What’s Retail to Do About Customer Service During COVID 19? Wait, wait, wait … we mean all businesses!

by | Business Communication, Client Services Training, Coaching Skills, Communication Skills, Complimentary Customer Service Tips, Customer Service Communication, Customer Service Tips, Customer Service Training, Improve Customer Service, Personnel Training, Phone Skills Training, Sales Training, Telephone Technique, Telephone Training, Workplace Communication

WAIT – WAIT – WAIT … ALL BUSINESSES!!!

Here are 5 steps to help every retailer ‘up’ their game on customer service and help their harried, hassled customers as well as their worn-down, tired help during tough and all the times.

Actually, ALL BUSINESSES.

  1. Start some sort of training NOW. Next week could be too late. If you have some customer service training in place, step it up. If you don’t. Start something to help your staff go above and beyond. It’s just too easy in today’s marketplace to go somewhere else rather than stick around with surly help. Even the old, “Thank you for shopping with us” or “We appreciate / value your business” and “Have a wonderful day goes a long way.” And costs nothing.
  1. Meet with your staff at the end of the day. What went wrong? What went right? Capture and emphasize the ‘right way.’
  1. Have your staff put on a mental suit of armor. Let the verbal projectiles bounce off them. Most of the customers will not be upset with ‘them.’ However, they can usually be the target, sadly. Talk about that. Let the staff know you know there are not so fun customers out there. The bulk of them are simply trying to buy something. Job knowledge is key.
  1. Your employees need to have the CARE GENE. That’s critical. “Customers don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Sitting and reading a book, doing your nails, or talking with a coworker when a customer walks into the store is not good news. Jump up – walk over, with social distance in mind.
  1. The most important of all: SMILE – say hello. Have a MASK ON? Your tone and eyes need to smile. Do not let your staff enter the floor or store without a smile. Telephone Doctor motto: “A phony smile is better than a real frown.” It’s not all about COVID 19… it’s about the ‘customer’ as well. And no matter what, a smile will help win folks over.
Nancy Friedman

Nancy Friedman

Communication and customer service expert Nancy Friedman, The Telephone Doctor, founder and chairman of Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training, is back in the saddle again. Well, back into live onsite programs, and still offering her ZOOM programs, in a cost saving manner. Whichever you choose, onsite or Zoom, you’ll be glad you did. The reviews are excellent, and audiences have loudly applauded her in either area. Sales, customer service and communication skills are her area of expertise, and she welcomes calls, texts, or emails. You can reach her directly at nancyf@telephonedoctor.com; through the website at www.nancyfriedman.com, where you can sign up for her newsletters; or call/text directly at 314-276-1012 central time. Bring it on. Whether you need a keynote speaker or workshop/breakout speaker on customer service and communication skills, you’ll make a great choice.