How To Improve Customer Service in Retail Store

Let us tell you how to improve customer service in retail store.

Enhancing customer service in retail stores is now the need of the hour. Retail landscape is becoming more competitive with each passing day. Selling products is just one thing but creating lifetime experiences keeps customers coming back.

Retail stores have it in their hands to bring back customers. Staff service, store management, product availability, personalizations, etc. play an essential role. Customer service is a wide area and retail stores need to look into this matter minutely. Each and every item, every corner becomes important for customers.

If you own a retail store or want to own one, this article will work as a guide. We will cover 5 major points that will help you improve customer service at your retail store.

Invest in onboarding and training

Staff is the backbone of any retail store. And the foundation of great customer service is having knowledgeable and well-trained staff. As a retail store owner, you must invest in elaborate onboarding programs. Such programs ensure that new employees have the skills and knowledge they need to serve customers.

There are various aspects of training that should be included. It should cover product knowledge, communication techniques, problem-solving skills, etc. Your staff should also realize the importance of customer satisfaction.

Ongoing training programs should also be implemented to keep staff updated on new items and technologies. One thing to note here is that even while recruiting, you need to hire people who are quick learners, are open-minded, and have a sheer dedication towards their work.

Thus, invest in an agency that has talented CVs and guarantees you the best staff possible. You can elaborate the interview process and add problem-solving skills to test the knowledge of the candidates.

Be attentive and proactive

Don’t we all expect attention and proactiveness when we go to any store? The same goes with your retail store as well. Customers appreciate when retail staff is attentive to their needs and proactive in assisting them.

Ask your employees to greet customers as they enter the store, ask the staff to be polite and be available to offer assistance. Train the staff to answer customer needs by observing their behavior and offering relevant suggestions.

Let us suppose, a customer is looking for a particular product category. The staff can offer additional information or recommend related products to them. This ensures that your staff cares about the customers, and customers have a wide range of products to choose from.

Ask your staff not to indulge in unwanted conversations and gossips among themselves. This may create a sense of irresponsibility towards the work and customers. Hence, make sure your staff is attending the customers and is proactive as much as possible.

Personalized service

Who does not enjoy some personal attention? Personalization has become the key to customer satisfaction. And retail stores can create a difference by offering personalised services. You must train your staff to engage with customers on a personal level.

Your staff can check if the customers are coming back again. By checking their previous preferences and purchase history, staff can create a sense of belonging. You can offer custom discounts if there are special occasions.

If you are wondering how this can be done, it is possible with CRM systems. Customer relationship management system is the one that stores relevant customer information. Encourage your staff to use these custom data recommendations and offers for individual customers. This data can be used to enhance customers’ shopping experiences.

You can also create personalised messages and gift ideas for recurring customers to make them feel special. This makes them feel valued and inspires them to be your regular customer.

Provide clear product information

Customers rely on accurate and detailed product information to make purchases. Make sure your staff knows the features, specifications, and benefits of products your retail store sells.

This includes information on materials, sizes, colors, variants, and any other relevant information. Keep clear sign boards and product displays so customers can easily find what they are looking for. Understanding product features at a glance also becomes easier for customers.

Additionally, you can provide digital tools like touchscreen displays or mobile app scanners that allow customers to access additional information and reviews. Make the shopping experience digital and customer-friendly. Set the products as per the relevant categories so the customers need not roam here and there.

Mobile scanners for products are actually a very good option. The customers can themselves see the information they need and get clarity if they want to buy.

ERP System

Implementing enterprise resource planning system will streamline retail operations. It will also improve customer service by integrating various functions. These functions include inventory management, sales tracking, customer data analysis, etc.

An ERP system allows staff to access real-time data and report about product availability, promotions, pricing, and much more. Your staff can provide accurate and timely assistance to customers with the help of ERP system.

Enterprise resource planning system enables better inventory management, and makes sure popular products are always in stock. It also reduces out-of-stock situations and thus, there is less customer frustration.

There is even more in the ERP. Such systems have a lot of automation, and your staff need not do manual tasks. An enterprise resource planning system can create insights and reports automatically. This way, you have a clear surplus for profits, losses, expenses, and items that customers like.

Such actionable insights allow you to make data-driven decisions and make changes as per the demands of the customers.

Conclusion

These are a few ways on how to improve customer service in retail stores. While staff play an important role, invest in their onboarding and training. Paying proper attention to the needs of the customers and being proactive acts as a game changer.

Contact Blue Lotus 360 to get ERP system for your retail stores.