How to improve customer service in your store?

Personalized experiences, the human touch, essential tools… There are numerous ways to enhance customer service in stores, as it is a pivotal step in the shopping journey and often crucial for building customer loyalty. Beyond your product range, the image you present to your customers is a critical success factor. From the first interaction to long-term relationships, excellent customer service is essential for the business’s sustainability. Here are five tips to enhance customer service in your store.

1. Place your customers at the heart of your strategy

To enhance customer reception in your store, start by putting them at the heart of your strategy and fostering a customer-centric company culture. By designing your store with a “customer-first” approach, you ensure that the experience aligns with their expectations, ultimately boosting your sales.

From atmosphere and merchandising to staff availability and the services you offer, every aspect of the customer journey needs careful consideration. Tailoring your store to your customers demands a deep understanding of your clientele, backed by accurate and verified data. This data helps you create detailed customer profiles, known as personas, which guide the design of your sales floor.

2. Pay attention to the first 20 seconds

Making a good impression means captivating your customers from the moment they enter your store. The initial moments of a consumer’s experience in a shop are often overlooked, yet the first 20 seconds are crucial in shaping their perception and determining whether they want to stay (and buy!).

To enhance customer reception, ensure that your salespeople follow these tips:

• Use the SBAM method: smile, greet, say goodbye, and thank you.
• Adapt your language and speech to the customer, always maintaining a positive, warm, and friendly tone.
• Maintain a dynamic approach throughout the shopping journey.
• Dress neatly and professionally.

Customer reception is primarily about human interaction. It’s up to you to create an atmosphere and relationships that align with your visitors, based on their journey through the store. Know when to assist them, be discreet when necessary, and help when needed. Also, take care of your displays and make sure to create an attractive and clean environment!

3. Personalize the customer relationship

Customer experience is paramount when optimizing service. Achieving this requires personalized interactions through both your team and your tools. Your CRM and customer purchase history are invaluable resources for fostering special relationships.

Call customers by name, recommend products that align with their preferences and habits, add samples or gifts to their purchases, provide personalized discounts, and tailor promotional activities based on their buying history. Every personalized gesture you make will help strengthen customer loyalty.

4. Be quick and efficient

Minimizing wait times, both in-store and at checkout, greatly enhances customer service. While it’s crucial to provide thorough assistance, ensure swift attention to customers as soon as they enter. This means adapting the number of sales associates to match the crowd and peak periods.

It’s not just about having staff present; equipping them with tools to boost efficiency is crucial. For example, a tablet linked to your ERP system provides real-time access to stock levels, availability, prices, delivery options, and technical details. This mobility enables your sales team to offer seamless and prompt assistance from start to finish. It’s particularly valuable during peak seasons, like in a ski rental shop during the high season.

5. Know your products inside out

Customers are now more informed about the products we offer, often coming into the store after conducting online research. They seek further advice and expert opinions from our sales team. It’s crucial to have in-depth knowledge of your products and services to enhance customer interactions and ensure a positive experience. By becoming expert advisors, your team members play a vital role in the purchasing journey, making themselves indispensable and boosting customer loyalty.

Training your team and providing real-time access to product information are essential. Implementing practical processes and tools will help you meet customer expectations. However, it’s not just about the products you sell and the services you offer. In a constantly evolving market, your offerings must adapt to continuously meet your customers’ needs.

Ultimately, enhancing customer reception in your store hinges on an efficient point-of-sale (POS) system. It forms the backbone of any customer-centric strategy, offering essential features for a seamless shopping experience, such as:

• A 360° view of your customers, including their consumption habits and purchase history;

• A detailed catalog of your products, organized by category, to better inform and guide your customers;

• Real-time stock visibility, providing key availability information to accurately assist customers;

• An attractive and effective loyalty program;
• An omnichannel, interconnected ecosystem, granting real-time access to data from all sales channels (e-commerce, physical store) and operating on an integrated supply chain.