Once again, this year, we have reached the most awaited time for families and businesses: the Christmas season. Retailers base a large part of their budget sales expectations for the year on this season. In this edition of the Retail Academy, we will discuss one key to any store’s success: customer service.
Everything we do in our stores aims to make our customers’ lives easier, so our teams must always go the extra mile to serve our customers with welcoming smiles and greetings, anticipating their needs, exceeding their expectations, and always thanking them for their visit.
But to achieve these levels, where all teams are aligned on excellent customer service, we must organize from the top down.
Train All Staff and Set Standards
- Store managers and assistants will be the ones to train all staff:
- Reviewing all the steps of proper customer service.
- Obtain each associate’s commitment to 100% compliance with the service standards.
- They must meet at least once a week to remind them of all the steps.
- New associates must complete this training on the same day of their incorporation.
We will recognize the best associate in customer service monthly, based on 100% readable and verifiable data.
Other basic standards of satisfaction for our customers are:
- Security, providing a safe and trustworthy environment for customers and associates.
- Courtesy.
- Demonstration.
- Efficiency.
Related Article: Which supermarket offers the best customer service in the U.S. according to a Newsweek survey?
Customer Service Beyond Talking with People
At the Retail Academy, we believe customer service goes beyond personal contact with our customers. Even if we want to fill our store with products because it’s the peak of the sales season, people will be thankful if we leave empty, accessible aisles for customers and associates to walk through. This and excellent cleanliness will help us win many points against our competition.
Another point to always validate is the condition of the shopping carts. Review the entire shopping cart parking lot monthly and repair those with problems.
Imagine that our customers have entered the store and made all their purchases, with a level of attention classified as excellent. It is time to go to the checkout. That is where the customer gets the last impression of their visit to our store, from how they are treated at the cashier’s desk to how we listen to our customers’ complaints or suggestions.
In addition to accurately collecting the customer’s purchase, the cashier associate must demonstrate from the beginning all the tools for proper attention, such as greeting, offering service, and thanking the customer for shopping in our store.
Once the customer leaves the store, the only thing left is to observe access and absolute cleanliness in the parking area and ensure easy access to one’s vehicle.