Customer Service Tips Every Retailer Should Try by Joseph Heller Do you remember the last time you had a truly fantastic customer service experience? Maybe a cashier complimented your earrings, or maybe the person at the drive-thru unexpectedly threw something extra in for free. Or maybe you were just really vibin’ with the enthusiasm you could hear at the other end of the customer support line. Whatever it was, chances are it made you more excited to return and support that company with your business in the future. Now… think back to the last time you had an awful customer service experience. Was someone being unnecessarily difficult while you were trying to decide what flavor of ice cream to purchase? Or did someone leave you on hold for hours and hours? Or maybe someone just would NOT honor your coupon, even though you received it in an email yesterday? Whatever that bad experience was… I’d be willing to bet it made you a whole lot less likely to go back anytime soon. As Vince Lombardi famously said, “It takes months to find a customer and seconds to lose one.” One poor customer service experience could cause you to lose all of a valuable customer’s future business. Offering better customer service skills often doesn’t cost a dime, but it can make a world of a difference for your
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profits. Studies show that acquiring a new customer can cost five times as much as retaining an existing customer. Plus, the success rate of marketing to a customer you already have is 60-70%, while it’s only 5-20% when marketing to a new customer. If you haven’t been making great customer service a major priority in your shop lately, now is the time to change that. Read on to learn 25 powerful (but easy!) customer service tips every retailer should try implementing in their business.
Top 25 Customer Service Tips
Focus on the Customer in Front of You As a store owner, you’ve constantly got about a zillion and one things that need your time and attention. But when it’s a customer you’re dealing with, zero in on them and their needs. Nobody likes feeling unimportant – make sure you give them your undivided attention while they’re talking to you, whether it’s over the phone, in person, or in your site’s live chat. Be Empathetic Chances are, you’ve been in the exact same situation your customer’s in right now – whether they’re trying to figure out whether to purchase a sundae or a banana split. Do your best to see the situation from their perspective. You’ll be able to provide a better customer experience if you’re in touch with their needs and emotions. Make an Extra Effort Work tirelessly to solve your customer’s problems. If a customer wants a certain flavor that’s out of stock, doublecheck your inventory, let them know when they can expect that item to come back, offer them alternatives, or give them a discount code for their trouble. Your customers will appreciate you going the extra mile for them. Improve Systems Customer service isn’t just about making your customer feel valued while you’re speaking to them – it’s also about providing a great all-around customer experience. Do a quick audit of your website and make sure it’s user-friendly. Is it easy to check out? Browse new arrivals? Search for specific items? Purchase using the payment method they prefer? If not, set aside some time to make some adjustments. Identify Their Needs There might be all sorts of things you could be doing to provide a better customer experience that you don’t even realize yet. Put together a short survey to send out to your customers about the checkout process and their past customer service experiences. It’ll show you what’s going well and what you could improve. The National Dipper
May/June 2021
