Retail Associate Training: Customer Service Essentials

What is Customer Service?
Customer service is any contact between a potential customer and an employee. With good customer service, the contact results in a positive experience. Customers want good customer service or, better still, excellent service. They want an employee to listen to them politely with full attention.
They want a quick response, but a thoughtful one. They do not want to be ignored or made to wait while the employee is speaking on the telephone.
They want to be helped to reach their goal, whether it is buying a new television or an ice cream cone. Customer service is part of all business and service delivery operations. As a retail associate, every action you make makes a difference to the experience of the customer!

Potential Customers
Before you begin to work in the retail occupation of your choice, you need to identify your target audience. You need to have an idea of who will be the buyers. Do market research to find out who the potential customers might be in the retail area where you plan to work.
For example, if you plan to work for an upscale boutique, you need a certain “look”. Customers have certain expectations about the sales staff regardless of the sales sector. You need to research the dress, attitude, language and appearance of people doing the work you are interested in. You also need to establish excellent customer service by providing friendly, professional and knowledgeable service. Dealing with complaints efficiently and smoothly is another important skill necessary to work in any retail environment.

Why do you need Customer Service Skills?
Commitment to customer service in the retail industry is the most important area of your future job. Why? Because your business is people, and if people don’t come to your business, then you will not have a job. You want people to come back and bring their friends! To make this happen, you have to be a customer service professional.

So What Is A Customer Service Professional?

Customer
-  a person who buys goods or services from a shop or business…

Service
-  work, or the doing of work for another, or for the community…

Professional
-  belonging to, or connected with a profession, skillful, competent, engaged in a specific activity as one’s main paid occupation…

To be a Customer Service Professional you should:
- have a positive attitude
- have a cheerful outlook
- enjoy working with people
- enjoy working for people
- have a high energy level
- be flexible
- enjoy new experiences
- be sensitive to others
- allow the customer to be “right”, even if they aren’t
- see your job as important
- make the customer feel like #1

As consumers, we have all encountered excellent customer service. Unfortunately, we don’t often give it the same attention or tell our friends about it as much as poor customer service. Get into pairs and talk to your partner about a situation where they encountered good customer service. Write in sentence form, using the headings below. If possible, present your findings to a larger group. If you are unable to get a partner, work on your own.

1. Type of business: (for example: retail, restaurant, gas station)
2. The situation:
3. How I felt:
4. How I handled the situation:
5. The effects of great customer service:

The Secret of Good Customer Relations
Below are eleven secrets for creating good relationships with customers:

1. You get back the kind of behaviour you send out.
- When you send out a friendly signal to others, chances are good they will respond with a friendly gesture of their own.
- The more friendly signals you transmit, (smile, happy voice, upbeat attitude) the more customers will like you.
- The more that customers like you, the easier they are to deal with. It all starts with you.

2. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
- Unfortunately, negative first impressions are hard to overcome.
- Those who are good at customer relations are constantly alert when customers come into view.
- They rely on:
 good grooming
 friendly non-verbal signals
 warm verbal greetings
- Make sure your first impression does not need a difficult repair job at a later date.

3. Customer service experts are made, not born.
- Everyone has the potential to be good at customer relations.
- All it takes is:
a desire to serve
- training
- Stick with it. and you will learn to excel.

4. You have the right stuff.
- There is no such thing as a specific personality that will make you outstanding at customer service.
- Everyone can:
- smile
- be  polite
-  have a good service attitude
- No matter what it is, your special personality is all that you need. Learn to use the “stuff” you already have.

5. At times, it is natural for us to feel others are better than we are.
- An inferiority complex is the feeling that you are not as good as other people. You feel that other people are better than you.
- When you start to lose confidence, remind yourself that you look better to others than you may think.
- Do something to improve your looks. Get a new hairstyle or buy a new tie.

6. People considered good-looking can be at a disadvantage.
- It may sound strange, but sometimes physically attractive people get too much attention from co-workers and customers.
- This may make it difficult to keep their minds on details of good customer service.
- To protect themselves from unwanted attention, attractive people often act as if they aren’t interested, and customers may interpret this as cold or distant.

7. Select a good role model.
- Once you are familiar with your new job, find a co-worker who is outstanding at customer service.
- Model some of your actions after this person.
- You might even ask this person to help you.

8. Make the most of your own special personality.
- Customers will probably respond positively to any unique differences that make you who you are.
- If you have an accent, or an unusual physical feature, relax and make the most of it.
- Your customers and your boss want you to be yourself. Customers may see what you feel is a disadvantage as an advantage.

9. When approaching a customer, respect their personal space and allow the customer to become comfortable with you.
- Some customers may be shy or quiet by nature and may be uncomfortable at first in a new setting.
- Your challenge is to make the customer comfortable, so that they will relax.
- Until this happens, you cannot build a good relationship.
- If your approach is too fast, too personal, or too assertive, they may become more uncomfortable.
- The best plan is to let the customer adjust at his own pace.
- They will be glad you were patient, and a friendly relationship will have been started.

10. Consider yourself on stage.
- In a sense, those who work with customers are performers. They are rated and quite often praised by their audience. The way you perform in front of your customers will determine whether you will be classified as average, good, or superior by your boss. Your biggest reward, however, will come from your customers. The applause you earn will be in the form of:
- a verbal compliment
- a generous tip
- a complimentary letter
- It can be as rewarding for you as the audience is for an actor. It can make you feel appreciated.

11. A customer will notice how staff treat each other.
- If there are problems between co-workers, these will spill over to customers through attitudes and in other ways. The way to be good at customer service is to be good as a team member.
This means being:
- friendly
- helpful
- cooperative

 with your team members whether they are your favourite people or not. You cannot be angry with a co-worker and friendly with customers at the same time.

Good Customer Relations = Good Business

Customers: The Four Basic Needs

A customer needs to:
- be understood
- feel important
- feel comfortable
- feel welcome

Three Types Of Customer Service
You have all been customers in your lifetime. You know when you are getting good service and when you are getting terrible service. There are three types of customer service. They include:

Type I – Rude Service:
The first type of customer service is rude. You know when you are getting rude service. This happens when the sales associate treats you like you are an inconvenience to them. If they make a mistake, they make you feel you caused it. If you ask a question, they look at you as if to say, “How dare you disturb me?” They are the associates lounging on the counter talking to their friends, or on the phone and ignoring you.

Your goal: never slip into rude service no matter how difficult the customer or how bad a day you are having.

Rude service means the customer may take their business elsewhere.

Type II - Indifferent (they don’t care) Service:
The second type of customer service is indifference. This is when the sales associate greets you with a half-hearted smile, is very vague, and never goes out of his/her way to help you. As a customer, you will get what you asked for, but with little help or assistance. You might get pointed in the right direction, but little effort will be made.
Some customers may accept indifference from a sales associate, especially the first time they come into your store. But with continued indifference, you can guarantee they will choose not to return to your store and will decide to take their business somewhere else.

It is the extras that impress customers and employers.

Type III – Hospitable:
The third type of customer service is hospitable. This is your goal as a customer service associate. A server who is hospitable is the one who greets you with an enthusiastic smile and a pleasant greeting. This server goes out of his or her way to make sure you are happy. Hospitable customer service means doing a variety of extra little, but noticeable, things for your customer. This could include helping a customer out to the car with their packages, getting a booster seat, or giving a balloon to a customer’s child.
Helping a customer find the item they need by leading them to the department and showing them exactly where the item is located is one excellent example of hospitable customer service. This is something, as a sales associate, you can do everyday that will make a huge impact on how satisfied your customers will be.
This type of service is what it takes to keep customers coming back. They will also return with friends. You have to be the best you can be. As a sales associate, it is the little things you do and the pleasant attitude you have that will bring the customers back.

If the customers come back, you are making sure you have a job.

The six don’ts of a Customer Service Professional

1. Don’t…
 keep customers waiting needlessly.

2. Don’t…
 play favourites.

3. Don’t…
 give directions in an abrupt, negative manner.

4. Don’t…
 talk about personal or job-related problems in front of customers.

5. Don’t…
 allow customers to leave feeling unhappy.

6. Don’t…
 act bothered by the behaviour of a customer.

1. Don’t keep customers waiting needlessly.
Customers are generally patient and understanding. But they can become frustrated and unhappy when they are kept waiting while… a. b. c.

An associate completes a personal phone call.
A group of employees have a personal conversation.
A waitress does another task while food gets cold.

Customers should always come first, and should never feel in the way.
2. Don’t play favourites.
It is a serious mistake to treat one customer better than another. For example, customers waiting in line at a cash register can see how a sales person treats those ahead. When their turn arrives, they want and expect to be treated in the same way. Playing favourites with customers is a quick way to get in trouble with your supervisor.
3. Don’t give directions in an abrupt or negative manner.
In a customer service job, you will be asked a lot of questions. For example,
“Where are the washrooms?”, “Where is the nearest restaurant?” Although these questions may come from people who are not customers now, they might become customers later. A problem only happens when answering the question gets in the way of your main goal of serving others. To be a customer service professional, you need to keep your attitude positive and not only give directions correctly but also do it pleasantly. In most cases, completing a job with a positive attitude takes the same amount of time as completing a task with a negative attitude. And you will also find you enjoy your day at work more!

4. Don’t talk about personal problems or problems at your work in front of customers.
Customers often hear cashiers, bartenders, postal clerks, bank tellers, or other service people complain openly about their job situation or a personal problem.
Sometimes customers hear a sales associate complain to co-workers, and sometimes it is directed at the customer. In either case, it is in poor taste. If a coworker tries to complain to you while you are serving a customer, simply say “I will talk to you later,” and give your full attention to the customer, where it belongs.
5. Don’t allow customers to leave feeling unhappy.
Customer complaints can happen, even in the best situations. If you can handle it yourself, then do so. If not, turn it over to your supervisor. Either way, it is important that you do your part to see that the customer is completely satisfied. If you let a customer to leave unhappy, he or she may never return. If, on the other hand, a complaint is handled well, the customer may feel better than ever about your business. Your goal should be to satisfy every customer that walks into your place of work, not just 99% of them.
6. Don’t act bothered by the behaviour of a customer.
It is only natural that you will respond in a positive or a negative way to the behaviour of others. When it comes to customers, it is best to hide your negative reactions so that you don’t make your job more difficult. Children cry; sometimes, the elderly are slow; people from different cultures may do things in a different way. Try to accept such behaviour as part of your customer service duties, and continue to smile. If it is obvious that such behaviour upsets you, the customer will become upset, too.

The Five Do’s Of A Customer Service Professional

1. Do…
 acknowledge the customer

2. Do…
 focus your attention on the customer

3. Do…
 put the telephone on hold

4. Do…
 use the customer’s name

5. Do…
 thank the customer

1. Do acknowledge the customer.
This can be done with direct eye contact and a few words. If you are doing something that cannot be left, say, “I will be right with you.”
2. Do focus your attention on the customer.
Stop what you are doing and ask, “How can I help you?” Put a smile in your voice and on your face, and maintain direct eye contact. Be genuine. “MayIhelpyou” is not a word.
3. Do put the caller on hold.
If you are serving a customer and the phone rings, put the caller on hold. The customer in front of you is your first priority. If you think you will be awhile, find someone else to take the call, or ask to call them back.
4. Do use the customer’s name.
We all like the sound of our spoken name. Whenever possible, use the customer’s name. Often, you will get to know the customers and their names. A cheque or credit card will have the customer’s name on it. Take advantage of this and use the information. A popular department store chain has a policy that if you are paying by credit card or cheque and the cashier does not call you by name, they will pay you two dollars. They think this is an important part of customer relations and so should you. Use their first name only if they are regular customers, and if they do not mind.
5. Do thank the customer.
Always thank the customer for visiting your business. This applies even if the customer has not purchased anything. Be genuine with your thank you.
“Thankyoupleasecomeagain” is not a word, either.

Ask the customer what they are looking for or what they need using the following types of questions:
- Who is using the item?
- Which brand names do they trust the most?
- How do you plan to use it?
- Where do you plan to use it?

What are the customer’s needs?
Find out what the customer’s needs are and
What they want.
Why they want it. narrow the field.

Picture the customer standing in front of a shelf of 25 different irons that are all different brand names, with different features, and different shapes, all claiming to be the iron to buy!
- If your customer wants an iron, it is your job to find out what the needs are, and narrow the selection down.

As a professional retail associate, your job is to make the buying experience as easy and painless as possible. This will almost guarantee that when customers want a new product that your company carries, they will come back to your store.

Ask yourself the following question. What are you going to do to “know your product”?
Somewhere in your store, you will hopefully have what the customer needs.
Your job is to find it and present it to your customer. Knowing your product and explaining the benefits of using your product is your selling equation!

Selling Equation:
Fact + How it Impacts the Customer

Customer Service Tips
The following are some important dos and don’ts when dealing with customers.

Do
Practice good listening skills
Make a positive connection
Be honest and helpful
Always follow through on your promises

Don’t
Be overly friendly or familiar
Talk about their or your personal problems
Gossip
Use inappropriate language
Keep calm at all times
Attack when being attacked
Be courteous and polite
Make promises you can’t meet
Make customers feel important
Keep your conversations professional

Retail associates do a number of tasks related to customer requests. In these examples, you will have to develop the correct questions and answers for the different situations. The following is an example.
- The customer wants to return a sweater
- Ask for the receipt
- Ask for the reason it is being returned
- Too large
- Ask for the customer’s information to put on the return form
- Don’t forget to smile and say come again or something equally polite

The Customer Wish List
1. They want it to cost less, even if the price is fair.
2. They want it faster/immediately.
3. They want it to come to them…delivered.
4. They want it to be upgraded or replaced automatically.
5. They want it even before it is available.
6. They want it customized to fit their special requirements.
7. They want it to come pre-assembled and ready to run, no instructions or thinking required.
8. They want to be able to return it with no hassle.
9. They want it to work better than advertised.
10. They want to feel good about being your customer.
 

Remember:
- 98% of unhappy customers never complain about rude behaviour
- 90% will never come back to the company
- Each will tell their story to nine or more people…
 

Essential Task
The essential task of every retail sales associate in any job is to make the sale and complete the transaction. The process for doing this is different in different companies or sales occupations. It is also a matter of personal style.
Companies rely on their sales force to sell the product, whether it is a candle, a sweater or a stereo. It is helping the customer to the point where they say yes to the transaction itself. There are tips that are useful in any sales transaction. The following are some helpful tips:
- Know your customers’ needs. Ask the right questions. Make sure the product or item is right for the customer. For big-ticket (expensive) items, this is often obvious. With a smaller item, for example, a sweater that is the wrong size or colour, staff may make the mistake of thinking it will not cause any harm to sell it anyway. Do you think the customer will return to buy from you again?
- Know your product. Keep up to date with your company’s trends and new products that are coming in to the store. It is important to know everything that is for sale in your store. This may take time, but it will help you to be able to help your customer find what they are looking for or need.
- Listen very carefully to your customer. Sometimes you can read between the lines and find out what a customer really wants!
Personality and style has an impact on the success of a deal or transaction.

Are you a hard sell or soft sell performer? Are you able to be caring; do you smile and make eye contact; do you have a firm handshake? Can you stay focused on the sale; think on your feet and most of all, never lose your temper? The saying “The customer is always right” is all about selling.
There are also various rules about transactions. Each company will have different rules which you need to follow and tell your customers about. For example, you need to know if a sale is a final sale when it is on the reduced/ clearance section of the store. Be certain to tell your customer at the point of sale that they are purchasing an item which is a final sale and cannot be returned.
Different conditions for a return or an exchange will vary. For example, in one company, the customer may purchase an item which can be returned with the receipt within two weeks of the sale. The length of time for returns varies from company to company. Whether the customer gets a credit to use on another item in the store or full money back is also up to the company you work for. As a retail associate, you need to be able to tell your customers these important types of information. And always remember to pass on this information in the most friendly and pleasant manner. Your customer will appreciate knowing such things!

The Four Steps of Selling
Selling involves four separate steps no matter what the product is. They are the following:
Approach the customer
Discover needs
Present goods
Close sale

Time Management And Customer Service
Most people know that customer service is one of the most important parts of working in retail, if not the most important! However, as a retail associate you will have many other job tasks during your workday, which you will be expected to do. Keeping customers as your priority at all times is the important point. This is why time management becomes so important during your day, and even before you begin your workday! Below are some very important steps about how to manage your time.

The First Step
The first step is to always be on time for work. It is a good idea to be at work at least fifteen minutes early. Often, the silliest and smallest things may come up just before you go to work, which may lead to being late.
Maybe the bus arrives late, or you get a really important phone call that you need to answer, or you get stuck in a snowstorm, or you have misplaced your keys.

We have all experienced such things and the only thing we can do to prevent such mishaps is prepare to begin work early, so that regardless of what
“disasters” come our way, we can still arrive at work on time.
Beginning work at least a few minutes early helps you to focus on what your tasks are for the day, and you will begin your day calmer and clearer.

The Second Step
Keep your work area tidy. If you have an assigned cash register, or work on a shared one, make sure that the area around it is tidy and clean. Do not leave lots of clutter around. This is not the image you want your customers to see. Your frustration will also increase if you cannot find that important message you have to give to your manager.
Get rid of any old lists or messages you no longer need. Set up specific sections in your front desk or drawers. For example, a section for your pens and sticky notes, a place for your calculator, stapler and paperclips, a section for any returns or exchanges you process within the day, a section for coupons received, another section for important notes to yourself, etc. You will be surprised at how well you can keep track of things, such as what you need to do next and where certain items are to complete, when you have an organized work area.

The Third Step
Keep a list of what you must do during your day. Most companies you work for will have certain tasks which must be completed on a regular basis. For example, a list of cleaning which must be completed each week might hang on the back room door. Each staff member may be expected to do two jobs from the list one week, and two different jobs on the list the next week.
There may also be very specific opening and closing activities, which must be completed at the beginning of the day and at closing.
Make your own specific list of things, which you must complete during your workday as a retail associate. Then finish this list with things you hope to get done, if time permits. Remember, keeping busy and focused on work tasks makes an employee that every supervisor will notice and value.

The Fourth Step
The fourth step is to ALWAYS remember to stop whatever task you are doing when a customer either comes into your store or approaches your work area, and give them a friendly greeting.
If you work in a small store, it may be company policy that you greet customers within thirty seconds of the customer entering the store. At first, this may seem like a high expectation, but it is easy to do and makes a more pleasant day for your customer and for you. Think of your store as your home. Would you ever ignore or not greet a guest who walked into your home? It is the same idea when a customer walks into your store. You must acknowledge the customer and show them you are happy that they have decided to shop here.
If you work in a larger store, it may be company policy that you greet each customer. Remember that a greeting includes simple gestures such as a smile, friendly eye contact, a hello, or a nod if you are busy with another customer.