By Kim Goff 

How many times have you referred a restaurant to a friend? Think about why you made that referral … was it the food or the service? Maybe it was both, or maybe the service stood out to you. Let’s say the restaurant you refer costs $50 for dinner for two; if you refer four people, and they take your advice, you just made that restaurant $200. On the other hand, if you had a bad experience and told your friends not to go, that restaurant just lost money. 

No matter how good the food is at a restaurant, people always seem to remember how they were treated; if they had to wait “forever” for their food, and how often they saw their server. The same is true for furniture retailers. What it really comes down to is the service – memorable customer service is what makes people come back over and over again, whether you are running a restaurant, retail store or service business. If your business has excellent furniture, but unprofessional salespeople, poor delivery practices, pushy follow-up or poor facilities, customers are probably not going to come back.  

We live in a very busy society where time is everything. The three common pet peeves that customers have with any type of business are: waiting for a long period of time, being ignored by employees, and not feeling appreciated as a customer. These three issues can make or break a business. By investing in customer service training, companies can greatly improve their bottom line, and nothing is more important during tough economic times. Here are some customer service training tips that can be incorporated in your training. 

1. The customer is always number one.  This is the best way to train your employees on the importance of customers. “Without customers, there is no profit, without profit, there is no business, without business there is no company, and without the company, there is no you.” When your employees understand importance of customers to the business, they’ll start to understand how important their role is as well.   

2. Never make customers wait.  Greet your customers as soon as they walk in the door.  If a customer calls, answer the phone by the second ring. If you are busy with another customer, do not make your new customer wait a long period of time. Acknowledge customers as soon as they come in and see if another employee can assist them.  If there is no one available, let them know you are busy with another client and ask if they can wait. Be sure to give them an estimated wait time, and if they cannot wait, ask them if they would like to make an appointment.  Always ask customers, immediately, how you can help them. 

3. Never ignore a customer.  If they walk in, they can walk right out. Even if you greet your customers or seat them at a table, you still have to pay attention to them. Always check back in to make sure they have what they need or offer your assistance. Many waitresses get stuck with the check because they never check back in on the customers. Customers will walk out if they feel ignored. 

4. Be professional.  Being a business professional means looking, acting and saying things in a certain way. No matter what industry you are in, it’s important to watch what you wear, just as it’s important to pay attention to what you say and how you say it.

-Always dress appropriately.  No matter what the type of business environment you work in, wear work-appropriate clothes. Encourage employees to avoid wearing anything too casual like sweatshirts or flip-flops. Female employees should be encouraged to avoid any clothing that is too tight or revealing. 

-Speak in an appropriate manner. Do not use foul language. Never make any negative comments about a customer’s appearance, ethnicity, economic class or family.   

-Be enthusiastic. No one wants to deal with an employee who hates his job. Even if you do not like your job, or are having a bad day, do not show it. This turns customers off.  If you are not interested in your business or company – why should anyone else be? 

5. Show appreciation for customers’ business.  This is one of the major factors customers consider when returning to a business. Showing customers how much you appreciate their business can turn them into regular clients. The most obvious way to show this is by verbally telling them, “Thank you for your business, we hope to see you again.”  This should always be said to your clients, no matter what else you do to show your appreciation. Other ways include, “freebies,” coupons or discounts.   

6. Remember your “regular” clients.  Once you learn a client’s name, always address him or her by it. Personalize their service by learning what they like or prefer. Get to know something personal about them, whether it’s their hobbies, children, or job. The more you can start to personalize service for your regulars, the more appreciated they will feel. There is nothing worse then going to an establishment on a regular basis, and having the employees there ask who you are, or worse, act like they have never seen you before. Your goal is to make every customer a regular client, but personalizing service for your already established clients will make them life-long customers. 

Investing in customer service training for your employees can be just as important as perfecting the quality of your business product or service. You can have the best product or service out there, but if you do not treat your customers well, they will not come back.  However, if you treat every customer with the utmost importance, respect and courtesy your outstanding service will get your company more referrals.  The more referrals your customers make, the more money your company makes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kim Goff is a professional speaker and author, who currently works as a communications director for the United Way of York. In addition to being a freelance writer, she also works on the blog, Volunteer Now! for the York Daily Record and is the Philadelphia Special Needs Kids Examiner for Examiner.com. She speaks on overcoming obstacles, life balance and women in the workplace, and is author of “Female Empowerment – A Personal Journey.” To hire her for your next speaking engagement, e-mail: kimgoff@excite.com.