Putting a price on customer service. What value is there in customer service? We hear time and time again that good customer service will create a sale and you know what? It is true. There is no denying the value of a smile to a sale; the importance of looking the part and the necessity to care about your product. To me, I always thought that these were given attributes. I suppose having a background in customer service and working with the public as a flight attendant may have drilled into me these attributes. What I think we forget is that bad service costs more in lost sales than good customer service can often make in sales.

Over the past six months I have been very busy and I am sure this is mostly due to the on swell from the gulf left after the GFC of last year. Companies have seen sharp downturns in their profits andare looking at every means to raise their figures. Ways to create an edge and ways to motivate their staff. The interesting part for me is the surge in Corporate Etiquette and Grooming workshops. From maybe giving one workshop amonth last year. Last month alone I presented over 5 workshops with more planned for this year.

I have to admit that I was surprised by a recent study that stated that one in five customers felt that they had received good service. Honestly I had expected the figures to be the other way around and it was not until I recently did some mystery shopping for the Herald Sun newspaper did I discover the reality of these figures.

Together with a journalist I walked through the centre of Melbourne and the major chain stores did very little to make us feel wanted, welcome or recognised. Let me say there were some admirable stores of which Saba was one but the remainders were woeful. To some degree I could see how this occurred. We went into a store with a disinterested air. So we did not greet anyone as we entered. On many accounts this should not be necessary but you know, I always greet the people in a  shop to let them know I am there, I appreciate their position and generally it lets them know I’m fine unless I ask for help. We all know where we stand. This mystery shop was an eye opener. Ok, so I didn’t greet when I entered and really I shouldn’t need to but then when I needed help it was very ordinary, if at all. One woman walked away when she gave me shoes to try on, another tried to tell me a jacket two sizes too small was a great fit.

If anything I discovered much about the retail sector. Many sales staff are there as a fill on until what they really want to do. Well guess what, you may have missed your best opportunity as the boss of your next job may have just walked out of the door. You get what you give and if you give the retail staff nothing to work with they will give you nothing in return. Finally love what you do or don’t do it at all as life is too short to waste your days in a dreary job. Even if you feel it is not everything for right now but it is all that you have then make it, for that moment or day only, the best day of your life. You will never get that day back and why waste it. 

I haven’t always managed to have my dream job. But I have always managed to love what I am doing at the time. I remember when Ansett collapsed; before I started image consulting I was selling microwave ovens for Sharp. I had so much fun. Talking to people, making muffins, explaining how the ovens worked that I won sales person of the summer. I could have scowled and thought I was better than that but I knew it was bringing in money at the time so I had fun with it.

The trick to customer service is to enjoy what you are doing because enjoyment is infectious. This is one bug we all want to catch and if you can spread some happiness around, people will love dealing with you, they will come back. Before you know it you will have infected everyone with your good mood.

My top five tips to getting great customer service

1. Smile as you walk in the door
2. Be prepared to wait for the sales person to finish what they are doing.
3. Don’t be disagreeable
4. Let the sales person know ifyou are in a hurry. Do not be rude.
5. Be prepared to tell others and the store of the great service, Karma has a way of going around.

My top five tips to giving great customer service

1. Smile as soon as the customerwalks in the door, even if you are with someone else.
2. If you are serving another person, indicate to the customer that you will be with them soon.
3. If the customer is browsing allow them a few minutes before you ask if you can help them.
4. If you do not have something inthe customer’s size, give them other options of where they can get the same garment or get it sent to your store if possible.
5. Know your product. A customerknows if you are making it up. 

So before you go anywhere, go with a positive attitude. You will be surprised at the goodwill that will come your way whether you are buying, selling or just browsing.