CUSTOMER SERVICE STARTS AT THE DOOR

What is the first thing you think of when you see someone coming through your front door?  Are you happy to see that wonderful person known as a "customer"?

How do you let that person know that you value his business? Do you greet him with a smile or just continue on doing whatever it was that you were doing before they walked in?

How Does Your Customer Service Measure up?

I must confess that I have a bad habit of doing the latter.  I am usually engrossed in some task requiring my full attention - paperwork, taxes or the finances, and it is hard for me to "drop everything" when someone walks in. At times, I barely look up to greet this person. That is a definite problem!!

Luckily for me, I have a partner that realizes my lack of social skills in this area, and she takes up the slack immediately.  I watch in awe as she greets each guest with a smile and makes them feel like the most important person on earth at that moment in time. It astonishes me that she is able to carry this off with grace and an ease which only comes from doing it each and every time a customer comes through the door.

The reasons people become your customers...

Some customers are in your store because they need your help. These customers need your time. Be sure to make them feel their needs are important to you and find out how you can be of service to them. Sometimes customers just need to be heard.

Some customers are at your business because they know what they want and know that you will have it or get it for them. I call this group "express customers." They know what they want when they get to your store.  They are usually on a time crunch and have a limited amount of time they want to spend to get exactly what they want. These customers want efficiency.

Some are just there to "look around". These types are really there to see how you make them feel.  Are you too busy to be bothered with them since they are not really making any purchases right now? Do you show them the same consideration as if they were making a high dollar purchase? This is an area where I think many owners need improvement. I have noticed my partner doesn't seem to think it matters WHO they are or WHAT they want...she treats every person like they are just about to spend a million dollars in our shop.  And this is not an act because she truly believes that each and every customer no matter how large or small their purchase - is worthy of her time.  And she is right! Marketing folks recognize this technique as cultivating a customer. Investing time and effort now will help to develop a relationship that the customer will remember when they are ready to make that purchase.

What you can do to improve your customer service skills...

As you can see, you have to be many things to many different types of customers. No matter what you have been doing in the past...you can always improve. It's not too late for us old dogs to learn new tricks.

So, the next time you hear that bell ring to signal a customer is coming into your shop just remember the old fire drill rules - STOP - DROP - AND ROLL!!!

STOP whatever you are doing.

DROP everything so you can look that customer in the eye as they come in and..

ROLL out the red carpet because this is the most important person that you will meet today.  Put on your best smile and make this person feel like more than a customer - make them feel like a trusted friend.