When a Customer Walks in your Door

Here is a checklist or steps that you can use to train your staff in delivering quality customer service. I use this steps in my trainings. Got it from a friend and I have added some of my own experience into it. Its a sequence that starts from the time the customer walks in till the time he leaves your establishment.

When someone walks into your store, you must always remember that he/ she is a potential customer. You and your staff need to:

1) Be visible as soon as he enters your store

By acknowledging him, you will give him the impression that you value his business. Look up from your point of sales, stop whatever you are doing for the moment. If your work needs you to be away from the area, such as going in and out of the storeroom, then you need to have some kind of gadget that alerts you when a customer enters your store. I have seen some not to expensive ones that run on batteries. It gives out a sound everytime someone passes its beam of light. You can put it at the entrance doorway.

2) Greet the customer in a friendly manner.

The resort where I started my career had this Japanese Restaurant. The staff there greeted everyone that walked in the door by calling out "Good Evening" loudly in Japanese. Even the cooks behind the counters greeted the same way. The manager there said that's the way the Japanese greeted their customers. Well you don't have to follow that style. Just greet the customer how the community around you greets their friends.
Make eye contact, don't stare. Smile, don't grin. And say something such as, “Good (time of day). How may I help you?”

3) Show that you are willing to help.

By acknowledging and greeting the customer, you will give him/ her the impression that you are ready to assist. Nobody likes to be followed around or rushed while they browse through your menu or your store. So train staff not to continually follow customers around or rush them through the menu. Even interrupting them every few minutes to ask them how they are doing will sure to annoy them and chase them away. If the customer says "Just looking around" or "Just browsing" , just let them browse and after a while approach them to enquire if they have found what they’re looking for.

4) Listen carefully if the customer has an enquiry.

Listen carefully to what he has to say. The way to show that you are actively listening is by making eye contact, nodding, or even jotting down notes. Ask questions when the customer is finish if its necessary to get more details that will enable you to solve the problem. Never and I say it again Never interrupt a customer when he or she is speaking. You can’t listen when your mouth is moving. This is what I tell my staff about active listening "God gave you two ears and one mouth, so as you listen more and talk less."
Be sure that you and your staff know your products and services inside out. I ussually make my staff repeat the product knowledge of a new item daily in our briefing until I or my assistant is sure that the staff knows the product by hard. I ask them to say in their own words, so as they don't sound like a robot. For good customer service, tell customers what they want to know, not everything you know about it.

5) Always be cheerful, courteous and respectful
Throughout your interaction with the customer maintain a professional image. Never, never ridicule him if he ask a not too bright question. Remember he is paying our salary. Again never judge him by appearance I have seen some people who are dressed simple but they have the money to purchase your product. So be nice to everybody.

6) Make sure you end on a sweet note.

Even if the customer doesn't want to buy anything, you should end the interaction on a sweet note. Never pull a long face or grumble. You should never use phrases like, “Here we go again” or “Okay, then” and turn your back to the customer. If the customer is not ready to buy, you can suggest , “Is there anything else I can help you with?”, “Would you like a brochure?”, or “Would you like to try that on?”
If he or she wants to buy something, escort or direct the customer to the counter where you or someone else will go through the payment procedure with him.