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Top Ten Ways to Make Your Customer Service Stand Out
TOP TEN WAYS TO Ensure Your Customer Service Really Stands Out
By Steve Goodman
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It does not take a Business Matters columnist to tell you that retail shopping has changed significantly over the past decade or so. And, it’s not just online shopping and e-commerce - mobile technology has done as much to impact ‘bricks and mortar’ as the internet itself once did.
However, among all the apps, and virtual shopping sites, many believe that ‘bricks and mortar stores’, instead of rolling over and playing dead, are actually making a comeback.
Smart retailers realise they cannot compete with major online retailers on price or convenience but they can fall back on what brought people into their shops in the first place, by creating an experience and an environment that keeps the customer engaged, happy, and wanting to come back. 1 Recognition Let’s face it, online shopping is impersonal, that is its greatest drawback, and still the best reason why ‘bricks and mortar’ shops can compete. Recognise your customer, greet him/her by name if possible. Sincere appreciation for their business and pleasant personal service will create loyalty and keep them coming back. 2 Add Value You have people; use them to create a value-added experience for your customers. You must ensure that you have knowledgeable, professional and courteous employees who will do everything possible to keep your customers satisfied. Beyond that, give customers a reason to come into your shop rather than going online, such as letting customers know you donate a portion of proceeds to a local charity. 3 Brand Exclusivity You want to be sure your customer comes into your establishment? Offer products they simply cannot get online or anywhere else!
4Play to the Emotions Shopping is an emotional experience. Online sites have greater difficulty triggering emotional responses than you do. There still isn’t an app that can smell like grandma’s apple pie baking, but it certainly is hard to resist that tantalising aroma wafting out of a bake shop. Remember to appeal to all five senses in your shop. 5 WiFi Enable your Business There is an old saying, if you cannot beat them, join them. Sure you want your customers to enjoy the real world shopping experience in your establishment, but making it also ‘digitally friendly’ attracts tech savvy customers, who may want to use smartphone apps for discounts, to compare prices and products. 6 Encourage Shopper Participation Again, taking a page from the online retailers, people shopping online love to read user reviews, and otherwise interact with the online retailer’s ‘followers’. ‘Bricks and mortar’ stores are finding ways to also bring this idea into the real world shopping experience by using things like kiosk displays with user generated content, and brand related hashtags on signage that allows shoppers to share their ‘in store’ experiences with the brand community. 7 Touch and Feel
Despite being a digital technology giant, people line up outside of the Apple store. Why? Because they get to come inside and play. There will always be that segment of the population that wants to ‘touch and feel’ something before they buy it. Have working demos on display, and let people touch, feel, and enjoy. 8 Order online, pickup in store This is another ‘best of both worlds’ solutions. Of course you have to have an online presence even to run a successful ‘bricks and mortar’ store, offer customers who may be perusing your site the ability to buy online and pick up ‘in store’. That way they can have the tactile experience of seeing the product, and maybe having some questions answered, along with the convenience of shopping and buying online. 9 Improved logistics Improve your customer experience with improved logistics. Offer free delivery and free assembly. Again, these are value added experiences that the customer can not get when ordering online. 10 Be Aware of Multiculturalism Understand the diversity of your community and carry products that appeal to the ethnicities of all your potential customers. However, appealing to clients of another culture is more than creating the right product mix. It’s also about making them feel at home during their shopping experience. From basic things such as shaking hands or making eye contact to more subtle things such as how to address people of a different gender, a little cultural awareness can go a long way toward helping recent immigrants or visitors from other countries feel right at home in your store.
Much like the audiophiles who swear that to truly experience a classic recording, you need to listen to vinyl, many consumers are finding themselves returning to the refreshing experiences of ‘analog’ shopping, especially when you can create an environment that can blend the best of both worlds. f
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