Personalized service and attention is the hallmark of small business and customer satisfaction is the key to retention. Is your staff doing its part to promote loyalty? Keep a careful eye out for these transgressions in your store or restaurant.

9 Deadly Customer Service Sins

1. Making a customer wait to pay
    Whether it's a line at the cashwrap or waiting for the check in a restaurant,
    making a customer wait to pay leaves a very bad last impression and
    spoils an otherwise pleasant experience.

2. Associates chatting on cell phones or texting
It's not just enough to have a no cell phone rule. You need to enforce it!

3. Not having a customer's best interest at heart
    People are intuitive and know if you're efforts are insincere. Service and hospitality
    come from the heart. Hire only those who care about an excellent outcome
    for every customer.

4. No suggesting alternatives/upselling
Visitors truly want to find the perfect item or service. Not making recommendations on
how you can potentially fill their desires is a disservice to them.

5. Ignoring a customer
Pretty much says it all.

6. Not resolving complaints quickly and to the customer's satisfaction
Would you rather be right or keep a customer? The choice is yours.

7. Sales associates don't have product knowledge
One of the big reasons people patronize independently owned businesses is for depth
of product knowledge not found in impersonal, larger stores.

8. Not validating a customer's purchase
    A customer should be congratulated for every purchase in your establishment.
    "You're going to love this."  "I know you'll be happy with this."
    In other words, you've made the right decision shopping with us!

9. Pre-judging the customer's desire or ability to buy
    We don't judge in sales. We assume everyone is a potential customer and work
    towards that inevitability. Even those visitors who seem difficult or distracted may be
    back another day ....if treated well.

The best way to insure great customer service is to make it the cornerstone of your store's experience and consistently train staff in the skills and attitude necessary to provide an exceptional experience.

Until next time remember,
You can do this!
Angel