Great service is a never-ending circle because everyday you serve two kinds of customers: External customers and Internal customers.
External customers are the reason you are in business. Meeting the needs and exceeding the expectations of your external customers is priority number one. Internal customers are the people on your team, as well as vendors and anyone else you work with to take care of the needs of your external customers. You cannot thrill your external customers if your associates are at odds.
Who suffers when the cashier needs the stock person to load a customer’s car but the stock person views the cashier’s request as an interruption?
Who suffers when a sales associate does an incredible job of helping a customer choose the things she’ll need to create a scrapbook for her friend’s new baby, but the cashier casually tosses the merchandise in a bag, and doesn’t even bother to say “Thank you”?
Who suffers when a customer asks for help coordinating a new outfit but the associate tells her that the person who “knows about this stuff” is on break so she’ll have to come back later.
Who suffers when you ask an associate to check if an item is in stock for a customer on the telephone, but the associate is too busy doing other things to get back to you?
Do these examples sound far fetched? They aren’t far fetched at all, they are right out of our customer focus groups. In each example it’s not just the customer who suffers – ultimately you will too as word gets around that service in your store is lacking. Here’s what you can do to ensure internal harmony:
1. Hold a store meeting to explain the difference between external and internal customers, and why both are important to the success of the store. Help your associates understand that their jobs will ultimately be easier when everyone works together toward a common goal. Explain that interruptions from you, or anyone else are not annoyances, but occasions to serve a customer’s immediate needs. Encourage your associates to thank one another for their efforts.
2. Together with your team, list any obstacles that would prevent them from providing good internal service. Take steps to fix or eliminate the obstacles on the spot. If an obstacle cannot be fixed at your meeting, then take the necessary steps afterward to make sure every associate knows it has been fixed or eliminated.
3. And remember that a thank you from the boss goes a long way in promoting internal harmony. A handwritten note or our CITA Card – Caught In The Act of Delighting a Customer – will work wonders, too. E-mail us at info@kizerandbender.com for a CITA Card template that you can easily customize.
A retailer once told us, “Customer service isn’t rocket science, it’s twice as hard.” Isn’t that the truth? It’s tough enough, juggling the many needs of today’s demanding external customers, but it’s a whole lot easier when you know your fellow co-workers will always be there to watch your back.
Who suffers when the cashier needs the stock person to load a customer’s car but the stock person views the cashier’s request as an interruption?
Who suffers when a sales associate does an incredible job of helping a customer choose the things she’ll need to create a scrapbook for her friend’s new baby, but the cashier casually tosses the merchandise in a bag, and doesn’t even bother to say “Thank you”?
Who suffers when a customer asks for help coordinating a new outfit but the associate tells her that the person who “knows about this stuff” is on break so she’ll have to come back later.
Who suffers when you ask an associate to check if an item is in stock for a customer on the telephone, but the associate is too busy doing other things to get back to you?
Do these examples sound far fetched? They aren’t far fetched at all, they are right out of our customer focus groups. In each example it’s not just the customer who suffers – ultimately you will too as word gets around that service in your store is lacking. Here’s what you can do to ensure internal harmony:
1. Hold a store meeting to explain the difference between external and internal customers, and why both are important to the success of the store. Help your associates understand that their jobs will ultimately be easier when everyone works together toward a common goal. Explain that interruptions from you, or anyone else are not annoyances, but occasions to serve a customer’s immediate needs. Encourage your associates to thank one another for their efforts.
2. Together with your team, list any obstacles that would prevent them from providing good internal service. Take steps to fix or eliminate the obstacles on the spot. If an obstacle cannot be fixed at your meeting, then take the necessary steps afterward to make sure every associate knows it has been fixed or eliminated.
3. And remember that a thank you from the boss goes a long way in promoting internal harmony. A handwritten note or our CITA Card – Caught In The Act of Delighting a Customer – will work wonders, too. E-mail us at info@kizerandbender.com for a CITA Card template that you can easily customize.
A retailer once told us, “Customer service isn’t rocket science, it’s twice as hard.” Isn’t that the truth? It’s tough enough, juggling the many needs of today’s demanding external customers, but it’s a whole lot easier when you know your fellow co-workers will always be there to watch your back.
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