The Customer’s Role
The Employee’s Role
2
Chapter Objectives
Define customer service.
Describe customer-service expectations.
Explain word-of-mouth communication.
Identify the employee’s role in customer
service.
Explain the importance of employee
empowerment and recognition.
3
Understanding Customer
Service
Customers are knowledgeable about their needs
and wants.
The manner in which retailers meet or exceed
customer expectations has a big effect on a
retailer’s success.
4
What Is Customer
Service?
Types of customer service
can include:
accepting credit cards and
personal checks
delivery
repair
gift-wrapping
placing special orders
customer service the
set of enhancements
retailers offer customers
to make shopping more
convenient or rewarding
5
Determining Customer
Service
Methods that retailers can
use to help determine which
customer services to use
include:
customer survey
questionnaire designed
to gain information from
customers
Customer survey
Customer comments
Observing the competition
Listening to store
employees
6
Handling Customer Complaints
Let the customer
speak.
Be empathetic.
Apologize.
Follow up.
Log the incident and
learn from the
experience.
Take responsibility.
Research, identify,
explain, and solve
the problem.
Thank the customer
for his or her
comments.
Be positive.
7
What Customers Expect
Customers expect to be treated fairly and honestly.
They want to be treated with respect and feel they
are valued guests.
The customer’s perception of the customer service
is formed by the way the service is delivered by the
employee.
8
What Customers Expect
The two areas of customer service are:
Retailer reliability services
– The ability of the customer to depend on retailers to
do what they say they will.
Employee contact services
– A customer’s contact with store employees.
9
Word of Mouth
Positive word-of-mouth
communication is a
valuable asset.
word-of-mouth
communication
customer conversations
about their retail
experiences
Public consumer Web sites
include forums where people
rate retail establishments and
comment on their personal
experiences.
10
Service With a Smile
Retailers who have extended their wares to
Operating an e-tail business
on an
electronic
the electronic
channel
can fallchannel—the
short in
Web—can be costly,offering
due tocustomer
design, service.
delivery,Even
returns,
and
though
operating expenses.convenience and low prices attract
customers to Web site shopping, many
Though
Manystill
larger
dot-com
companies
crashedthat
in comes
the
online
customers
expect
the same
personal attention
1990’s,
small stores
likeNordstrom.com
Harris Cyclery
of West
Newton,
from
good customer
service.
offers
customers
the
Massachusetts,
actually
increase
using
a stores.
basic Web
same
renowned customer
service
online sales
as it does
in its
site. Today,
third
of Harris’s
bicyclequestions
business
rides
in on
Customers
can a
ask
online
representatives
about
sizes,
the Web
to get
partsexpect
and personal
product
features
andhard-to-find
availability—and
a prompt, service.
courteous
response. The site also features a Wish List, where customers can
Describe
an may
e-business’s
keep
items they
want to buyhome
in thepage
future.to your class after
viewing one through marketingseries.glencoe.com.
For more information on retailing,
go to marketingseries.glencoe.com.
11
1.
What are four methods retailers use to
determine customer preferences?
2.
What are the two large areas of customer
services?
3.
Why is word-of-mouth communication so
important?
12
Representing the
Business
Retail employees provide most of the personal
contact customers have with a retail business.
The employee is the key player in the delivery of
customer service.
13
Employees and Customer
Service
Factors affecting employees
and service are:
Employee retention
– Employee turnover
– Low employee
turnover
– High employee
turnover
Compensation packages
employee retention a
company’s ability to keep
workers employed for an
extended period of time
employee turnover the
change in employment status
at a company when
employees leave their jobs
low employee turnover the
change in employment status
at a company when few
employees leave their jobs
high employee turnover the
change in employment status
at a company when the staff
changes frequently
14
Providing Customer
Service
Managers should set goals for their employees.
Managers should make sure that their employees
are aware of the company’s mission statement.
15
Providing Customer
Service
Two ways management
can help employees
provide excellent
customer service are:
empowerment granting
employees responsibility
for making decisions
Training
Empowerment
16
Providing Customer
Service
Two important areas of customer service are:
Telephone customer service
Internet customer service
17
Employee Recognition
The employee’s role in providing outstanding
customer service must be rewarded.
In a way, employees are like customers: When they
feel valued and appreciated, they remain loyal.
18
1.
What is the most important part of a sales
associate’s job?
2.
Why is employee retention important in the
delivery of outstanding customer service?
3.
What are the two ways management can
help employees provide excellent customer
service?
19
Checking Concepts
1. Define customer service.
2. Explain positive
customer/client relations.
3. Explain customer-service
expectations.
4. Discuss the importance
of word-of-mouth
communication. continued
Customers
share
Positive
1. Customers
2.
3.
4.
A
set of relations
expect
their
shopping
and
involve
anfairness,
attitude
of
enhancements
honesty,
that
customer-service
“the
customer
is
retailers
respect,
and
offervalued
experiences
with
always
right.”
customers
guest
status.
to
make
friends, relatives, and
shopping more
colleagues. Positive
convenient or
word-of-mouth
rewarding.
communication
encourages more
customers to attend
the store and results
in more sales.
20
Checking Concepts
5. Identify the employee’s
role in customer service.
6. Describe management’s
role in customer relations.
7. Explain the concept of
empowerment.
continued
5. Management
6.
7.
An empowered
The
employee's
has
role
to
staff
beis
will
consistently
to be
be more
availableOne
reliable.
motivated
totoassist
area
customers
might
provide
begood
deliveries;
by
locating
other
service.
areas may
merchandise,
involve
credit or
handling
billing
services.
special
orders, and serving
the customers'
needs.
21
Checking Concepts
Critical Thinking
8. Describe what happens
to a store if employees
give poor customer
service.
8. It won't last.
Customers will find
other places to
shop.
22
23
End of