Retail Contrarian

Say It Better - Say It Different

Last week I shared with you fifteen sentences retailers should not use if they want to better differentiate their store as well as improve the customer experience. These sentences have generated more comments than any Weekly Retail Experience in the last six months. While most people agree that those sentences should be avoided, the number one question was what to replace them with.

So without further ado, here are fifteen sentences you DO want to say to customers:

1. "How may I help you?" isn't in and of itself a bad question but it is way overused. It's said most often in these three contexts:

a) When a customers first walks in the store. Replace it with "welcome" and some engaging conversation about weather, asking if it is the customer's first visit to the store, etc. They key is to build a rapport with your customer. The fastest way to kill that is to ask the customer why they're in the store. Obviously if the customer wants to quickly tell you why he's there that's fine but we shouldn't bring it up too early in the rapport- building process.

b) A customer approaches you at the counter or walks in clearly looking for some help. Greet the customer with a smile, a "hello" or "welcome," and then "How may we assist you?" It's not too far from "How may I help you?" but it is different and that's the key!

c) While answering the phone. Tired! Skip it altogether and try something like this: "Thank you for calling Dynamic Experiences Group. This is Doug."

2. Don't: "Feel free to look around." DO: Try something like, "It's nice to have you here. We just got some wonderful new xxxx in that you may want to see." Be specific about what you'd like the person to see.

3. Don't: "Let me know if you have any questions." DO: "I'll be happy to assist you at any time."

4. "Let me know if you need any help." See #3.

5. Don't: "We're out of stock but you can call us after our truck comes in." DO: "We're currently sold out but we'll be happy to call you when it comes in. May I get your name and number please?"

6. Don't: "I don't know when [insert another employee's name] is going to be in." DO: Tell the person when that employee will be in and ask, "May I have him/her call you?"

7. Don't: "I wouldn't know." DO: "I can't answer that but I will find someone who can."

8. Don't: "I can't do that." DO: "Here's what I can do."

9. Don't: "Hold on please." DO: "May I put you on hold for about thirty seconds?"

10. Don't: "Anything else?" or "Will that be it?" DO: "I have a xxxx that will be perfect to with the xxxx" or "Did you see xxxx?"

11. Don't: "No problem." DO: Either "You're welcome" or "My pleasure."

12. Don't: "Uh-uh." or "Yeah." DO: "Yes."

13. Don't :"What's up?" DO: Either "Welcome" or "Hello".

14. Don't: "How's it going, guys?" DO: Once again, you can't go wrong with "Welcome" or "Hello".

15. And as a reminder any personal conversation between employees has a negative impact on the customer experience and kills more sales than we know.

Remember, the difference between a good experience and a GREAT experience is you and your staff.

Say What?

One of the most important lessons I learned at Bose is "To be better you must be different." Differentiation is a vital element of success in today's retail world of commoditized products, look-a-like malls, and same-old-same-old customer service. Differentiation is important in your merchandising, in your product offerings, in your marketing materials, and most important, in how the staff engages your customer. To differentiate your approach, take a look at these fifteen sentences your retail employees should avoid saying to their customers:

1. "How may I help you?" - It's old, tired, and way overused. If you visit ten stores on a shopping trip you're bound to hear it at least five times, which also means you were probably ignored three or four times. Kill it.

2. "Feel free to look around." - Also old, tired, and way overused. It's like you're giving me permission to look around in your store.

3. "Let me know if you have any questions." - Okay, maybe not as tired as the first two but definitely overused. If you use this one, think about changing it to "I'll be happy to assist you at any time."

4. "Let me know if you need any help." - See #3.

5. "We're out of stock but you can call us after our truck comes in." - This virtually invites the customer to shop your competition because you clearly don't care if that person makes a purchase from you or not. Always offer to call the customer.

6. "I don't know when [insert another employee's name] is going to be in." - Either check the schedule or offer to take the customer's name and phone number.

7. "I wouldn't know." - This is only acceptable if it is followed by, "But I'll find out."

8. "I can't do that." - Hopefully we say "yes" more often than "no," but sometimes we do have to tell a customer we're unable to fulfill a request. Instead of saying "I can't" it will sound a little better if you say "I'm unable to."

9. "Hold on please." - If you need to put a customer on hold, ask if it's okay and estimate how long she can expect to wait. "May I put you on hold for about thirty seconds while I find the answer?" Someone once asked me what happens if the customer says no. While I've never heard of that happening, I guess I wouldn't tell the customer I'm putting them on hold but that I'm putting the phone down. As a side note, if you're busy or whatever you're going to do will take longer than a minute or two, consider calling the customer back. Time passes slowly when you're on hold.

10. "Anything else?" or "Will that be it?" - Usually these are feeble attempt to add-on to a sale. The customer almost always replies "no" to the first or "yes" to the second. To enhance a customer's purchase the employee should either suggest a product or at least not ask a close-ended question.

11. "No problem." - Ahhhhhh! No problem is not a proper substitute for, "You're welcome." If you listen for it today I will guarantee you hear it at least once, quite possibly coming from your own mouth.

12. "Uh-uh." or "Yea." - These are not a proper substitute for "yes."

13. "What's up?" - At the very least this shouldn't be said by or to anyone over the age of 30.

14. "How's it going, guys?" - "Guys" could be the most misused word in society today. I do understand that it has become an informal term for people but my personal opinion is it if it is used with families or women over the age of 30 that it shows a lack of respect. (Disclaimer: I've arbitrarily picked 30 as a cut off point. I think it is something that you should determine according to your customer base, market segment, community, etc.)

15. Any personal conversation between employees. It has a negative impact on the customer experience and kills more sales than most retail employees know.

Doubling Your UPTs and The Attitudes of Success

IT’S FINALLY HERE! Matt and I are happy to announce the release of our first retail audio training program, 4 Days to Doubling Your UPTs. That’s right, in just 15 minutes a day we’re can teach any manager or retail associate how to double their Units Per Transaction.

Don’t worry; this isn’t those same boring training CDs that most companies provide. We make learning FUN and EFFECTIVE. Our “Those Retail Guys” retail training program will remind you of the NPR show Car Talk, except it's for retailers by retailers. Our light-hearted approach injects humor into the subjects and makes it fun.

This product is guaranteed to pay for itself in the first week or we’ll happilyrefund your money. Learn more about 4 Days to Doubling Your UPTs.

The Attitude of Success

One of the biggest differences I see between high-performing managers and everybody else comes down to one very important attribute. The same attribute is also shared by store owners and executives as well. And just what is that one attribute, you may ask. It’s attitude. That’s right, attitude. While experience and skills are unquestionably important, the biggest differentiator is a person’s attitude. These are the four key attitudes successful retailers have in common:

1. We Can Do – The manager/owner/executive hits the store everyday with the attitude that it will be a successful day. She believes every day that the store will achieve the daily sales goal. But a “We Can Do” attitude is much more than confidence. It’s a leader showing the way with enthusiasm, passion, positive energy, and confidence. These managers have the entire team believing it will be a successful day. This manager/owner/executive doesn’t make excuses or place blame when she falls short, she just goes into the next day even more determined to make it a successful day.

2. Sales Determine Our Success – Successful managers/owners/executives are focused on hitting a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual sales number. They know that to do this they have to be a smart retailer. They know that it takes a well-merchandised store staffed by a motivated and trained team. And they know those elements are the means to an end, not the end itself. One mistake many retailers make is deeming themselves successful because they receive many compliments on their store or on their staff. Compliments are nice and it means you’re doing the right things, but success comes from achieving sales goals.

3. You Grow, We Grow – High-performing managers/owners/executives achieve their goals through people, not with people. They are always challenging and developing all of their people. When I worked at The Sharper Image I had a manager who always took the time to sit down with every single employee and discuss how he/she was doing. I once asked him if it was really that imperative to spend time with a part-time cashier who had told me she basically wanted to come in, ring the sales, and leave. He responded that it was important that everyone improve and develop in their position. He told me that when the individuals on the team are growing, the store as a whole will grow. He was absolutely right.

4. An Attitude of Gratitude – Top performing managers/owners/executives always see what they have, not what they don’t have. They’re grateful for both the opportunities and the challenges that lie before them. They appreciate and never forget who helped them get to where they are. They’re always helping others as a way to give back for what has been given to them. They live with an attitude of gratitude.

So let me ask, how’s your attitude?