Tuesday, January 18, 2011
My Life as a Servant to Humanity: hunting prey...I mean...greeting customers
My Life as a Servant to Humanity: hunting prey...I mean...greeting customers: "This is what it feels like to be a sales associate greeting customers. Customers are like antelope, if they see you approach they will run. ..."
Pet Peeve: Pencils - Pens - Prepared!
This is a little bit of a dog trail perhaps, but I believe it is very important and it foretells what may be the result of hiring a particular individual for a customer service type job.
The customer service or lack there of, that is often experienced may be traced back to the hiring methods used by the company, if they use any method at all. Such as, what do they look for in a new hire, do they consider first impressions like, is the applicant prepared to fill out an application or respond to an interview?
When I was in management and did hiring and interviewing of new applicants, the first thing I took note of was...did they come with a pencil or pen to fill out an application? If not, strike one. The second thing was did they have a listing of previous job positions, and any other pertinent information they might need to fill out the application. To me, these simple acts of being prepared to enter into a new position, a new company, speak volumes as to what kind of productivity they will have, or how detail oriented that applicant is going to be.
If there is one recommendation I could give students, or anyone who might be going to apply for a new job, unless you are e-filing an application, bring a pen or pencil, bring your job history (if you have one), and any other information you will need to fill out the application. Being prepared, could mean the difference of being hired....or not.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
My Life as a Servant to Humanity: "Top 7 Hints a store might be closing for the nigh...
I am so glad I came across this website. The artist/comedian/customer service associate is great! She comes at the issue from the other side that is for sure!
My Life as a Servant to Humanity: "Top 7 Hints a store might be closing for the nigh...: "To view this photo slideshow you need to have Flash Player 9 or newer installed and JavaScript enabled. This flash slideshow was created wit..."
My Life as a Servant to Humanity: "Top 7 Hints a store might be closing for the nigh...: "To view this photo slideshow you need to have Flash Player 9 or newer installed and JavaScript enabled. This flash slideshow was created wit..."
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Courtesy Is King....
I want to break down the previous posting on policies that companies should be establishing and enforcing in the area of Customer Service. Each point made is very important and a little elaborating on them is merited.
"Courtesy is king. All customers should be treated in a courteous manner at all times. This may sound obvious, but we've all experienced the rude salesperson who snaps or loses their patience quickly. There is no excuse for being rude to a customer, even an irate one." http://www.allbusiness.com/sales/customer-service/4113438-1.html
Since I introduced this blogsite on Customer Service Etiquette, I have been discussing this topic with a number of people. They all have stories to tell on good or bad experiences of sales associates, usually bad. I am going to also become advocate for the sales associates in another posting, because I have been on both sides of this fence many times. But, first, I will champion for the customer!
Courtesy! There seems to be a shortage of this in just about every situation in life that people are involved. Everyone that drives experiences the driver who will not let them into the next lane, or a shopper who quickly heads into the check out line with their 3 baskets of merchandise and you are standing there about to get in the line...and you are holding one item. A little courtesy goes along way in affecting a person's attitude, either in a negative way or positive. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is very much at work in the showing courtesy. So, courtesy... being polite, friendly, helpful, shows the customer they are important, to your business! A customer that feels important, will feel that the company appreciates their business=good attitude=positive shopping experience=more sales for the company!
Now, most individuals that are hired, say as sales associates of a retail store, do not know these facts, that is where the customer service training comes in. I worked for a number of retail establishments through the years, and the priority was customer service excellence, first and foremost. Without the customer, there are no sales, without the sales you have no job! Simple to understand, right? Well, obviously not considering how many complaints are posted just on the Internet alone about bad service. I first find fault in the company and their hiring methods. Many companies today are just trying to put a body in a spot...to fill it. If they move and breathe, they can be hired, and throw them out to the public. The second fault, is not enough training of the new hires, or maybe none at all, learn as you go! So many times we have dealt with sales people, asking questions (if you can find one) and the answers are, "I don't know how", "I don't know where", "I'll do that right away" (and you never see them again!). These comments show not only a lack of training by the company, but also a lack of maturity in the individual...which again points to the company's hiring methods.
I have had few unhappy customers in all my years of working retail. Why? Because I was well trained, I knew the customer was my paycheck, good or bad! The following is my simple list of how to treat a customer, any customer, (I'll go into the problem customer situations in another post).
1. Greet the customer, as many as you can, with a smile, good morning etc., some type of welcoming greeting.
2. Make yourself available, "Can I help you find something?" If the answer is no, still offer your assistance if they should need it, or check back after a proper amount of time to see if they are finding what they need. I know there are stores that expect you to "hound" them to the point of harassing them, sorry businesses, that is a wrong, wrong, approach! You can hound them right out of your store and into another company, giving them the business!
3. Don't be so busy with your tasks that you can't or don't take the time for the customer. I know the work load can be huge in retail, but don't forget the ones who you are doing all that work for...the customer.
4. If you can't help a customer, answer their question, find an item they need...then find someone who can! Your job isn't done unless you have satisfied that customer to the best of your ability.
5. When the customer has completed shopping, and hopefully their experience has been a good one in your store, be sure to thank them for coming, say, "Have a nice day!", or something similar. Let them know you appreciate their business.
Being attentive to the needs of a customer, kindness...these things speak volumes to a customer. They will draw that customer back to your store or business. Not only that, the positive "word of mouth" comments given about your store and hopefully about your sales people, will bring in other shoppers/customers as well. Increase. So, showing courtesy is not hard and the benefits for all involved are many.
"Courtesy is king. All customers should be treated in a courteous manner at all times. This may sound obvious, but we've all experienced the rude salesperson who snaps or loses their patience quickly. There is no excuse for being rude to a customer, even an irate one." http://www.allbusiness.com/sales/customer-service/4113438-1.html
Since I introduced this blogsite on Customer Service Etiquette, I have been discussing this topic with a number of people. They all have stories to tell on good or bad experiences of sales associates, usually bad. I am going to also become advocate for the sales associates in another posting, because I have been on both sides of this fence many times. But, first, I will champion for the customer!
Courtesy! There seems to be a shortage of this in just about every situation in life that people are involved. Everyone that drives experiences the driver who will not let them into the next lane, or a shopper who quickly heads into the check out line with their 3 baskets of merchandise and you are standing there about to get in the line...and you are holding one item. A little courtesy goes along way in affecting a person's attitude, either in a negative way or positive. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is very much at work in the showing courtesy. So, courtesy... being polite, friendly, helpful, shows the customer they are important, to your business! A customer that feels important, will feel that the company appreciates their business=good attitude=positive shopping experience=more sales for the company!
Now, most individuals that are hired, say as sales associates of a retail store, do not know these facts, that is where the customer service training comes in. I worked for a number of retail establishments through the years, and the priority was customer service excellence, first and foremost. Without the customer, there are no sales, without the sales you have no job! Simple to understand, right? Well, obviously not considering how many complaints are posted just on the Internet alone about bad service. I first find fault in the company and their hiring methods. Many companies today are just trying to put a body in a spot...to fill it. If they move and breathe, they can be hired, and throw them out to the public. The second fault, is not enough training of the new hires, or maybe none at all, learn as you go! So many times we have dealt with sales people, asking questions (if you can find one) and the answers are, "I don't know how", "I don't know where", "I'll do that right away" (and you never see them again!). These comments show not only a lack of training by the company, but also a lack of maturity in the individual...which again points to the company's hiring methods.
I have had few unhappy customers in all my years of working retail. Why? Because I was well trained, I knew the customer was my paycheck, good or bad! The following is my simple list of how to treat a customer, any customer, (I'll go into the problem customer situations in another post).
1. Greet the customer, as many as you can, with a smile, good morning etc., some type of welcoming greeting.
2. Make yourself available, "Can I help you find something?" If the answer is no, still offer your assistance if they should need it, or check back after a proper amount of time to see if they are finding what they need. I know there are stores that expect you to "hound" them to the point of harassing them, sorry businesses, that is a wrong, wrong, approach! You can hound them right out of your store and into another company, giving them the business!
3. Don't be so busy with your tasks that you can't or don't take the time for the customer. I know the work load can be huge in retail, but don't forget the ones who you are doing all that work for...the customer.
4. If you can't help a customer, answer their question, find an item they need...then find someone who can! Your job isn't done unless you have satisfied that customer to the best of your ability.
5. When the customer has completed shopping, and hopefully their experience has been a good one in your store, be sure to thank them for coming, say, "Have a nice day!", or something similar. Let them know you appreciate their business.
Being attentive to the needs of a customer, kindness...these things speak volumes to a customer. They will draw that customer back to your store or business. Not only that, the positive "word of mouth" comments given about your store and hopefully about your sales people, will bring in other shoppers/customers as well. Increase. So, showing courtesy is not hard and the benefits for all involved are many.
Set Customer Service Policies That Satisfy - AllBusiness.com
Consumers are fed up with companies that treat them poorly. Without quality customer service and with the sharing capabilities provided today through social media, you could be steering a sinking ship.
Customer service affects all levels of your retail operation, and everyone involved needs to have the same mindset and follow the same policies. Take these steps to keep shoppers satisfied.
First, work on establishing the "people" aspect of customer service. This means the interaction between your employees and your customers.
Here are the basic policies you should establish and enforce:
- Courtesy is king. All customers should be treated in a courteous manner at all times. This may sound obvious, but we've all experienced the rude salesperson who snaps or loses their patience quickly. There is no excuse for being rude to a customer, even an irate one.
- Be professional when on the sales floor. All employee breaks and personal business should be conducted out of the view of customers, and cell phone calls or other personal communications should be limited to lunch or breaks.
- Go the extra mile for a customer. A conscious effort should be made to assist a customer in finding what he or she needs and/or in resolving a problem. If there is a policy, it should be stated politely. There is no room in customer service for "attitude."
- Dress appropriately. Employees dealing with customers are expected to present themselves in a professional manner and dress accordingly. This can range from a uniform to a dress code to a no T-shirts, jeans, or halters policy. Whatever works for your business should be enforced.
- Develop rapport with the regulars. Encourage your staff to get to know regular customers, greet them when they come in, and make them feel comfortable. A simple hello, good afternoon, or thank you can go a long way.
- Have resources readily available. There's no better way to kill a sale then being unable to find what you need. From shopping bags to tape for wrapping packages, make sure to maintain your inventory.
- Train and retrain. It is very important that you train your staff in the manner that you want them to interact with customers and conduct themselves while on the sales floor. Since it is human nature to slip and revert to bad habits, to retrain occasionally allows for new ideas and reinforces positive conduct. Work with your employees, use role-play, and seek out their input. The more involved they feel in creating the policy, the more pride your employees will take in providing quality customer service.
- Don't let your staff become slaves to your computers. We've all stood in long lines while sales people and cashiers swiped cards and input tons of data into a computer terminal. Streamline your process to the best of your ability.
Such training should begin immediately after a new staff member is hired.
Finally, you should make it easy for your staff to provide quality customer service. Remember, customer service comes from the top down. If you treat your employees well, they will pass that goodwill along to your customers.
The ultimate goal of good customer service is a happy, returning customer. Most businesses rely on their returning customers for 80 percent of their business, and it's less expensive to maintain an old customer than to attract a new one. That's why quality customer service boosts the bottom line.
http://www.allbusiness.com/sales/customer-service/4113438-1.html
Saturday, January 1, 2011
A View (Funny) From The Other Side Of This Issue!
As I am searching for information on the topic of customer service, I came across this website. I have dealt with thousands of people during 20 years of being in retail and management, I do get the point behind her humor. So, to be fair and balanced in all this, and to shed a lighter side, I wanted to include this blog, My Life As A Servant To Humanity, on my site. Hope you will enjoy it!
http://mylifeasaservanttohumanity.blogspot.com/
http://mylifeasaservanttohumanity.blogspot.com/
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