Engaging with customers

[grazzenger]

Some comments by a Remote Resources on the Retail Rant thread made me ponder the best (and worst) ways to engage with customers. We've only been retailing for 9 months but I like to think that we're quite good at helping customers who want help, leaving those alone who just want to browse and I'd say we're learning to spot when it might be useful to step in and offer some advice.

There's always room for improvement and to that end, what tips to you have, either as retailer or customer for good customer service? But hey, while we're at it, give us your horror stories too!

We always try to say hello to everyone who comes in. As we live in Britain and if their response seems friendly, you can nearly always mention the weather to try and spark a conversation. But we know well enough when to just let them be.

Selling children's clothing (and mostly sized in European height measurements), you've got an ear out for a comment about sizing. And we'll usually give them a minute or two and then ask if they're looking for anything in particular.

One problem I do have is open questions. Ie not requiring a yes/no answer which allow a conversation to start, so any tips here would be appreciated.

And no matter what, we'll always try and say thank you and goodbye with a smile.

 

[Jimmy McNulty]

I'm writing this based on my time working at a multinational retailer and purely from my own experience so I'm by no means an expert, but hopefully this will help.

Greeting everyone is definitely a great step to take. Even if busy, it's usually possible to greet every store entrant with a smile or some kind of eye contact. Depending on the branding of your store/type of customer you will know the most appropriate form of greeting, obviously adjust based on trial and error.

In your context of a children's clothing store, getting customers to talk about their kids might be a great idea. What kind of things do they usually wear, that sort of question. That will get the customer talking, show you are interested in helping their specific need and open up some rapport which is vital for making decent sales.

Placing items in the customers hands works wonders. I think there's research which shows the longer a customer is in contact with a product, the more likely they are to buy it.

Some sample open questions -

How old are your kids? How many kids do you have? What are their names? (If you then refer to the child by name, instant rapport, more likely sales) Have you looked anywhere else?

Basically, anything focused on understanding their needs so you can advise, link sell, up sell etc.

 

[grazzenger]

thanks jimmy. i spent years in corporate b2b marketing, so when meeting customers, you generally knew they wanted to talk and not always about how wonderful your products were!

now the challenge is different but there are some good tips there and especially getting the product into their hands. i'm going to try that one out but not thrusting a babygro at them as they enter the shop!

we do get comments about how friendly we are compared to some other shops in town and my wife experienced just that last week. she was looking for a hat for a wedding we went to on sunday and went into a ladies dress shop in town. she couldn't believe the frosty reception she got which pretty much set her mind against buying anything. bizarre behaviour.

 

[Deleted member 120503]

You ask them the simplest question in the world.

'Hello there, so what brings you into our shop today?'

Dan

 

[kelvin1950]

You ask them the simplest question in the world.

'Hello there, so what brings you into our shop today?'

Dan

My feet.

 

[Deleted member 120503]

lol

Dan

 

[gr9ce]

Dan are you serious? if i walked into a shop and was asked that i would probably walk out again. Bit like asking 'what the hell are you doing in here?' lol
I always greet customers with a 'hello' then discretely watch and judge the point when they may appreciate help.

 

[Remote Resources]

I don't think planting your products in the customer's hands is the way to go actually. It comes over as really pushy. If the customer is quite interactive and chatty then I suppose it could work, but I definitely wouldn't like it.

As far as shopping goes, whilst the personal touch is all well and nice, many people just want to have a browse and be left alone to approach you if they have any queries. A nice 'hello' is good, even a 'can I help?' although not necessary. Like I say, most people will ask.

I wonder how many small shop owners push people out of the shop empty handed just by being over-bearing.

I think, and certainly from my point of view, I am more likely to impulse puchase something if I don't have the shop owner hovering/observing/being pushy. If they are, I can't concentrate and relax and just feel like leaving to go to a shop where I feel more comfortable.

 

[Remote Resources]

Dan are you serious? if i walked into a shop and was asked that i would probably walk out again. Bit like asking 'what the hell are you doing in here?' lol
I always greet customers with a 'hello' then discretely watch and judge the point when they may appreciate help.

Thta's a much better approach Grace. Subtle, ready and willing to help if needed but willing to leave people alone if they're clearly fine.

 

[Remote Resources]

I'm writing this based on my time working at a multinational retailer and purely from my own experience so I'm by no means an expert, but hopefully this will help.

Greeting everyone is definitely a great step to take. Even if busy, it's usually possible to greet every store entrant with a smile or some kind of eye contact. Depending on the branding of your store/type of customer you will know the most appropriate form of greeting, obviously adjust based on trial and error.

In your context of a children's clothing store, getting customers to talk about their kids might be a great idea. What kind of things do they usually wear, that sort of question. That will get the customer talking, show you are interested in helping their specific need and open up some rapport which is vital for making decent sales.

Placing items in the customers hands works wonders. I think there's research which shows the longer a customer is in contact with a product, the more likely they are to buy it.

Some sample open questions -

How old are your kids? How many kids do you have? What are their names? (If you then refer to the child by name, instant rapport, more likely sales) Have you looked anywhere else?

Basically, anything focused on understanding their needs so you can advise, link sell, up sell etc.

I can't see how any of this works tbh. The last thing I want is to be interrogated on what my kids wear, where they go to school or what they like to eat for tea. Fro one, I know you're not really interested, you just want to make a sale and two, I can't be bothered to talk to you - I only came in to see if you had any rompers, for example.

 

[grazzenger]

for me, it's learning the skill of knowing when a customer would like some help or is open for a chat.

we always, always try to say hello (unless it's very busy and you just miss someone coming in)

leave it a minute or 2 and then ask if they'd like any help or whether they're looking for something in particular. but these are both closed questions, so elicit a yes or no answer.

however, if it's no, we leave them alone, go and tinker about with something or get on with processing online orders, etc, so as not to intrude. and then listen (if it's a couple or 2 people...)

if you hear them questioning each other about size or material type (we stock a wide range of outdoor gear), then ask again if they'd like help.

i was just wondering if there were any silver bullet open questions in retailing without seeming pushy but i guess it's all down to intuition.

we have a play corner and if they've one or more kids, i'll suggest they can play there to give their parent(s) some peace to browse. that can often spark a conversation.

it's once you've got customers talking that you can genuinely begin to ask questions which will help you to help them.

i spent the last 2 years of my corporate marketing career training sales people. but retail's a whole new world compared to selling ATMs!

 

[Remote Resources]

Grazzenger - your current approach is exectly how I would like to be treated as a customer. I know some people go shopping for social interaction, and sometimes I do fancy a chat or a joke myself, but on the whole, I like to be left alone and only helped if I genuinely need it.

It's a very difficult balance, I realise that. But for me, you're spot on.

 

[KateCB]

I don't use the 'can I help you' as this can, as you say elicit a yes/no answer, I always smile, and say 'What can I help you with today?' - they may say, 'oh, just browsing' to which my response is ' any particular discipline?' - in my business people don't look for anything outside of their particular area/discipline, and therefore a conversation starts either way - browsers and non-browsers - I know we are niche, but I think that over the past 6 years that we have had retail premises, only ONE customer has left without buying something, and we have a sneaky feeling that he was a competitor checking us out!

It won't work for all shops of course, but turning that sentance from a closed 'can I help you' to an open 'what can I help you with' at least opens dialogue.

 

[grazzenger]

It won't work for all shops of course, but turning that sentance from a closed 'can I help you' to an open 'what can I help you with' at least opens dialogue.

thanks, it's that subtle difference. i'll give it a go and see what happens.

 

[SillyJokes]

I wonder which approach results in the most sales? You've had loads of anecdotal comments about how much people don't like to be hassled by shop keepers but at the end of the day you've got to get some money off some of them.

The only real way to know is to try both approaches over the same period and see what the takings are.

 

[mike.davis]

DO NOT GREET CUSTOMERS THE SECOND THEY WALK IN THE DOOR.

Sorry, I needed to express the importance of this, and I see this too often in high street stores. Give them time to get in the door and acclimatize to your shop. Also after you've greeted them don't ask them if they need help unless they look like they need help, otherwise just stand somewhere you will be easily approachable. Don't hover, but don't walk away.

If you want to learn more about this there's some very good books on retail out there. My favourite are Why We Buy and Smart Retail

 

[immuneituk]

I always like a cheery hello when I walk into a shop. After that a quick - are you looking for anything in particular? After a few minutes is good.

I like to acclimatise myself with the store before being asked if I need help - just in case ive walked into a shop with a £5 budget only to find it's a £50 shop!

 

[KateCB]

DO NOT GREET CUSTOMERS THE SECOND THEY WALK IN THE DOOR.

Sorry, I needed to express the importance of this, and I see this too often in high street stores. Give them time to get in the door and acclimatize to your shop. Also after you've greeted them don't ask them if they need help unless they look like they need help, otherwise just stand somewhere you will be easily approachable. Don't hover, but don't walk away.

If you want to learn more about this there's some very good books on retail out there. My favourite are Why We Buy and Smart Retail

it depends on your 'shop' environment I suppose; 90% of our trade is via website, therefore the footfall is very low into the actual premises, which are retail space, offices, warehouse and design rooms - if we didn't greet as soon as they came in, then it would be awkward as there may be them and me in the room......

We have a 'testimonial' on linked in where one of our customers has said that we have
"The best meet and greet in the business"

so this approach obviously works for us!

 

[Sobie]

DO NOT GREET CUSTOMERS THE SECOND THEY WALK IN THE DOOR.

it depends on your 'shop' environment I suppose; then it would be awkward as there may be them and me in the room...... !

Totally agree Kate, My counter is right opposite the door, surely it would be rude to not immediately acknowledge a potential customer. :|

 

[mike.davis]

DO NOT GREET CUSTOMERS THE SECOND THEY WALK IN THE DOOR.




Totally agree Kate, My counter is right opposite the door, surely it would be rude to not immediately acknowledge a potential customer. :|

I was of course talking about larger shops, like the highstreet shops who put a 'greeter' at the front door.

 

[Philip Hoyle]

I'm not that bothered about being "greeted". I'm more concerned about the staff's availability and attitude when I want some help or want to be served. I want someone who can "help" me as and when I want it. That means someone visible to ask, preferably someone who has the knowledge and ability to help.

As for "greeters" at the door, what a pointless waste of resource. Why have someone stood at the door, when there is a queue at the counter or customers waiting around trying to find someone to help. Clarks shoes do it in their children's areas - often someone stood there handing out numbered tickets from a machine but not actually doing any fitting - what a waste of time - they'd shorten the queue if they got on and did fitting, or if they're not trained for that, why not be a gofer to get the shoes from the stockroom to reduce the time. Same with banks - rather than being stood at the door, far better to have them at the counter to reduce the queueing time.

At the end of the day, I don't care whether someone says hello when I walk into a shop or asks me what I want, or whatever. I'm more than capable of walking in, looking around and asking for whatever help I may need.

 

[maria102]

I always say hello! I then leave them to it until they linger/show interest around a particular item, at which point I ask if they need any help. Quite often they seem relieved and say something along the lines of "I've got a party to go to and I'm looking for a dress.." etc, which then gives me the opportunity to make suggestions. If they say they are ok, I then try and open up a conversation about whatever they are looking at.

I try and read signals, if they are clearly just having a scout round and are not particularly hovering, I just get on with whatever I am doing and say goodbye when they leave. I agree, some people are just not in the market for conversation so I don't push it.

 

[Sobie]

I was of course talking about larger shops, like the highstreet shops who put a 'greeter' at the front door.

I can't say I have a problem with that as long as its just the door held open and a "hello" , but what I and probably 99% of customers hate is being pestered. Went to buy a new sofa this weekend, saw one we really liked but the sales girl was so false and pushy that we walked out and brought one in another store.

You're never going to please everyone, whatever sales techinque you use so I am simply always myself.

 

[shidztomes]

I'm writing this based on my time working at a multinational retailer and purely from my own experience so I'm by no means an expert, but hopefully this will help.

Greeting everyone is definitely a great step to take. Even if busy, it's usually possible to greet every store entrant with a smile or some kind of eye contact. Depending on the branding of your store/type of customer you will know the most appropriate form of greeting, obviously adjust based on trial and error.

In your context of a children's clothing store, getting customers to talk about their kids might be a great idea. What kind of things do they usually wear, that sort of question. That will get the customer talking, show you are interested in helping their specific need and open up some rapport which is vital for making decent sales.

Placing items in the customers hands works wonders. I think there's research which shows the longer a customer is in contact with a product, the more likely they are to buy it.

Some sample open questions -

How old are your kids? How many kids do you have? What are their names? (If you then refer to the child by name, instant rapport, more likely sales) Have you looked anywhere else?

Basically, anything focused on understanding their needs so you can advise, link sell, up sell etc.

This are just simple thing to do but can be very helpful in maintaining your customers. Sometimes if you are too busy with your shop make sure not to forget to greet your customers with a smile. This is most affordable marketing strategy that you could have, so take advantage of it.