Bringing service back to Department Stores?

[Weston]

Personally, I'd prefer that they appear to be doing something/anything related to their job. Far too often, the sales personnel in a department or speciality store either stand gawking myopically like an expectant oppossum or are blissfully ignorant of a potential purchaser's presence. It's not necessary to ride herd on a customer. Just be there and be aware. If they need assistance, they'll probably ask.

Ahh, but here the problem is many types of customer exist. If we appear to be busy, many prefer "not to bother us", which costs us sales. As for riding herd on the customers, I must follow my customer at a respectful distance, as I belong to that person for the tenure of the sale. If I am not at arms length or available to someone, I am not serving them, and someone else will do so. Our men's department has 10-12 people on the floor at once. Following them assists in carrying parcels or selection as well as maintaining service through to the end sale.

Unfortunately, people who need assistance actually seldom ask, if you can believe it! I have to keep a sharp eye out for those looking vexed or lostish. I then go and ask them if they are finding everything alright – in response to another post – because I am asking them if they are literally FINDING things they need. Most times I ask and they say "Parking lot" or "mall exit" and then I can direct them.

 

[ortega76]

Ahh, but here the problem is many types of customer exist. If we appear to be busy, many prefer "not to bother us", which costs us sales. As for riding herd on the customers, I must follow my customer at a respectful distance, as I belong to that person for the tenure of the sale. If I am not at arms length or available to someone, I am not serving them, and someone else will do so. Our men's department has 10-12 people on the floor at once. Following them assists in carrying parcels or selection as well as maintaining service through to the end sale.

Unfortunately, people who need assistance actually seldom ask, if you can believe it! I have to keep a sharp eye out for those looking vexed or lostish. I then go and ask them if they are finding everything alright – in response to another post – because I am asking them if they are literally FINDING things they need. Most times I ask and they say "Parking lot" or "mall exit" and then I can direct them.

As a silly suggestion, have you tried using this as your opening- "What brings you in to the store today?"

You'll still get some "just looking" responses but it's a good way to open up a few conversations. Someone may reply with a general interest that lets you get your foot in the door. For example, if someone replies "looking for a gift for my husband", you can narrow it down to shirts and ties or whatever.

 

[Weston]

Yes – we as salespeople have a habit of trying absolutely anything. Eight hours a day on your feet allows opportunity to try out virtually any approach. I've found its probably going to be sizing up what sort of customer you have. No catch all for everyone I suppose.

 

[Tomasso]

My sales pitch would be.......

"Hi, let me know if you need any help".

Short and sweet.

It's music to my ears when I'm shopping.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I worked in a British department store for 5 years and I like to think that a good number of my colleagues provided exceptional customer service. A good part of it was going the extra mile.

This did sometimes include helping customers get their shopping to their car. We did have gift wrapping too. I think the main Golden Era customer service aspect is showing the customer that you really do care.
Realistically you can do this more with some customers than other, the nature of their queries make a difference.

 

[NicknNora]

Know the various product lines you sell, and be able to compare & contrast them. Know what items are on the floor in your department, where they're at, and which can be special ordered when they're out of stock or when special options are available. Know how to check if a particular item is available in a size or color that you don't have presently is available at another store in the chain, and how to arrange for the customer to get it. Treat the customer as the reason why you have your job, and not as an interuption to said job. Note which clerks are doing things right and which aren't and learn from it. Please the customer - go the extra mile - make them feel special. Smile. Know how to eat crow and not show it with difficult customers. Know when upcoming sales are happening and what items will be marked down and point that out to customers you know - "That's a lovely shirt, but it's going to be on sale next week - why not wait and buy two?" That sort of thing. Be ready to ask a customer if they want help, but don't pester them over and over and over if they don't need it. Sometimes the customer wants to think about something or consider a few things, and I know it drives me nuts when the same clerk approaches me every 90 seconds to ask if I need some help.

Good advice. I especially agree with KNOW YOUR PRODUCTS. I went to Macy's recently to buy a wedding gift. I printed out the bridal registry and no one seemed to know where any of the items were located or what some of the items even were. It was a bad experience for me and Macy's actually lost money on the deal because I wanted to purchase a more expensive item but we couldn't find it and I settled for something less expensive.

 

[jwalls]

I worked for Sears part time in high school. We were taught that the motto over the door "THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT." was the guiding principle in retailing. Unfortunately this is lost on most retailers today. The mne's department would tailor a 3 piece suit to measure for $85.00 in those days,and the salesmen were among the best paid in the store.

 

[flat-top]

With payroll being cut, it's getting harder to provide good customer service. As a retail manager, I will tell you that with unmanned registers, disasterous fitting rooms, torn up salesfloors and a new, angrier customer, the current climate is pretty ugly. I get pulled in a hundred directions at once, and get yelled at daily by unhappy customers. I'm aware that they don't undertsand *why* there is little to no sales help; they just want help. I hear "This store has gone downhill." every other day. If they only knew how frustrated WE are that we can't help everybody, or properly clean the place up, etc.
I'm dreading the 2009 Holiday season.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

With payroll being cut, it's getting harder to provide good customer service. As a retail manager, I will tell you that with unmanned registers, disasterous fitting rooms, torn up salesfloors and a new, angrier customer, the current climate is pretty ugly. I get pulled in hundred a directions at once, and get yelled at daily by unhappy customers. I'm aware that they don't undertsand *why* there is little to no sales help; they just want help. I hear "This store has gone downhill." every other day. If they only knew how frustrated WE are that we can't help everybody, or properly clean the place up, etc.
I'm dreading the 2009 Holiday season.

Flattop I can sympathise. I think it is good to do all you can for a customer and go beyond that. But "the customer is always right" is something I could never agree with.

I worked in the electricals department and having had to deal with customers abusive to colleagues, refuse to accept and advice from a colleague because she was female and even have to take over from staff because the customer has reduced them to tears and can say the customer is NOT always right.

Some customers are exceptional unreasonable, rude and arrogant. Even if you did do exactly what they wanted, they often wouldn't appreciate it anyway. Not only is it unpleasant for the staff but it can be unpleasant for other customers too.

I do totally agree though, product knowledge is essential. Even to know competitor products and related items which you may not even sell.

 

[katiemakeup]

Unfortunately, I have learned recently that if a customer wants to take advantage of you and the complain loud enough, they get what ever they want and then some. Even if all parties know the customer is wrong and being unfair.

 

[Tomasso]

Unfortunately, I have learned recently that if a customer wants to take advantage of you and the complain loud enough, they get what ever they want and then some. Even if all parties know the customer is wrong and being unfair.

So true.....but hopefully those types will rot in Hell!

I really am flummoxed by the motivation of some.

 

[Dexter'sDame]

Make them feel helped, not sold to!

Congratulations on your new job. I love your attitude!

As someone who spent 4 years, 5 Christmas seasons in retail (clothing, housewares, music/video, gifts), a Christmas Eve in Giftwrapping, and a year and a half in store management...I'm glad to be out of retail but wouldn't trade the experience!

1. Make the customer feel helped, never sold to.

2. Know the merchandise, and the merchandise of your nearest competitor. If you're out of something and another of your company's stores is some distance, tell the customer when you'll have the item and give them the option of going to the competition. They'll often come back to you next time.

3. Refuse to be the associate who sells a bad product, regardless of company pressure. Every store has one product that, put bluntly, sucks. If your customer is deciding between two items and you know one of them isn't a good product, be tactful but quietly honest while steering the customer to the one you know works better--even if it's a less expensive product. They'll appreciate your honesty, and they'll feel like they have insider information others don't have. My manager stopped complaining when he noticed I was the only associate customers were requesting by name and that I was also the only one with this policy.

4.Be observant, learn your various customer types and their habits, and treat each customer equally while making them each feel special. You'll learn things about people and demographics that will serve you, no matter what your profession. Every store is different. Who are your customer types, when do they shop, and what do they buy? Here were some of mine: Rainy winter day at a department store in Southern California: wealthy women who wanted to show off their rarely-worn winter ensembles and spend money, plus bored people of various incomes who just wanted out of the rain and weren't there to buy. Thursdays and Fridays: Confused or nervous-looking divorced men or young single guys looking for reliable cooking equipment and tasteful gifts for Saturday date night--often on a tight budget, but wanted the best they could afford. Certain days of the month in the 1980's: people in casual clothes, wearing expensive gold watches and pagers who were a little twitchy and paid with very, very large rolls of cash.

5. Take #3 a step further by learning what the "average" hobby and lifestyle preferences are for each of your customer types, and anticipate their needs. Be like Amazon: recommend a second item that fits your customer's demographic preferences. If you offer it as an option and don't hard sell it, they'll often buy both. Then go the extra mile: the above-mentioned nervous-looking men buying cooking equipment were often confused about what to cook, so I'd give them a simple but impressive recipe to bolster their confidence.

6. Always remember what it was like to be in the service person's shoes and treat them kindly...especially the poor kid who's having a rough first day and doesn't know what he/she is doing, because he needs it most. And if he's not properly trained, it's not his fault.

 

[Jennifer Lynn]

Dexter'sDame summed it up VERY well as far as what steps you can take to ensure your work in retail is a pleasant one (and so your customer enjoys the experience too).

I worked in retail in my late teens, and also wouldn't have traded the experiences I had for anything. I had great times, and not so great times. I learned how to provide great customer service, tame the angry customer (kill 'em with a smile and a positive attitude), and I have amassed a wealth of respect over the years for (nearly) everyone in retail I've encountered since my time in the field.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

Congratulations on your new job. I love your attitude!

As someone who spent 4 years, 5 Christmas seasons in retail (clothing, housewares, music/video, gifts), a Christmas Eve in Giftwrapping, and a year and a half in store management...I'm glad to be out of retail but wouldn't trade the experience!

1. Make the customer feel helped, never sold to...

Some excellent points, especially #2. Knowledge of your products is critical and the competitors is extremely useful without excessively criticising them, which is never attractive.

 

[Matt Deckard]

I posted this then Read Dexter's Dame... what she said!

And

I remember I was in a shop with a friend of mine. We were looking at shoes and my friend picked up a shoe and said he had a pair from the same company. Also hinted that he wanted to try what was in his hand on. The salesman was kind of oblivious when he should have just said, "what size are you".

It's all sales and that mainly means knowing your product. There are a few good books out their on the subject, but the best advice I can give in regards to service is learning to keep your ears open.

So many people get into retail jobs and after a while they close their eyes waiting for the day to end. It's a rut that can be avoided by a keen interest in the clientel, after all that is why you are there.

Also, look sharp.

 

[Maguire]

Perhaps i'm going to be a bit of the minority here but i've been in retail/customer service now for 4-5 years and let me tell you, going out of your way is absurd. I've learned that the nicer you are and the more willing to help, the more you will be in trouble for it- I know from experience. If you work for some faceless corporation making 8.50 an hour for the most ungrateful customers imagineable, being super nice or friendly quickly leaves your mind. At my job i'm considered to have good customer service skills and patience (i was promoted to the photo area for that reason) but let me tell you, customers in my area tend to be the worst, most obnoxious penny pinchers imagineable. They walk into my store feeling as though we owe them something, give me attitudes because some product didn't work as though i was the one who put it together and packaged it! They come in looking for fights or worse, you'll have the lonely ones who come in to talk to you every single day because they have no friends so they go up and down the same shopping area to talk to cashiers and the like. I am not a therapist, I don't get paid to be one, and I'm not paid to be someone's rug so I don't intend to give anyone who doesn't deserve it extra help or anything above the bare minimum.

If I was getting a reasonable wage or benefits this would be different, and I'm sure the same is true for almost everyone i've encountered with similar jobs. My heart really goes out to people working in fast food and the like since they have to deal with what i deal with except worse as they are the ones making the product so the customers will take out their frustration on them personally. Its a stressful, miserable job that is only tolerable when one is going to school and needs a flexible schedule. But let me tell you, there is a reason most cashiers and people in these positions aren't friendly or helpful, and since i became one i've understood why.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"I shop during my lunch hour, and in one particular Store, I have had an elderly lady come up to me and ask "Where might I find an "Ironing board Cover" I was so tempted to say


"On an ironing board, perhaps?

 

[Matt Deckard]

Using "good morning" and "good evening", instead of hi or hello has always been a plus to my ears.

 

[Jennifer Lynn]

Exactly. Politeness (and recognition that they're there), sometimes just slightly beyond the norm is what perks the customer up. Heck, it helped me out too. Even if I had things on my mind, or didn't want to be at work that day, being slightly more positive put me on a path to the right mode for the day.

Maguire - I can understand where you're coming from, as I had repeat customers with stories they just had to tell, or folks coming in that I knew would try to chew out the first associate they could get to, etc. After a few years in the biz, I thought to myself "yes, I could still be here for years to come" (even though I was not). To keep positive and do well, I kept in mind that 1) it's better to understand my audience and play to them to ensure a positive experience for both of us and 2) brush off any not so great memories of the work day and start anew the next morning. Keep the good memories in mind to keep me going, and chalk up anything else as experiences to learn from.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I'm working as Electronics Department Manager at K-Mart here while working on my Real-Estate license. I've been there since I was 16, and have always done my best to provide old-fashioned service. Not just because of the fact that we have an older demographic at our store, but because it's proper. I am constantly stealing customers away from the Wal-Mart across the street and people always specifically ask for me. When I'm asked why, I just tell them the simple answer. I care about the customer, I want them to be happy and want to come back. Taking pride in your work is gone. I've had Wal-Mart, Sears, and Auto Zone all try to steal me away from K-Mart. Just goes to show that it's hard to get good service, and if you provide it, word gets out.

I am leaving once I get going in real-estate, but got my brother a job there this week, and am going to train him my best, so that somebody else is providing good service in our little town.