2. Qualities required
Personal
Professional
Store qualities
Providing all three is vital. Remember that
customers form impressions from a wide range
of factors. We don’t know which one for each
customer, so we need to provide them all.
3. Personal Qualities - R
Personal characteristics that make us feel
comfortable and secure with another person.
Such as; friendliness, helpfulness, politeness and
a genuine interest in what the customer wants.
Combine these with being alert, tactful, patient
and understanding and you will reinforce the
impression within the customers mind that you
really do care.
4. Personal Qualities continued
Retail salespeople need a wide range of skills
so that they can interact effectively with
customers.
They must also control, maintain and
promote the store and its facilities to provide
a complete “customer-focused” operation.
These qualities & attributes set a comfortable
environment and form a good relationship
with customers.
5. Professional qualities - R
These are the characteristics and skills that
customers expect from a salesperson working
in a particular store.
These are developed with experience, training
and practise.
Credibility in the customers eyes is also vital
as it leads to a level of trust and confidence in
the salesperson, and in the store.
6. Professional qualities - continued
Personal appearance is important and it should
match the stores image.
A salesperson MUST have a sound knowledge
of the products being sold.
Displaying both personal and professional
qualities in providing customer service leads to
profit for the store and an ongoing job for you.
7. ACTIVITY
Develop a list of personal qualities other than those
already noted that you look for, or expect from
service providers and salespeople.
Using these qualities and those already identified,
select the 3 that you feel are the most important to
you.
Compare your answers with others and discuss the
reasons for differences in your selections.
8. Store qualities - R
These are such things as store layout, ease of
access, clear aisles, good lighting and having
the merchandise in stock.
Other facilities may range from providing
carry bags, automatic teller machines, home
deliveries or public phones.
These generally reflect the stores image and
their pricing policy.
9. ACTIVITY 2 DO
Develop a list of store facilities other than
those already noted that you consider could
contribute to a good service perception.
Describe WHY you think each one is
important from a customers point of view.
10. Difficult customers
The aim is to retain them as customers.
96% of customers with a problem, do not complain –
they just don’t come back.
Of the 4% that do return, 95% of these will do
business again with the store – if the problem is
solved quickly; 54% - 70% will do business again if
the problem is simply solved.
This means if you have 4 complaints in a year
probably means that you have 96 customers who
have not returned and each will tell (WOM)
about 20 others about it.
11. 5 Main types of difficult customers
1. Angry customers
2. Impatient customers
3. Intimidating customers
4. Timid customers
5. Talkative customers
Each one can be dealt with successfully
using the correct strategy.
12. Angry customers
Ready to fight with
whoever is in charge.
May use abusive
language, bang the
counter, yell and point
their finger
Their expression of that
anger is the difficulty,
not the anger itself.
13. Impatient customers – 2 categories
1. Store has made them unhappy –
long lines, kept waiting, ignored.
2. Those that always want things in
a hurry – they will give off
plenty of signals (loud sighing,
tapping foot/fingers, clock
watching) and can be picked up
quickly by observant staff. Eye
contact may stop the problem.
14. Intimidating customers
Often know their problem is not legitimate and pick
a junior so they can take advantage of their lack of
experience or knowledge.
Confrontation by senior staff & they may threaten
legal action, consumer affairs and/or expose TV
show.
Often drop names of people in high places and
threaten to get you fired.
They love an audience, the more the better.
15. Timid customers
Will apologise for coming back, then
share with you their personal problems
(this can also be a tactic to get
sympathy).
They can manipulate salespeople just
as much as the angry or intimidating
customers.
16. Talkative customers
Time is costly in business and
these customers are often older and
lonely, however that may be, you
are paid to do a job.
Handled tactfully these customers
can be a great advocate for you and
your business
ACTIVITY
Use your own experience about returning merchandise and write a
brief outline of the situation, listing what caused the problem
17. Strategies to use
Recognize the two parts of the problem that
need to be dealt with, the emotion and the
facts.
Addressing the emotion is the hardest part
and also the part that can be very distressing,
remember; IT IS NOT PERSONAL.
You are the company in the customers eyes
and that makes you the point of contact.
18. Barriers - often caused by the salesperson’s reaction.
Contrary attitudes – disagreeing with the customer
until they prove otherwise.
Allowing bias to affect how we see and treat others.
Jumping to conclusions and rushing to make a
decision without all the facts.
Some of these are caused by wanting to get rid of the
stressful situation as fast as possible.
When the customer uses abusive language, it is
an easy trap to fall into.
19. The 4 step strategy = AQUA
When a customer sees red – use AQUA
A = acknowledge – both emotion and facts, empathise, don’t
sympathise, use non-defensive phrases.
Q = question – after customer has stated initial problems then ask
the what, when, which, why, where, who, how. Closed Q’s =
specifics
U = understand – ensure ALL information has been given, know
the store’s policies & procedures, treat people as individuals
and consider alternatives if required.
A = answer – calmly & convincingly, If necessary take action
immediately and document all. A choice of solutions is best
if possible.
20. Special needs customers
Goods delivered
Assist with carrying
Helping navigate a pram through a store
Language issues
Cultural differences
Disabilities
21. Cultural awareness in CS
Religious observance
Dietary requirements
Language interpretation
Information translation
Payment/currency knowledge
Product knowledge
REMEMBER:
be aware of verbal AND non-verbal communication
22. Verbal communication
Speak clearly
Speak slightly more slower than usual
Do NOT speak more loudly than usual
Avoid the use of slang (“are ya right”)
Avoid the use of acronyms
Use all courtesies (excuse me, thank you, it’s
a pleasure etc.)
23. Non-verbal communication
Do not intrude on personal space
Avoid being too familiar
Provide clear directions or information
Use maps, pictorial information
Write down information if necessary
Avoid using gestures (thumbs up, OK symbol, pointing)
instead, use the whole hand.
Avoiding handing anything to Muslims with the left
hand and when accepting something from an Arab or
Asian, do so with both hands.
Keep body contact to a minimum
24. Legislation requirements may include:
Trade Practices Act
Tobacco and Lottery Acts
Liquor licensing regulations
Sale of X and R rated products
Sale of second hand goods
Trading hours
Transport, storage and handling of goods
Anti-discrimination laws
25. NOTE: There are several pieces of legislation in Federal and
State laws which cover discrimination in the workplace.
There are four Commonwealth Acts:
1. The Racial Discrimination Act 1976 prohibits discrimination on the
grounds of race, colour, national or ethnic origin, immigration (or that of a
relative or associate);
2. The Sex Discrimination Act (1984) prohibits direct and indirect
discrimination with regard to sex, sexual harassment, marital status,
pregnancy, and dismissal on the grounds of family responsibilities.
3. The Disability Discrimination Act (1992) prohibits discrimination on the
grounds of disability.
4. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1987
prohibits breaches of human rights by the Commonwealth and
discrimination in employment on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion,
political opinion, national extraction or social origin, age, medical record,
impairment, marital stereos, mental, intellectual or psychiatric disability,
nationality, physical disability, sexual preference, trade union activity.
26. Remember
Excellent customer service is up to YOU
There are internal AND external customers
Be aware of verbal AND non-verbal
communications
LISTEN to what the customer tells you
RESPOND to a customers needs AND wants
Sell-ups and Add-on sales are important and should
be offered to help the customer, not just make sales
Do NOT take comments about the store personally,
they are often very emotional, find out what is the
problem.