You have strong feelings that your store should provide good customer service, right? But if you were asked to define the phrase, could you do it? What is your retail customer service definition?
It’s not as easy as one might imagine is it? In the book titled Discovery-Based Retail we came up with a retail customer service definition that we believe works quite nicely and if you search to see how many times its quoted on the Internet apparently a lot of people agree.
So here you go, a good succinct retail customer service definition is:
Customer service is the sum of the acts and elements that allow consumers to receive what they need or desire from your retail establishment.
But wait a minute, you might say. By your definition almost everything that comes in contact with the customer would be a part of customer service. Yes, yes, you are right. Customer service is not a single act or interaction and in fact, great customer service can happen with little interaction at all.
Let me give you an example. Our sample shopper parks on a well-maintained safely lit parking area. It is an easy walk for her to enter your store. Upon entry to a nice decompression zone, her eyes adjust to the bright environment you have created. She is short on time and immediately spots the directive signage that you have put in place to make sure that it’s easy for her to find what she wants. She makes her way there, picks up her item(s) and then proceeds to a cash wrap area where she transacts her purchases quickly and conveniently. She makes her way across the clean and safe parking lot we described and she goes on her merry way.
Here’s what just happened.
- It was easy for her to get into your store. Customer Service!
- There was a decompression zone in which she could adjust. Customer Service!
- The store was well lit inside and out. Customer Service!
- You had great signage to direct her to her interest. Customer Service!
- You made it quick and easy for her to finish her purchases. Customer Service!
You see by any definition that limits customer service to one on one, all of these important elements are omitted. The truth is that we could compile an almost endless list of elements that would enhance the shopping experience.
So the next time you analyze your customer service use this new retail customer service definition and you’ll probably begin focusing on the customer experience rather than customer service.
