As a retail business owner, you know the importance of providing exquisite customer service to your patrons. With so much competition in the retail space, your service should set you apart from the rest. However, there are three critical mistakes that many business owners and their staff make that can significantly hurt their business. With that in mind, we have devised this list to shed light on these mishaps. Before you read on, ensure you are protected with a comprehensive Orlando Retail Insurance program.
Not training your employees properly.
No matter the background of any employee, regardless of level, customer service training should never be glossed over. Failing to train employees of every tier and department on proper customer service behavior is a huge mistake made by too many businesses, big or small. It’s a huge oversight that often ends up hurting sales because there’s no telling when a worker at your company will come face to face with a customer, explains Small Business Trends.
Outline a standard of excellence and appropriate ways to interact with customers so that there is no grey area. The more training they have, the more confident your employees will be in handling customer issues. What’s more, the proper training will give your employees the tools and confidence to resolve issues timely and to the customer’s satisfaction.
Focusing on “winning” in a customer disagreement.
The saying of “The customer is always right” might not hold true in every circumstance, but they should always be treated as though they are. Bear in mind that focusing on winning the argument will likely result in bad social media and Yelp reviews, which can hurt you more than you think. Instead, focus on relating to them, showing empathy, and making the interaction as positive as possible while resolving the issue.
Being inaccessible.
Even as a small business, experts recommend that you have multiple platforms for your customers to get ahold of you. For example, Facebook and Twitter, email, and customer service lines are crucial. If your customers don’t get the support and service they need the first time, they’re not likely to return. Next, be prompt. A recent study indicated that 72 percent of Twitter uses expect a follow-up response within an hour of sending a message.
About Newman Crane
At Newman Crane, we specialize in helping Orlando retailers succeed by offering quality business insurance and risk management services. Whether your Orlando Retailer Insurance needs include property and liability coverage or workers compensation, we can help protect your operation, your employees and your assets. To learn more about our operation and all of our business solutions for Orlando retailers, contact us today (407) 859-3691.