Introduction
Learning lessons from examples of positive customer service is important for providing a better customer service experience in your store – which is vital for the success of businesses in the retail sector. In fact, according to Shopify research, 58% of consumers say that excellent customer service in the past influenced their purchasing decisions.
As you know, there are many factors that contribute to the in-store shopping experience, including setup, retail employee training, and the overall atmosphere. However, shoppers’ impressions of your business are significantly influenced by the quality of your customer service.
For this reason, it is important to always strive to provide the highest level of service and impress your customers every time they interact with your business. The best part is that you have complete control over the quality of service you provide.
But how can you improve the customer service experience? Below, take inspiration from 12 real customer service examples and discover the difference between good and bad customer service to help you on your way.
1. Add a Personal Touch
Your advantage as a local business is that you can provide a level of personal service that e-commerce giants like Amazon cannot offer. Customer service is an opportunity to add a human touch to your business. Implement personalization in your work.
For example, if a customer is looking for a pair of tight black jeans, accompany them to the display table instead of just saying “They’re over there on that table.” Then you can show the various options and discuss the different product features to help them compare the jeans and make a decision.
2. Be Transparent and Educate Customers
Providing education about the products you sell can also help increase your sales. Although it may seem overstated or unprofessional for customer service at first, if you are transparent and take time to educate shoppers before they purchase products, they are more likely to leave satisfied. Starting a conversation can also help you tailor your recommendations according to their needs.
You can use the “FAB” formula. FAB stands for Features, Advantages, and Benefits, and can help you and your sales staff remember the details of each product you sell. Features are the different attributes or components of the product. Advantages refer to what the features can do. Benefits are what the customer can gain from the product and its features – which is the most important part.
For best results, make sure to present unique benefits to each shopper.
3. Respond Quickly to All Customer Feedback
Responding to both positive and negative feedback quickly shows that you listen to customers and value their opinions, whether they are positive or negative. Respond to all customer feedback, and even more quickly to negative feedback. People appreciate it if you reach out to them quickly when they face an issue, have a question, or need a solution. If you can prioritize customer inquiries and address the most urgent ones within two hours – those experiences that are likely to impact your brand – you have a winning formula.
4. Use Innovative and Unexpected Return Policies
If a customer orders online and then decides they don’t like it or it doesn’t fit, suggest they give it to a friend or family member and offer them a new product of equal value. This way, you will make them happy, and you will get your products into the hands of other customers. Or the customer may decide to use the product anyway.
5. Find an Alternative Solution When Out of Stock
If a customer is shopping in-store or online and encounters an out-of-stock product that they really want, here are some recommendations for handling this issue:
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Offer a similar alternative to the product. If you have more than one store, see if you can find the product at one of the other locations.
– If the product is from a brand you sell, contact them to see if they have additional stock for immediate delivery so that you can fulfill the customer’s order.
– If you also manufacture and sell your products wholesale, check if one of your retailers has available stock for the specific item.
6. Build Relationships with Local Shoppers
You are more likely to remember the cashier who starts a conversation with you rather than the employees who don’t talk. Finding common ground with shoppers is a great way to build relationships and create a memorable experience, even if it’s something small.
7. Remember and Reward Repeat Customers
Add an element of surprise and delight by remembering and rewarding repeat customers. Maintaining a base of loyal customers is important for your business growth – 80% of business often comes from 20% of customers. Therefore, encouraging customer loyalty is essential.
8. Proactively Handle E-commerce Shipping Issues
Naturally, online businesses encounter sporadic shipping and delivery issues. Whether it’s a delayed shipment, a lost package, or damaged goods, there are a few issues that can occur.
9. Offer “Try Before You Buy” for Online Shoppers
If you can manage logistics, allowing customers to try products at home before purchase is a great way to build relationships with them. When you take the extra step to provide an excellent shopping experience, they are likely to buy at least one product from those you sent them to try.
10. Improve In-Store Greetings
Excellent customer service starts the moment potential customers enter your store. Crafting a unique in-store greeting will help you make a strong first impression. Avoid using predictable phrases like “How can I help you today?” by testing different greetings to capture attention and get to know shoppers better.
11. Send a Handwritten Thank You Note
Sending handwritten thank you notes is not just a nice gesture; it’s a surefire way to stand out from the rest of the retailers (especially the big ones). It may seem like an old-fashioned way to greet customers, but it’s a memorable experience. Thank you notes can help improve response rates and make customers feel special.
12. Unify Customer Service Across All Channels
It’s important to provide a consistent customer service experience across all channels, including email, phone, live chat, social media, your website, and your store. To successfully build lasting relationships with your customers, it’s vital to deliver a stable customer service experience across all channels.
Conclusion
Consumer behavior is constantly changing. This includes marketing preferences, purchasing habits, and how people interact with businesses. Your customer service strategy may also evolve, but customers’ demand for good customer service and support does not change. Therefore, it’s always essential to innovate the best ways to provide excellent customer experiences and adapt to meet your customers wherever they are.
In summary, you should:
– Ensure you and your staff are knowledgeable about the products you sell
– Be available for customer questions and respond promptly (even to negative feedback)
– Do what you can to exceed customer expectations and make them happy and feel special
– Succeed in customer service by using an easy-to-understand point-of-sale system
Source: https://www.shopify.com/retail/customer-service-examples
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