Define Customer Service for Your People

“How do you suggest I measure how good the customer service is in our store these days?”
     Please ask that question of a few of your front-line staff—sales staff, cashiers, customer service representatives, and others who have the most direct contact with your shoppers.
     Make notes on what you hear. After that, please squeeze out a little more time so you can ask the same question of some repeat customers. How do they measure the quality of your customer service? Add to your notes.
     And the next step is to ask yourself that same question. How do you define “customer service”?
     Research at University of New South Wales indicates that you’re likely to hear one or more of three sorts of definitions:

• Giving customers what they ask for in a minimum of time and with a maximum of courtesy.
• Solving a problem with or for the customer so that a bond between the customer and the store is formed or strengthened, making it more likely the customer will want to return soon and often to the store.
• Selling products and services.

     Either of the first two definitions sounds fine, although the means to accomplish each could vary between the two. You’ll probably find that shoppers would be satisfied with either of those first two definitions.
     The third definition seems to confuse ends with means. Employees who define customer service as meeting sales quotas might have low trust in store management. Or it could be that store management gives no more than lip service to delivering what shoppers consider to be good customer service.
     The New South Wales researchers say that when customer service quality falls short of the boss’s expectations, the boss shouldn’t start by blaming the front-line employees. The cause of the shortfall could very well be unclear expectations.
     Define customer service for your staff so clearly that no confusion remains about what you expect. One method is to give staff samples of what they can say. Explain that they aren’t required to use the exact words, but rather should adapt the phrasing to fit their style.

• “What may I help you find today?”
• “I understand your complaints. What might I do to make things right?”
• “Thank you for shopping here today.”
• …and so on.

For your profitability: Sell Well: What Really Moves Your Shoppers

Click below for more:
Use Closed-Ended Questions Selectively
Resolve Customer Complaints Carefully
Say Thank You, Dear
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