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1.Ease of business. Are you easy to do business with or do I, as a customer, have to jump through hoops to return something? Are you well staffed or do you reduce your costs by scheduling a skeleton staff at any given time?
2.Staff accessibility and attitude. Is your team friendly and well trained in customer services procedures? Do they exhibit the mentality that the customer is important and comes first or do they spend their time gossiping and gabbing? Do they eagerly approach the customer or do they wait for customers to come up to them first. I recently bought an aquarium and although the staff was knowledgeable at the store I felt like I was intruding on their time.
3.Product selection and availability. Do you have a good supply chain management or order fulfillment process in place. Prior to buying my aquarium I placed my order at one store and at the time of writing this article almost six weeks later I still haven’t been advised that my tank has arrived. And this was a stock order!
4.Store cleanliness and layout. Is your store clean, tidy and visually appealing? I recently visited a new store in the city and, even though they had been open for less than a week, many of the shelves were in complete disarray and products were scattered haphazardly. Make it easy for people to find product, prices, and to maneuver around the store. In his book, “Why We Buy” Paco Underhill states the importance of having aisles that are sufficiently wide enough for every type of consumer.
Lastly, equip your team with the tools they need to properly do their job. Take advantage of the product training most manufacturers provide, invest in the on-going development of your people, and help them succeed. I’ve worked with companies who invest a great deal in their employees and others who spend a bare minimum. The difference in their overall results is always significant.
Today’s business environment is more challenging and competitive than ever before which means you need to give people a clear reason to do business with you rather than someone else.
-- About the Author
Kelley Robertson is a Senior Partner of The Robertson Training Group and the author of, “Stop, Ask & Listen - How to welcome your customers and increase your sales.” Gain practical advice on how to increase your sales by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine at www.robertsontraininggroup.com. Kelley can be reached at 905-633-7750, 1-866-694-3583 or Kelley@RobertsonTrainingGroup.com.
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