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Added for You - What is Customer Service? Ten More Things to Remember!
Let me tell you a story about Pete and a pizza. After a long day of fighting uncooperative pipes and fixtures, Pete P. Lumber, of Pete's DuperRooter, was looking forward to a nice, hot, decidedly Atkins-disapproved pizza — the stuff of which dreams are made. The week before, Pete was doing a bathroom remodel at Bob's historical Chicago bungalow. The house had only one bathroom, so Pete had to complete the project as fast as possible. Due to a series of unfortunate events, some of which involved a repeated, forceful application of a rather large hammer, Pete stayed much longer than he initially anticipated. To bungalow owner Bob's delight, Pete completed the remodel the same day.Bob decided t
7. After sale – returns – the savvy retailer knows that to compete with the big box stores a flexible and generous return policy is a must! Handle all complaints by askin
Online or offline, when you want to start a business you need a business plan. Writing a business plan helps when pursuing investment capital, but it also helps you set some clear goals. A business plan is a living document, so you can first create it as an outline and develop it later, as your business grows.Executive Summary:This is the most important section of your business plan. If you look for investors, make sure to write this part properly. The executive summary describes the company, the products and services and what unique opportunities you are offering. Remember: the executive summary creates the first impression of both you and your business. This is a business plan
Ten more points to remember about customer service:
1. Knowledgeable staff – cheerful and informed – knowing the product is paramount – informed about how the product works; how the item is made and its care; informed about the suppliers; informed about the store policies and its values; informed solutions to customer’s needs and wants; gives expert advice and gift suggestions. If knowledge is power, then empower your staff!
2. Signage – legible price tags and sizing labels – can the customer find the item easily; can the customer “reach” the item and if not, does the signage inform the customer of options. Don’t forget that signage is the silent salesperson.
3. Selection of product – is their depth and breadth? And if not, is the retailer willing to special order for the customer. Does the customer know this? Or does the customer just walk out of the store when the item isn’t readily available?
4. Presentation of the product – is the merchandise presented attractively? Does the presentation tell a story? In other words, does the presentation make a “sales pitch”. Can the customer access the item? Is their a flow to the placement of the product? Does the placement make sense to the customer?
5. Is the customer comfortable and at ease in the store? Is the lighting sufficient? Is the music too loud? Are the aisles wide enough for wheelchairs and baby strollers? Are there seating areas for tired customers? Does the dressing room have a sufficiently-sized mirror? Hooks? Seat? Does the dressing room door lock? Adults may prefer that the door locks, but mothers of small children would prefer not! Does the new mother have an area to change her baby’s diaper? Does the retailer have diapers for that new mother? (Complimentary, of course!)
6. Is “Point of Sale” efficient? – correctly fill out invoices, and check credit cards and handle cash – efficiently - as errors inconvenience the customer and waste time. Has the customer been offered complimentary gift wrap and/or enclosure card? Has the customer been asked to sign the mailing list? Does the customer know the store’s return policy? Has the customer been informed of upcoming sales and promotions? Always ensure that errors are corrected as soon as possible and at the store’s expense. Anticipate the customer’s lack of time (lunch hour, on coffee break, children close by and crying, etc.) and help process the sale as quickly and efficiently as possible.
7. After sale – returns – the savvy retailer knows that to compete with the big box stores a flexible and generous return policy is a must! Handle all complaints by asking
Life span of an asset to a business rests primarily, on the purpose of its acquisition and secondary, on its nature. An item acquired for immediate consumption or sale is a short-lived asset and that meant for prolonged use, is long lived asset, though both produce revenues. Whereas the former asset expires within one year of its acquisition, the latter asset lasts longer. Hence almost entire expenditure on a short lived asset becomes an expense and is matched against current year's revenue.But the position is otherwise with a long-lived asset which wears out or depreciates over a long period. Accordingly, the outlay of a fixed asset is spread over several years and annually only a fraction
Ten more points to remember about customer service:
1. Knowledgeable staff – cheerful and informed – knowing the product is paramount – informed about how the product works; how the item is made and its care; informed about the suppliers; informed about the store policies and its values; informed solutions to customer’s needs and wants; gives expert advice and gift suggestions. If knowledge is power, then empower your staff!
2. Signage – legible price tags and sizing labels – can the customer find the item easily; can the customer “reach” the item and if not, does the signage inform the customer of options. Don’t forget that signage is the silent salesperson.
3. Selection of product – is their depth and breadth? And if not, is the retailer willing to special order for the customer. Does the customer know this? Or does the customer just walk out of the store when the item isn’t readily available?
4. Presentation of the product – is the merchandise presented attractively? Does the presentation tell a story? In other words, does the presentation make a “sales pitch”. Can the customer access the item? Is their a flow to the placement of the product? Does the placement make sense to the customer?
5. Is the customer comfortable and at ease in the store? Is the lighting sufficient? Is the music too loud? Are the aisles wide enough for wheelchairs and baby strollers? Are there seating areas for tired customers? Does the dressing room have a sufficiently-sized mirror? Hooks? Seat? Does the dressing room door lock? Adults may prefer that the door locks, but mothers of small children would prefer not! Does the new mother have an area to change her baby’s diaper? Does the retailer have diapers for that new mother? (Complimentary, of course!)
6. Is “Point of Sale” efficient? – correctly fill out invoices, and check credit cards and handle cash – efficiently - as errors inconvenience the customer and waste time. Has the customer been offered complimentary gift wrap and/or enclosure card? Has the customer been asked to sign the mailing list? Does the customer know the store’s return policy? Has the customer been informed of upcoming sales and promotions? Always ensure that errors are corrected as soon as possible and at the store’s expense. Anticipate the customer’s lack of time (lunch hour, on coffee break, children close by and crying, etc.) and help process the sale as quickly and efficiently as possible.
7. After sale – returns – the savvy retailer knows that to compete with the big box stores a flexible and generous return policy is a must! Handle all complaints by askin
One of the challenges faced by entrepreneurs after opening a dollar store is staying connected to customers. It can be difficult to maintain a strong connection that allows you to understand the needs and wants of those customers. Yet without that information it is difficult to make changes that accommodate your customers, and thus to truly succeed over the long haul.There are many methods for collecting customer data. These include survey forms (email, mail, and in-person), face-to-face interviews, questionnaires, telephone surveys, and others. Each of these methods has certain benefits in the areas speed, timeliness, and cost. Each of these methods also has certain drawbacks as well. After
3. Selection of product – is their depth and breadth? And if not, is the retailer willing to special order for the customer. Does the customer know this? Or does the customer just walk out of the store when the item isn’t readily available?
4. Presentation of the product – is the merchandise presented attractively? Does the presentation tell a story? In other words, does the presentation make a “sales pitch”. Can the customer access the item? Is their a flow to the placement of the product? Does the placement make sense to the customer?
5. Is the customer comfortable and at ease in the store? Is the lighting sufficient? Is the music too loud? Are the aisles wide enough for wheelchairs and baby strollers? Are there seating areas for tired customers? Does the dressing room have a sufficiently-sized mirror? Hooks? Seat? Does the dressing room door lock? Adults may prefer that the door locks, but mothers of small children would prefer not! Does the new mother have an area to change her baby’s diaper? Does the retailer have diapers for that new mother? (Complimentary, of course!)
6. Is “Point of Sale” efficient? – correctly fill out invoices, and check credit cards and handle cash – efficiently - as errors inconvenience the customer and waste time. Has the customer been offered complimentary gift wrap and/or enclosure card? Has the customer been asked to sign the mailing list? Does the customer know the store’s return policy? Has the customer been informed of upcoming sales and promotions? Always ensure that errors are corrected as soon as possible and at the store’s expense. Anticipate the customer’s lack of time (lunch hour, on coffee break, children close by and crying, etc.) and help process the sale as quickly and efficiently as possible.
7. After sale – returns – the savvy retailer knows that to compete with the big box stores a flexible and generous return policy is a must! Handle all complaints by askin
Promoting your business means more than business cards and phone book advertisements. You need a promotional item or gift that will remind consumers you have something they want. One of the most effective and least expensive products that meet this need are promotional pens. With hundreds to choose from however, you should take some time to choose the perfect promotional pens for your business.How the ink reaches the paper is one of the first options you’ll find when searching for promotional pens. There are three types of ink delivery pens, ballpoint, rollerballs and gel. Secondly, you’ll have to decide whether your potential clients will prefer stick pens (the kind with lids), twist releas
6. Is “Point of Sale” efficient? – correctly fill out invoices, and check credit cards and handle cash – efficiently - as errors inconvenience the customer and waste time. Has the customer been offered complimentary gift wrap and/or enclosure card? Has the customer been asked to sign the mailing list? Does the customer know the store’s return policy? Has the customer been informed of upcoming sales and promotions? Always ensure that errors are corrected as soon as possible and at the store’s expense. Anticipate the customer’s lack of time (lunch hour, on coffee break, children close by and crying, etc.) and help process the sale as quickly and efficiently as possible.
7. After sale – returns – the savvy retailer knows that to compete with the big box stores a flexible and generous return policy is a must! Handle all complaints by askin
Who knew that a retailer's once-valuable and suitable point-of-sale system would become as useless as an old, antiquated typewriter? And then curse the day they got it? It happens. And worse, it keeps them operating at lower standards than other retailers who have stepped up to better technology.Technology always changes the way we work and the way our business works. It isn't just about performing our business functions better either. It's also about servicing the needs of our customers better. And it takes today's retail technology advances to help achieve this because it didn't exist cohesively before.So, chances are, you need to change your current system.In a recent retail
7. After sale – returns – the savvy retailer knows that to compete with the big box stores a flexible and generous return policy is a must! Handle all complaints by asking the customer, “How can I make this right for you!”
8. Flexible store hours – store hours should reflect the customer’s lifestyle NOT the retailer’s. Those cutesy signs informing the customer that the store owner is “here some days, but not on other days” is annoying to say the least, detrimental at most.
9. Special extras – most retailers assume that the “extra mile” is what customer service is all about. And it is. Unfortunately, most retailers forget about the first mile. The extra mile is all about smiles, and thank you. Extra phone calls, specialty items, special orders, flowers on the counter, coffee for customers, free add-ons, pretty packaging. But the first mile is about the “bones of the business”. It is what your business plan is all about. It’s what you told the bank manager at your initial visit. It’s about the “how.” How will the merchandise look in the store? Where will it be placed? How deep will the shelves be? How many sweaters on each shelf? How many colours and what sizes? Where will the cash register go? How long will the counter be? (because a short counter cannot service the customer well) How many dressing rooms will there be? The savvy retailer knows that the answers to these above questions are all part of the “customer service driven” business.
10. The long good-bye! Retailers often “forget” to say thank-you and goodbye. This is a great oversight. This is an opportunity to shine. A simple “thanks for shopping with us” goes a long way to goodwill and ensuring that the customer feels appreciated. In fact, a savvy retailer always greets his customers and when leaving “shows them to the door”. (After all, isn’t that what a good host would do!) Ensure that a sign is placed on the door, that reads, “Thank you and come again!” (Needless to say, carry packages to the car.)
Superior customer service drives the customer’s trust and respect which leads to a long-term relationship. Increased sales, increased market share, increased profits – everything flows from superior customer service! So the next time you ask “what is customer service”, remember the key strategies that make a business are all integrated and become the “how” of customer service.
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