“Customer care isn’t just for when things go wrong it starts before someone even buys from you.” – me!
Back in the summer I needed a new pair of Keen hiking shoes. There are only three stores in my area that sell them. Each of them carried just two or three models. The owner of the first store totally put me off by insisting that walking shoes are different to general shoes and they ease in when they’ve been worn for a while. I know my left foot and if it isn’t happy in a shoe in a shop it will never be happy in it. But the owner wouldn’t have it that I knew my own foot really well and just kept insisting that they’d be fine, he’d been selling shoes for years blah blah blah. I won’t be going back.
My next attempt was at a stockist in Exeter. A lovely shoe shop selling a variety of shoes and sandals several of which I rather liked. So… in addition to trying on one of the three models of Keen hiking shoes I also tried on a Wolky walking shoe and a lovely pair of sandals. The walking shoe had such a stiff sole it hurt my left foot. The sandals were too big in size 5 for my left foot and too small in size 4 for my right foot. The Keen shoes were just not suitable. The owner’s face became increasingly grim and unfriendly as I rejected each pair of shoes I tried on. Finally when I Sstood up to keave she tartly commented: “So you’re not buying the walking shoes either.” I asked when the Wolky winter boots would be coming in and she replied in a few weeks but her face was grim and the voice unfriendly. I was a marked woman. I’d tried shoes on and hadn’t bought anything. She lost me as a customer that day because the shoes I liked were uncomfortable but she’s lost me as a customer in the future because of her attitude.
Here’s what she could have done:
- smiled at me
- shown empathy towards my not insignifcant problem with the structure of my left foot
- offered to order in some Keen shoes from the catalogue without any obligation to pay up front and have them even if they were comfortable
- offered to take my email address and send me an email when the new range of Wolky boots came in or call me
Had she done those four simple things not only would I go back but I would recommend her shoe shop.
It’s so imporant to make someone feel valued at all touchpoints whether they’ve yet to buy from you or they’re someone who buys regularly. If you don’t show the person that you understand them, have empathy with their issues or concerns and value them then they won’t become a customer or they won’t remain a customer.
In the UK people criticise stores like Argos but customer care at my local Argos is impressive – they remember me, they remember what I bought last time, in the mum days they ask after her, when she passed away they were so sad for me the guy came round the counter and gave me a hug, they solve any problems I have with items I’ve bought without negative comments or criticisms. And it’s not because they have a great manager as most of them don’t like the manager very much. They’re just really hot on customer care. In fact for me they’re the absolute gold standard when it comes to customer care.
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I don’t currently have a business. However, I can certainly relate to the point you have made. When I go to a store or some other place of business, I expect good customer service. If they don’t give it, then they don’t get my business. Period! I don’t think there is anything I need right this second that I have to go purchase it from someplace that lacks in this area. If more businesses understood this really basic concept, I think they would realize a lot more profit.