We retailers spend a lot of time trying to figure out what makes our customers happy and how to keep them loyal to us. The answer isn't usually hard to find since it almost always lies within us. More often than not those of us in the industry have higher expectations of retailers than do most customers. Tell me you don't get really annoyed when a retailer does a poor job and that you don't get excited when a retailer exceeds your expectations.
To test this out I asked a retailer in my coaching and mentor program to write down three to five things she encounters as a shopper that make it more likely she will be a loyal customer. She responded with these four:
1. "I want to be acknowledged when I walk into a store. Not pounced on but acknowledged. I might or might not want to be helped right away but if they're paying attention they should be able to tell."
2. "I know this sounds obvious but they got to have something I want to buy. There used to be this cute gift store in my town with really nice people working there but I never found a single thing I wanted to buy. I eventually quit going there."
3. "I want salespeople who really know their products. That's why I buy most of my clothes at a local store, not at department or chain stores. The women at that store always know exactly what will and won't work on me. So I guess that means they really have to know me as well as they know their products."
4. "I want to be appreciated. This is a big one for me. I get so mad when stores act like they're doing me a favor taking my money."
Then I asked the big question. How well do you and your staff meet these standards? Before she could answer I reminded her that there is a difference between hoping they do these things and knowing they do these things. "How would I know unless I'm at the store every minute of every day?" she asked. My answer is that you know because making sure these actions are taken is ingrained in the organization and people do them without even thinking about it.
She thought about it and said, "I know we do the first one really well. And I'm pretty sure we have the right products for our customers. If we didn't our business wouldn't be growing every year. I also feel very confident that my people know their products inside and out. I think we can do better at understanding our customer's needs but you and I are working on that."
Then the phone went quiet for a minute. She continued, "I'm not sure we really show our customers how much we appreciate them. We tell people "thank you" when they buy something but I'm not sure we do much beyond that. It's so important to me when I'm shopping but we're not doing it very well ourselves."
We talked a bit more and came up with several actions she can take. They include:
1. When thanking the customer the staff member will also tell the customer that they appreciate their business.
2. The owner and manger will each call a couple of customers a week to express their gratitude.
3. The staff will become more diligent about sending out thank-you cards.
So let me ask, how well are you and your store(s) executing what YOU expect as a customer? I would encourage you to go through the same exercise that we just did to learn of the opportunities that you might have to deliver an even more memorable and effective customer experience.
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