Creating Concierge Service

I remember shopping many years ago in the city with my grandmother who was always outfitted with her mandatory gloves and hat.   Where ever we went sales clerks, (that’s what they used to call them) would graciously help us with whatever we needed, no matter which department they worked or where they had to look.  Rarely do I see this type of customer service in retail stores any more.  Only in fine hotels can I depend on, expect and enjoy consistent concierge service.

It seems that hotels really care about their guests.  They want guests to enjoy their stay, return for future trips and let everyone know how well they were treated.  It would be a great equation for everyone to practice, particularly retail stores.  

So how come so few know this?  Perhaps they have never had the experience on the other side.  Perhaps they are unaware as to how important it is.  Maybe they are so busy doing other things they have forgotten that retail is sales and customer satisfaction is everything.  Just look in the business section of any library or book store:  There are huge selections on customer service and volumes on this topic.  It is important!  It must be something hard to achieve, right?

Nope!

Having grown up in a household where ladies and gentlemen treat ladies and gentlemen like ladies and gentleman, my parents engrained in me to be gracious and have good manners.  I have tried to extend this in business and I think there are other people who try to do this also.   I think just about everyone wants to be treated well.  I think most people can remember at least one experience where they were treated so well that it makes them feel wonderful today just thinking about it.  No matter what your background, I believe almost everyone can provide this “concierge service” if it is expected as well as exemplified.  That being said, finding the best candidates to facilitate good customer service will make things a lot easier.  The good customer service personality boils down to this:   Genuinely like people and be interested in them.   If you have this personality or you hire those that do, most everything else falls into place. 

In order to offer the best concierge service possible, you have to believe that everyone is your customer; past, present or future.  Big spenders or small, if they walk through the door and are treated as such they will likely reciprocate and become your customer if not already.  This includes people who you may not consider your customers such as co-workers, supervisors, trades persons and the like.   The first step in creating a customer is warmly (and not rehearsed) greet them.   I have been to many stores where absolutely no one acknowledges me.  I always think what would I have done differently if I worked in their store?   Well, I would ask questions that cannot be answered by yes or no.  I would make statements that engage customers to get things rolling.  “Hello and thank you for coming in today.  I am here to help you.  What are you looking for today?”  Most customers, who have driven, parked, and walk-in are looking for something, and many times they can find it by being enthusiastically acknowledged. 

Once engaged, keep going!  Help guide your customer through your store.  Although you may be accustom to what is in your store and where it is located, everything is new for the person who has never or perhaps infrequently been on your floor.  Stores can be like museums because there is so much to look at as well as process in your mind. It could be confusing.  Helping navigate customers through what they are seeing is not only good customer service, but smart business.  Should a customer just want to browse on their own, most will say so.   Always offer them the option.  And if you are fortunate to have a busy store, most customers will wait for you, if they are witnessing great customer service being offered to another customer. 

Don’t forget that your best attribute in proving great customer service is many times overlooked, and that is, know your products.  By training your staff about the products on your floor and also what may be available by special order, your expertise will undoubtedly wow customers.  Like every great concierge at a hotel, they know what is around them, how to get there, how much it is and can compare one thing to another with ease.   Consumer confidence is the key to obtaining and keeping customers.  No detail is too small.

This is why there are so many little things that make big impressions.  Offering to wrap a gift rather than asking if something needs to be wrapped, asking the customer if they need instructions for how to care for any particular product purchased, writing information on products for the customer, walking a large bag or item out to the customer’s car, and writing a thank you note to customers after they have purchased something.   No one should be so busy that they can’t take the time to treat customers like customers. 

Most importantly, being known for great customer service is almost always achieved by performing these retail rituals consistently.  Make sure that everyone on staff is trained regularly and evaluated on all things relating to customer service.  By doing this, it will always keep you on top of your game in your customer’s mind.  Retail isn’t really about the price, but always about value.