Everyone knows that having excellent customer service and creating a positive customer experience as a retailer is a must. If you know the 8020 rule, or the Pareto Principle, you also know that 80% of your sales come from 20% of your customers. Retailers need to do whatever they can to make sure their customers are happy and comfortable, or they will not continue to shop with them.
How Retailers Keep Customers Happy
It really is the little things like simply acknowledging the customer and exceeding their expectations. Here are a few basic examples:
1. Greeting every person when they enter the store
2. Thanking shoppers for coming in
3. Offering your professional advice
4. Providing services beyond their expectations
5. Thanking shoppers as they leave the store
6. Introducing yourself to the customer
7. Asking the customer their name
8. Rewarding the customer through a reward/loyalty program
9. Following up with personalized mailings
10. Including coupons or a promotion within the personalized mailings
Take care of all of your customers, but especially your 80%. It isn’t rocket science.
“Retailer Service”
Since retailers (should) try so hard to keep their customers happy and coming back for more, doesn’t it make sense for manufacturers to do the same thing? Retailers selling your products need to also feel happy and comfortable, or they will not continue to work with you as a manufacturer. Here are some basic tips to help keep your retailers happy:
1. Treating them as a partner, not just a customer
2. Doing what you can to help manage their brand when feasible
3. Recruiting and retaining your own talented staff
4. Measuring and managing the supplier retailer relationship
5. Conveying the brand promise across all channels and relationships
6. Making yourself available for questions, concerns, etc.
Take care of your retailers. Again, it isn’t rocket science.
This blog post was written by Stephanie Trudell, our Brand Ambassador Intern here at Retailbound. You can reach Stephanie at stephanietrudell.retailbound@gmail.com.
