may keep us returning to the store of choice, but it only takes ONE episode of poor customer service to lose our business.
And what does that loss of business really mean to the store owner?
You won't tell your family or friends where you shopped, or you will tell them to avoid that store like the plague.
Your friends and family won't shop there, and so they won't then tell anyone to shop there.
If we consider that most of us have at least 6-10 people in our immediate circle, who also each have 6-10 people in their immediate circles, it doesn't take a mathematician to realise hundreds of potential referrals, and literally thousands of dollars are LOST when a store owner is ignorant of the level of customer service on offer to their customer base.
We should never have to ask for customer service - it is a business "given".
It is expected and the highest standards should be met and maintained.
It is in the financial interests of the business owner to invest in customer service education for all staff.
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