The Importance of Good Customer Service In managing A Retail Store

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The Importance of Good Customer service in a retail store goes far beyond making that one sale to that one customer.

Here are 4 reasons why good customer service in a retail store will increase your business and bad customer service can put you out of business.

1. Make or increasing the Retail Sale.      
2. Return Visit by the Customer.    
3. Free Word of mouth advertising.
4. Controlling customer shoplifting.

Make the Sale

It is important to always greet your customer professionally.  Don't ignore customers when they walk by.  Just say hi, hello, how are you doing.  It lets them know you know they are there.  It is very important to be friendly but not scare off the costumers.   These customers are more likely to come to you when they need help. Be helpful but not an annoyance.   I always look at situations as if I was the customer. What kind of customer service do I want.  I hate it when I get asked 4 times by 4 people with in 5 minutes " Can I help You!".  My reaction is to turn around and walk out.  

If a customer can't find something and no one helps them.  Then you lost the sale.  It is very important to take study of your customers, if they look like they can't find something, step in ask if they need help.  "Are you looking for anything special?"

Be knowledgeable.  There is nothing worse than telling the customer I don't know where something is if you have it.  It means your lost the sale.  on the other hand after helping the customer find their item maybe you can suggest an add on item like batteries or French fries to the sale.

Return Visits & Word of Mouth Advertising

Getting a customer to return to your store and word of mouth advertising go hand and hand.  If you do a good job, the customer will want to come back.  If you do a bad job, they will never come back.  If they like your store a lot, then they will tell their a few friends and family about your store.  If they had a really bad experience in your store and left upset, then they will tell everyone they know every time your store is mentioned for the rest of their life about how bad an experience they had.  They might even write letters and go on Facebook to tell more people about how horrible the customer service was. 

It is a lot easier to lose a customer than to make a new one.  It takes over five new customers sometimes more to fix the damaged caused by one upset customer.  It costs a lot in promotions and advertising to make one new customer. It cost nothing to lose 5 in 5 minutes by giving really bad customer service.

Controlling Shrink

By this time you all think I'm crazy. What does good customer service have to do with controlling shrink? 

Good Customer Service is you first line of defense in fighting off customer shoplifting.  If a shoplifter knows they are being watched they are more likely to leave with out shoplifting. Take study of your customers. A professional shoplifter looks for opportunities.

 I hate it when I get asked 4 times by 4 people with in 5 minutes " Can I help You!".  My reaction is to turn around and walk out.

 You have to know the signs of a shoplifter.  It is easier and more time and cost productive to make a possible shoplifter not want to shop in your store.  Then it is to try to catch them. 

Have you heard security called to an aisle where a group of teens have gathered?

It's not just to let the employees know there are potential shoplifters in that aisle.  It is also to let potential shoplifters know their being watched.  This is where the importance of good customer service works to the advantage of store managers.

So remember Good Customer Service habits will make a customer want to shop in your store.  They will tell their friends and family to shop in your store.  Their children will get a accustomed to shopping in your store and continue as adults.  You increase your chances of making a lost sale and increasing the size of the sale.   You also decrease your the overall shoplifting in your store. Increase your Profits!

With bad customer service no one will want to shop in your store. They just come in to shoplift from you!

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