HOW WELL ARE YOU SERVICING YOUR CUSTOMERS?

​By Moe Lastfogel
Director of Sales and Marketing for The Retail Observer

---

Moe Lastfogel

Expand the education and resources you need

Consumers are savvier today than ever before and more knowledgeable with the help of the Internet. They also demand a higher level of customer service and expertise when shopping. With all the store closures of Sears, HH Gregg, and others, it’s more important to be ready for new customers. If you don’t provide them with the answers they are looking for, they can easily find another retailer who will. You can no longer sit idly by and let untrained employees handle your customers, nor can you expect to have customers come back if you don’t handle their concerns quickly and efficiently.

Exceptional customer service should be seen in every area of your operations, not just on your sales floor. Our long-time contributing writer John Tschohl is a great resource in this field. From the CEO to the janitor, everyone plays a vital role in the whole customer experience. What have you implemented in your business for continuing education of your staff in the areas where they work? Have you looked into your buying group or trade associations to see what educational programs they offer? You might even think of offering employee assistance for continued education at the community college level. I’m sure there are a thousand other opportunities out there.

Don’t forget that the service departments play a major role in how your business is perceived by your customers, but is often overlooked when talking about customer service. This includes how well your staff handles service calls, accounting processes, warehousing and delivery procedures.

We at The Retail Observer understand the importance of customer service, well-trained staff and efficiently run business processes. In today’s marketplace, the introduction of new technologies, product enhancements, certification and training have, and will continue to impact this area of your business.

Happy Retailing,
Moe Lastfogel
[email protected]

---