Building a successful business necessitates getting repeat customers and/or clients. The secret to getting consumers to return is to make them feel valued and appreciated. Whether your business lives online or in a retail space, or is primarily conducted over the phone, there are several ways you can demonstrate excellent customer service and take it a step further to create a personal connection that will bring people back to you again and again.
Method One of Three:
Handling New Customers in a Retail or Business Space
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1
Acknowledge customers immediately upon entering. Come out from the counter and help them as soon as they arrive if at all possible. If you cannot get over to them right away, at least welcome them to your business and let them know you will be right there to offer your assistance.[1]
Be sure not to offend a customer you are already helping by rushing them or seeming too eager to move to the next sale.
Treat all customers equally when more than one is present. The only time you should give one special treatment in front of another is when you want to demonstrate to a potential or new customer how you treat your existing ones.
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2
Smile and make eye contact. When you greet or talk with a customer, they should feel like the most important person in the room. Make sure you are giving them your full attention and listening to what they need.[2]
A customer may have an unnecessarily long explanation for why she needs a new dress, but pay close attention to the details so you can make specific suggestions and avoid pointing her to something inappropriate for her event.
If your business provides professional services, ask questions to clarify a potential client’s expectations when they give only basic information. You likely are aware of important considerations they are not.
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3
Learn the customer’s name. Not only will this show them that you are taking an immediate interest in them as a person, but you can call them by name next time they visit you and make them feel even more valued.[3]
If you are not great at remembering names, try a memorization trick, like a mnemonic device. Think of another word that sounds like their name and create a sentence linking the two together however it makes sense to you.
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4
Learn and remember something about them to mention on their next visit. Asking questions about what they need and why may lead to a piece of information about their lives you can ask about next time.
If buying something for a trip, remember where they are going and ask how their trip was the next time they come in.[4]4.
If you run a home improvement store, ask about the project for which they are purchasing materials so you can see how it went next time you see them.
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5
Help the customer find a service or item elsewhere if you cannot provide it. Referring a customer to a competitor seems counter-intuitive, but it will show that their needs are important to you.[5]
Telling customers how and where to get what they need makes it more likely they will visit you again just for your honesty.
Losing one sale now and gaining a customer's respect is much more productive than selling them a product or service that won't address their needs.
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6
Keep your business or workspace organized and inviting. Cluttered aisles, out-of-date merchandise, broken equipment and dirty windows all will give the impression that you don’t pay attention to details or customer satisfaction. Make people feel welcome by offering a clean and organized store or business front and appropriate signage so they can find their way around.[6]
Have a custom made welcome sign on the door or in the window. You can order one from a sign store for a good price and it will look much better than the common “Open/Closed” signs most businesses have.
Or use your artistic ability, or that of someone you know, to hand make a sign inviting guests into your business.
Clearly mark the restroom, if you have one, and make sure it is clean throughout the day. Nothing turns customers off like a dirty bathroom.
Add some whimsical décor or unique decorative objects to the walls and counters. It’s a chance to show guests your personality and give them an impression of who they are working with/buying from.
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