Grow Your Business With Memorable Customer Service.
You will note that I did not use adjectives such as “perfect”, “fantastic”, “unbelievable”, “amazing”, and even “incredible” to describe the customer service you might expect. Indeed with the retail shopping malaise in Australia at present, would it not be understandable if all the customer service and marketing managers of the retail chains, the fashion boutiques, the fast food outlets, and all and sundry purveyors of any sort of merchandise, went to extraordinary lengths to provide customers with a unique and unforgettable shopping experience?
Most, if not all of us have used the Internet to shop on-line. I for one, rarely buy a book unless its through Amazon, and buy DVD’s through JB Hi -Fi. All our Christmas shopping has already been done via the Internet from many and varied web sites specialising in gifts. So what is it that I and many other customers receive in terms of customer service that differentiates our buying experiences with personal in store shopping, and on line shopping? For the moment let’s leave the big Australian retailers such as Coles and Woolworths out of the equation. If I had my way I would never shop for groceries in store as not only is a time wasting experience, the familiar brands of items are gradually ( some would say frenetically) being replaced by “home brands” and having a check out chick gush “have a nice day” is about as inspiring as drinking warm flat beer.
So is the customer experience any different with other large chain stores such as David Jones , Myers, Aldi, and what about Flower Power, Toys R Us, Cosco, and the great IKEA, are they so huge and impersonal that buying from them is any different than simply being a buyer of goods, to be churned through the store and channeled through the check out as speedily as possible? KaChing! Will that be cash or card? Thank you, have a nice day! Next!
The slight difference between the grocery chains and the chain stores would appear to be the fact that there are in store sales people, who at least ask if they can assist, act as store guides, and even provide some assessment of similar products with a recommendation to buy based on their own personal experience or relying on feedback from other customers. Is not that a degree of customer service? Is it memorable, or just what we take for granted?
By comparison, using the Internet for browsing and buying products is memorable to the extent that connection to a web site is fast, an on line retailer will have set up particular landing pages for different products, there are usually special offers or discounts available, and the payment mechanism once a selection is made, is usually very fast using Visa, Mastercard, or Pay-Pal. Goods are delivered within time limits which are displayed on site, and there are refund facilities if the goods arrive damaged or fail to work as specified. So all these transactions which are quite impersonal show, is that by automating the buying process, and removing the human element, the customer receives the goods without the necessity to leave home, to trudge the shopping isles making price and quality comparisons and driving to and from the store which is also time consuming. So is all that memorable customer service? What about after doing the same thing for 5 years, ten years, or since childhood to the present time? Are we all masochists to put ourselves through this mundanely for decades of our lives?
So when was a time or instance when you received and recall, wonderful, personal, warm hearted, and MEMORABLE customer service? For many years my partner and I have travelled Qantas, but on our first trip to Singapore we flew Singapore Airlines. I definitely can remember that for every part of the ground reservations, the flight, the arrival, the customs procedure, the taxi to the hotel, the hotel stay, the day trips, and in every shop we visited, we were met with smiling, attentive English speaking personnel who did their utmost to make us welcome and to guide us through whatever process or activity we wished to engage in. Memorable? You bet. We have returned to Singapore some nine times.
Is that all it takes to make your experience memorable? A smile, a warm hearted greeting, a desire to assist and guide you to a decision in which you will be immediately gratified, and a thank you for buying with a final salutation to please visit again. Imagine if our public servants treated us that way. Even more fantastic would be that sort of customer service from our Banks, our Telcos, and our Local Councils, State Governments and our Federal Government.
Now that would be memorable!
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Good customer Service
Apple Store Hornsby
I had a problem with how quickly the battery in my iPhone was discharging. The young lady spent 20 minutes with me going through the ins and outs and now everything is in order. The best thing is that she knew that I wasn’t buying anything at the time. But guess where I am going to buy our Christmas iPod from?
Bad Customer Service
Myer Hornsby
All “Paypoints” ,as they call them, bar one, on the floor closed, a queue of 10 people waiting to pay for their purchases and not a staff member in sight. After about 5 minutes, and being resourceful I decided on some direct action and simply called out in a voice sure to be heard at all points of the floor “Is there anybody out there?”
There was a milds commotion including some applause from my fellow shoppers and eventually some assistance arrived to subdued applause.
It is probably not the staff member’s fault but it is probably the answer to why customers are going to stores looking and trying on then buying online (at a cheaper price) and those running the retailers want us to feel sorry for them!
A Couple of General Points
1. Why is it that the only places that you get anything like good and attentive service are where the salesperson’s reward is driven primarily by commission?
2. The spin doctors are also at work. The simple “checkout closed signs are disappearing and are being replaced by signs saying “Allow us to serve you somewhere else.” Where you might properly ask.
Yes, you do notice there is a greater alacrity to serve you towards the end of the month.The sales figures are starting to be tallied, and the commissions or bonuses depend on sales.
As to checkouts being closed, my local David Jones store just has empty desks. The customer goes hunting for someone to close the sale.
And the big retailers wonder why sales are falling?
We get better and faster service on the Internet.