BACK TO BASICS

By Karen Connor

I was driving down the road the other day and I saw a billboard for the Bank of Hampton Roads that said something to the effect, "Remember when you used to love going to the Bank?" and it had a picture of a little girl receiving a lolly-pop from the bank teller. I thought to myself, I remember when shopping used to be a pleasurable experience, when customer service was a goal and not a job, when people took pride in theirselves and in their work. 

It got me thinking, maybe we just need to go "Back to Basics." 

With this in mind I had the opportunity to go shopping with my cousin, sans my 2-year old daughter. I was quite excited as I knew I would have the time to casually shop and take in all the new merchandise the stores had to offer. I must say I was quite pleased! I needed to take my watch back to the store because the faux gold band was fading. The Assistant Manager was busy with another client, but did take the time to recognize me and say, "I'll be right with you." Just then, an associate came from the back room. I explained my dilemma and he was quite helpful. He listened to my situation and first assured me that it would be taken care of. He said although he would be unable to make the decision himself, the Assistant Manager would be able to. At this point, the Assistant Manager was now available and the associate explained my request, WITHOUT me having to retell it! The Assistant Manager assured me that the watch would be fixed or repaired and that they would contact me. I did not have to mail the watch or call the corporate office, they would!

This reminded me of the BASICS! Approach your customer, welcome them to your company, be friendly, assure them that you can handle their needs, and introduce them to other associates in your company without having the client repeat their history. Offer to call your corporate office, if needed, but again assure the client that they are welcome, cared for and that you are concerned about their needs!

I left Coach feeling GREAT! I then went to the Clinique counter at Dillard's. (They were having a bonus, and of course I'd have to buy something so I could get the bonus with the small purse– that of which I will never use!) The counter was quite busy so I walked around, looked at their products, tested their perfume and waited my turn. The salesperson asked if she could help me, acknowledged my wait, and apologized for the delay. And guess what? During my fairly pleasant delay, I decided to purchase another item. She retrieved my items, assisted me through the ATM Card swipe on the new machine and then thanked me for my purchase and for shopping at Dillard's.

WOW! I reflected back and realized how important it is that we acknowledge our clients wait, repeatedly. If they are on hold, possibly give them something to listen to (maybe nice music or even something they might learn about our company.) We should guide our customers through our sales steps and processes and then always thank them for their patience and for their business.

My cousin and I left Dillard's in shock - two stores and excellent customer service! We then headed to Gymboree for baby gifts and a back to school outfit for my daughter. The associates welcomed us and were quite helpful. I found an outfit that I thought perfect for my Sarah but it wasn't in her size. The associate checked in the back and found her size. I also found a dress for Sarah, but again, too big. The associate checked to no avail. However, she didn't stop there and say sorry, we cannot help you. She found something comparable to what I liked. I walked out of Gymboree with more clothes than I had ever purchased in the past.

Which, of course, got me to thinking again. Do we immediately tell our customers NO, we cannot fill that position or do we check with our staffers to see if something is possible? If it's not possible, do we still say NO or do we offer something comparable or similar to what our client might need? If we cannot offer comparable services, do we offer the name and phone number of a staffing service that can service their needs? Do we thank our customers for their business or do we assume they needed our services anyway?

It's Back to Basics! Every situation I encountered on my shopping spree wasn't NEW. It was basic, it was friendly, it was responsive, it was finding a way to fit my need, it was going out of their way for the profit of their "store" and the pride in their job, it was
CUSTOMER SERVICE!

Why is that so hard for some and so easy for others? I don't know, but I do know what we all need to do. We all need to get back to the basics. It's easy to complain about poor service and to demand better service but shouldn't we take a look at ourselves and how we service OUR clients. Maybe the first step is to start with YOU.