Examples of Great Customer Service in Retail
Did you know that an average modern person sees up to 5,000 advertisements every day? Because we see so many ads daily, we simply start filtering them out — unless the ad is extremely creative, of course.
However, while our brains are busy filtering out ads, customer reviews and feedback keep gaining tremendous attention. In fact, 90% of customers said that they read online reviews before visiting a store.
Today, having a good reputation and positive customer feedback means additional profit. Over 80% of customers are willing to tell their friends and family about the positive experience they’ve had with a business.
Good customer service motivates your customers to advertise your retail stores to their friends and families. And the best thing is that this advertising is free.
There are various sources out there talking about the importance of a good customer service as well as how to deliver exceptional customer experience. But what does good customer service really mean?
Perhaps, a manager would answer this question in one specific way and a customer service agent would answer in a different way. Everybody has their own unique insight but the most important character is still your customer.
Since customer service is all about the customer, there is no better source of feedback that you could have.
That’s why today we will explore what retail companies have been doing in terms of customer service and how the customers themselves perceive it.
What Customers Think About Customer Service
In a video by Vox Pops International, several people are interviewed and asked: “What’s Your Best Example of Customer Service?” Let’s see some of the answers below.
Apple
Ivan, a contracts manager says that he visited the Apple store that day to get the iPad fixed and the customer service there is one of the best in the world. According to Ivan, he has visited many Apple stores around the world and the quality of the customer service is high everywhere. The thing that he enjoyed the most was the fact that the staff explains what the problem really is and what procedure is necessary.
Apple is the fastest growing retail store and from the very beginning, it has mastered the customer satisfaction concept. Company understands that apart from high-quality products, providing enjoyable customer experiences is also crucial.
One of the advantages that Apple has is that it keeps the customer-centric attitude in all of its stores around the world! That is exactly what fascinates the customers, Ivan included.
What are the actual strategies that Apple uses for providing superb customer service? Find out how your retail store can succeed like an Apple store.
John Lewis
Gerard notes that John Lewis has an excellent customer service. The reason for this according to him is the friendly, intelligent and informed staff.
This UK department store knows the formula for good customer service. When a customer service representative is acting friendly, it creates and strengthens a special bond between them and a customer and contributes to the loyalty towards your business.
Having informed staff is especially important in retail business. Customers mostly search for specific products; therefore, a person that can quickly solve the problem will save the time for your client as well as show professionalism thus upholding the image of your store.
That is exactly why Gerrard enjoys interacting with the John Lewis store. He was showered with a friendly attitude and have been served in a professional manner.
Other Comments
There are small details that make a huge difference, and businesses don’t realize this. Here are several comments from the customers giving an interesting insight.
Lisa says that for her, pleasant customer service is when she enters the local French bakery and the employees greet her and nod. This gives her the feeling of appreciation and recognition.
This French bakery understands that the cost of acquiring a new customer is 5 times higher than keeping the existing ones. Therefore, the staff shows customers that they are being valued and appreciated. Such emotional bonding creates an attachment from the customer’s part and that is what exactly Lisa liked.
According to Ged, the customer service at the grocery store, Waitrose is good due to the fact that they provide their customers with a free cup of coffee in the morning.
Once again, this highlights the point that people appreciate even small attention. It’s not always necessary to make a costly marketing campaign to win your customers’ hearts. A simple cup of coffee and a little bit of help was enough for Ged to see the patrons’ empathy.
You can see more detailed interviews in a video made by Vox Pops International.
Going the Extra Mile for the Customer (Literally)
This is a story that went viral and even reached the TV news. Peter Shankman, an American entrepreneur and a founder of Help a Reporter Out website jokingly tweeted that he wanted a steak waiting for him right at the airport.
Peter was a frequent customer at the Morton’s Steakhouse. He’s heard about their nice customer service but could have never imagined that there would be a Morton’s employee suited up waiting for him with a stake in the bag.
The most exciting part about this story is that the restaurant is 24 miles away from the airport where Peter landed.
This is a perfect example that you can use for improving the customer service experience at your store. It does not mean that you have to meet your customers at the airport with their special order but it does mean that providing more than what they expect can provide so much positive feedback not only from the customer but from other people hearing about it.
An additional point is to always engage your customers. Keep an eye out on your social media and have a regular review, mention, feedback check-up routine. You never know, there might be a similar opportunity for you to shine just like Morton’s had.
Examples above show what customers really consider good customer service. With these insights, there are many things you can do for stepping up your customer service.
One of the ways of satisfying your customers is using Qminder. It makes much easier for your customer to interact with your store and makes the process more enjoyable for them.
On the other hand, it provides you with important data that can be used for future enhancements and improvements to make the customer experience at your store as smooth as possible.
Always ask from your customers what a good CX really means to them and what suggestions they have for your store. Remember, customer service is all about constant revisions and improvement.
