Whether you have a brick and mortar shop or a virtual showcase, your customers will be looking for 3 things when they visit your store.
- A solution to their problem
- A good price
- Good customer service
A solution to their problem: Notice the first one didn’t say ‘product’ or ‘service’. People are not looking for a product or service, they have a problem and they need a solution for it. Sure the end result is a product or service, but psychologically, it’s a solution they’re after.
If you are the one who can solve their problem at the right price whilst treating them well, you’ve made a sale of your product or service. Before I move on, let me say there are probably hundreds of other little issues but the three named above are usually the most important to get right.
A good price: A good price doesn’t mean the cheapest, cheaper than all the other stores, or the lowest price in town. Pricing can be a complicated process and you need to get it right. Don’t just say that it costs you this much and you need to make this much profit so the price is… Do your research of other local stores and internet stores, seasonal trends and local area expectations. Taking the lowest price in town avenue will only get you into trouble if you can’t handle the very small profits that come with it.
Good customer service: I can’t believe that I still get bad customer service, where have people left their brains? They certainly didn’t take their brains into work with them.
Analyse the way you and your staff interact with customers, make sure the customer is happy at every stage of interaction and don’t stop at that. Why not make their experience a happy and memorable one? Go out of your way to make your customers feel very well looked after and that you’re interested in solving their problem. Don’t show them that you’re the best salesperson or that your business is the best because it sold hundreds of [product]. People only want to know how YOU can help THEM solve their PROBLEM using great CUSTOMER SERVICE.
Tip: Try looking at the human five senses and see how you can tantalise them in every part of your customer service experience.
Tags: business, customer service, marketing
Great article Paul, back to basics which is often forgotten or overlooked.