The real touchstone that separates one business from the next is customer service. Customers remember how they are made to feel by your staff more than anything else about the products you sell them.
Irritate them, leave them waiting for too long for what they want, or fail to be polite, and they will remember. Although, if you befriend them and bend over backwards to meet their needs, you’ve earned a loyal new customer. Here are some tips on where customer service wins through.
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Good Communication
From greeting them when you meet them all the way through to saying goodbye and sending them politely on their way, communication is key. Begin with a sincere and warm welcome, though don’t overdo it — you have to mean it. Let your customer know that you are there to help them, but be as natural about it as you can. Steer the conversation if necessary to whatever you want to sell them, but avoid becoming too pushy and don’t make it sound like you’re simply reading them a sales script.
One of the most important parts of good communication is listening, so always be sure to pay attention to what your customer wants from you. Smiling is a powerful tool as well – smiles are ‘contagious’, so when you smile your customer will usually smile back at you.
Be an Expert
Your customers have turned to you because they think you can help them with what they want. If you are selling computers, they are relying on your expertise about the specifications they need. You must ensure you know more about your business than your customers, so you can help them every step of the way.
Go Out of Your Way
You are there to provide something to your customer. If they’re handing over their cash to you, at the very least you owe them the best possible service you can give them. Whether that’s wrapping their items carefully and thoughtfully, or offering next day delivery through a firm such as TNT UK Ltd, there are all kinds of ways that you can show your customers how much they mean to you by offering that extra touch.
But of course you must only promise your customer what you can give them – breaking your word is possibly the most unforgivable mistake a company can make for its clients. Remember these tips, even put a copy of them by the till in your shop and you will make some good customers who will be sure to come back.
About Carson Derrow
