Customer Service: Know Before You Sell

It is important to build a relationship with your customer. In the first few seconds after you notice the customer’s arrival, you should:

• Make sure your clothes are neat and you look professional

• Find your sales book and get it ready for your next sale

• Tidy up the product display before showing it to the customer

• Greet the customer and make him feel welcome

A new customer comes into your department, but you are helping another customer. You should:

• Focus all your attention on your current customer

• Let the new customer wait his turn until you have completed your current sale

• Acknowledge the new customer’s presence with eye contact and/or a brief comment that you’ll be right with him

• Help the customer who looks like he will spend the most money

A good reason for creating an opening for discussion is to:

• Break down the customer’s sales resistance

• Get to know what the customer wants

• Convince the customer how much you know about the product

Three ways to create a positive impression of you and the store include: Complimenting the customer’s taste; assuring the customer that he is the expert; and:

• Suggesting that he buy “top of the line” products

• Stating that the products in your store are far better than those in other stores

• Indicating that based on your professional product knowledge, you feel his purchases are worthwhile

If the customer isn’t shopping alone, you can include the rest of the party by:

• Telling any children to behave themselves while their parent makes this important decision

• Suggesting that the customer might want to make this shopping decision when he is alone and can concentrate

• Showing some kind of service to others in the party, such as offering a chair, a cup of coffee, and so on

You can best determine the customer’s needs by gathering information through careful observation and by:

• Deciding the type of products you think the customer should buy

• Telling the customer everything you know about your products

• Asking the customer thoughtful questions

To keep the lines of communication open, the best questions to ask:

• Are direct and to the point

• Are ones that can be quickly answered with a “yes” or a “no”

• Begin with who, what, where, when, how, or why

• Are ones that are able to direct the customer to a decision

• Are structured to save the customer’s time

Which of the following are examples of open-ended questions?

• Can I help you?

• What features are important to you?

• Do you like blue or brown?

• Is this all for you today?

Which of the following might be acceptable techniques for directing a customer to the Customer Service department? (2 correct answers)

• “Customer service is on the third floor; take the elevator and turn right when you get off. I’d go with you, but I can’t leave this area unattended at the moment.”

• “You’ll have to take this to Customer Service; I can’t help you here.”

• “Someone in Customer Service can help you with that; I’ll show you the way.”

As a sales associate, your goal is to:

• Keep the returns to a minimum

• Keep the customer coming back

• Decide who’s right or wrong