Retail companies that don't improve their service and give customers an unfavourable experience often lose extra money and, what's worse, the long-term loyalty of their customers, which is important for growth. Are your store's standards for customer service getting worse? Maybe your most loyal customers are leaving your business because of them. Too often, as a business, we try to compete with other stores by offering lower prices. We forget that the way we treat our customers every day is often much more important, especially when the prices aren't that different.
Photo by Christiann Koepke on Unsplash
Here are a few tips for better customer service in retail that will help your business get more customers.
Make A Good First Impression
Many stores in shopping malls or on the high street spend a lot of money to create the right atmosphere and vibe, which is meant to make the customers' shopping experience better. A customer will make a decision about your retail store in three to five seconds. Do everything you can to always make a good first impression. But they often make the same mistake: they forget that the main thing that sets you apart from your retail competitors is the people you hire and the service you offer. For example, have you ever walked into a store and felt like something wasn't right? Maybe it was a mess, or the employees were arguing, and you just wanted to leave? First impressions matter, and creating a store that is not only unique to your brand but also professional and inviting doesn't need to be a daunting task! Payment processing for retail stores is also an essential part of making a good first impression, so, make sure you get it right.
A Good Layout
The layout of your store can make a big difference. If your store is crowded, customers will feel overwhelmed and may not be able to find what they want. If it's too empty, they may feel disappointed, so you need to get a balance. Start with the walls and work your way into the middle of the room. The walls make a great place for shelves and hangers, so take a look at these Gridwall Accessories to make the most of the wall space you have. Next, use tables and cabinets on the shop floor to display key items. Space them apart to ensure good accessibility, but keep an eye on how your store flows. If you run a clothes shop, it can be confusing to customers to have men's and women's clothing mixed together, so consider separating the room into sections to help things make sense.
Friendly Welcome
Just talk to your customers for 20 seconds to make them feel welcome. When we connect with our customers, we can talk with them.
At this point, there's no need to sell hard.
Listen To What They Want
If the customer wants to talk more, be proactive and listen to what they want by asking open-ended questions. This will be the first step in building trust and getting to know them.
Know About The Products Or Services
Make sure that your employees know a lot about the products and services you sell in your retail store. Your customer can always tell if you know what you're talking about. People will always buy from those they trust, after all. If you don't know your products, the customer might go somewhere else.
Be Attentive
If you're a business owner thinking about how to provide good customer service in retail, you'll be surprised by how many employees don't do this simple thing. We've all been to a store and gone to the cash register, only to have the cashier walk away without noticing us. The second thing you can do to help a customer in a store is to pay attention. Always pay attention and be seen, but don't be too pushy with your customers. Stay close, but not so close that the customer feels like they are being watched and pushed.
Don't Say 'I Don't Know'
When a customer asks a question, a lazy customer service worker will often say,
"I'm not sure."
This is lazy and not very helpful. If you want to help your customer, you should say,
"I'll look into it for you."
At least this way, your customer will feel like they are getting some help.
Or, point them in the right direction and tell them how long it will take to get the clothes after they order them.
Learn To Read Body Language
There are a lot of important reasons to learn how to read your customers. Great customer service workers can tell if a customer is happy, sad, or even angry by how they act. Why does this matter? Changing a customer's mood can be a good way to get to know them better and make them more likely to buy from your store again.
Learn How To Talk To People
Many shops have forgotten how to talk to their customers. How come? We might not have enough people to do it, or we might not have the time. The whole point of our article on retail customer service tips is to help you learn how to talk to your customers better. In the end, there is no magic trick or tip for good customer service in retail. Instead, investing in your employees' skills is the best way to make sure your customers are happy.
Love,
TDP x