New Year Training Adopting a new way of working, and a new approach to your customers, could be the route to success in the season ahead, says Helena Cotter
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hen we look back, 2021 has been quite a year, hasn’t it? Back to work/ not back to work, strict measures, working from home (WFH), masks/no masks, and all the other issues that add to the way we are continually having to adapt to change in our personal lives and business worlds. When we look forward to 2022, I really believe it has the potential to be an incredible year. Here are some tips and hints to help you and your team get the most out of your business and create a win-win for both you and your customers...
more potent, and has a larger part to play than the price of your gowns and other products you may offer. Your customer experience, and how you deliver exceptional service and care, can be the definitive deciding factor about whether your customers 1 Become a super leader will want to buy from you or not. If you currently have no other Each step of your customer’s employees, you are still at the journey, from the initial contact – coalface so to speak, and are telephone, email, or SMS – to finding therefore responsible for leading them the dress of their dreams, has and guiding your business to great to be consistent throughout their success. As time moves on, you will remote encounters and, indeed, naturally grow your business. When appointments with you. you eventually employ any staff, it will When we think about the customer be vital to have everything in place experience, it goes without saying to be able to translate the message, that customers expect it to be positive your mission statement, the way you’d from the get go. That is why a good like things done, your systems etc. deal of bridal boutiques now charge seamlessly to new people. for appointments because customers So what makes a super leader? are willing to pay good money for the best experience. If you currently ✔ Honesty do not charge, you may wish to... ✔ Being accountable particularly at weekends. ✔ Having vision – knowing where you want your business to go – During my own research, it and how your team can help you appears that charging a fee for an all get there appointment/booking, leads to less cancellations, and ultimately more ✔ Integrity ✔ Demonstrating influence and being sales as the customer already feels influential both in your business and in they have financially and emotionally committed to you. the industry I understand the hesitancy from ✔ A positive role model some retailers. However, if everyone ✔ Empathy/compassion charges it will soon become the norm ✔ Energy/drive/motivation and customers won’t even question it. ✔ Working with flexibility ✔ Getting onto the shop floor. 3 Listening Engaging in personal, face-to-face Your customers are talking about you communication with customers and your team. Being physically present is and your business all the time. Do you indispensable when monitoring what know what they are saying? How can you monitor what they say? is happening day to day You might alternate between what are regarded as traditional ways of 2 What do your customers want communicating – for instance by and expect from you? using the telephone (underused We now live in a world where firstsecret weapon), and/or emailing your class customer service and care is
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