Oh, the excitement of holiday shopping. The scramble to get a parking space at the mall, camping out all night to be the first one in the door to get one of the limited number of special bargains. Being elbowed and pushed at the checkout line, watching for poachers who try to squeeze in ahead of you. Holiday shopping is stressful, competitive and nerve-wracking. Add unfriendly service agents and you have a recipe for a meltdown. Here are eight tips to make your customers sing your praises and spend more money.
1. Have a process for returns before Christmas. Designate a separate register in the store, a dedicated line in the customer service or some other way to isolate those who, while others are trying to make their purchases, have decided to return half of what they bought yesterday.
2. Have a stack of your own store coupons at hand. Yesterday I bought $60 worth of fabric in a store. Before I checked out, the cashier directed me to a stack of store sale flyers next to the checkout line, and I was able to save $10 off my bill. She was a service star to me, and I will gladly go back again.
3. Hire more staff. It may increase your payroll, but consider all the happy customers who will be spending money in a store where you don’t have to wait in lines reminiscent of Disney World’s Space Mountain. Customers will abandon their purchases when they see a long line or other registers closed or unattended.
4. Use a number system for checkout. If you have a small store or a display system, issue numbers for checkout. This not only gives customers some idea of when they will be waited on, but also gives those down the line the opportunity to continue shopping while they are waiting for their number. The more they browse, the more they will end up buying.
5. Fold and wrap my purchases with care. There is a way to quickly fold clothing and have it survive the trip home without rolling it up in a ball and stuffing the bag to bursting. Breakables need to be wrapped in several layers of paper or bubble wrap. Heavy items need double-bagging. Customer service extends past the exit door—have someone available to help customers carry out heavy or bulky items
6. Give me the hangars. I want to cry when I buy a nice suit or dress, and the cashier takes it off the hangar, rolls it up and stuffs it in a bag. Increase the price of the garment a dollar and give the hangars away.
7. Have a separate line or area for gift wrapping. A customer may give up if gift wrapping is done at point of purchase. Gift boxes available at the cash register are also a nice bonus, and I have shopped at certain stores just because they offered that service.
8. Smile. Have the cashiers wear Santa or Elf hats. If the employees are having fun and enjoying being at work, the customers will end up smiling, too.
Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a freelance writer, blogger, and consultant. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in "Training" magazine, "Training & Development" magazine, "Supervision," "Pulse" and "The Savannah Morning News." You can read her blogs at www.skirt.com/savannahchick, www.workingsmartworks.blogspot.com/ and on the web at www.mjnhconsulting.com.
1. Have a process for returns before Christmas. Designate a separate register in the store, a dedicated line in the customer service or some other way to isolate those who, while others are trying to make their purchases, have decided to return half of what they bought yesterday.
2. Have a stack of your own store coupons at hand. Yesterday I bought $60 worth of fabric in a store. Before I checked out, the cashier directed me to a stack of store sale flyers next to the checkout line, and I was able to save $10 off my bill. She was a service star to me, and I will gladly go back again.
3. Hire more staff. It may increase your payroll, but consider all the happy customers who will be spending money in a store where you don’t have to wait in lines reminiscent of Disney World’s Space Mountain. Customers will abandon their purchases when they see a long line or other registers closed or unattended.
4. Use a number system for checkout. If you have a small store or a display system, issue numbers for checkout. This not only gives customers some idea of when they will be waited on, but also gives those down the line the opportunity to continue shopping while they are waiting for their number. The more they browse, the more they will end up buying.
5. Fold and wrap my purchases with care. There is a way to quickly fold clothing and have it survive the trip home without rolling it up in a ball and stuffing the bag to bursting. Breakables need to be wrapped in several layers of paper or bubble wrap. Heavy items need double-bagging. Customer service extends past the exit door—have someone available to help customers carry out heavy or bulky items
6. Give me the hangars. I want to cry when I buy a nice suit or dress, and the cashier takes it off the hangar, rolls it up and stuffs it in a bag. Increase the price of the garment a dollar and give the hangars away.
7. Have a separate line or area for gift wrapping. A customer may give up if gift wrapping is done at point of purchase. Gift boxes available at the cash register are also a nice bonus, and I have shopped at certain stores just because they offered that service.
8. Smile. Have the cashiers wear Santa or Elf hats. If the employees are having fun and enjoying being at work, the customers will end up smiling, too.
Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a freelance writer, blogger, and consultant. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in "Training" magazine, "Training & Development" magazine, "Supervision," "Pulse" and "The Savannah Morning News." You can read her blogs at www.skirt.com/savannahchick, www.workingsmartworks.blogspot.com/ and on the web at www.mjnhconsulting.com.
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