TOPSHELF MARKETING 101 : TIPS TO ACHIEVING WORLD- CLASS CUSTOMER SERVICE
by Keith Katsikas ( CEO & Publisher , TopShelf )
Customer service defines your business and ultimately determines its level of success . You may have a rare item that someone would like to purchase ; however , because of a poor experience , or the poor experience of a friend , that customer may decide to purchase online instead of through your venue . Not sure how you can offer world-class customer service ? TopShelf Magazine is here to help . NEVER STALK Don ' t act like a car salesman and stalk your customers the moment they walk into your business or follow them around like they are thieves . A known thief loitering about your store is one thing ; however , don ’ t watch every move a customer makes if there ' s no reason to believe they are trouble . Your customers will most likely leave and never come back , and advise everyone they know to do the same . MEMBERSHIPS Offer customers free memberships . Memberships make people feel connected , engaging them in what you are doing , and discounts encourage members to shop more at your store . However , beware : customers hate being charged for memberships and will often opt out . KNOWLEDGABLE STAFF Knowledgeable and friendly employees are one of the benefits of bookstores . Use them wisely . Have an “ Employee Corner ” in your monthly newsletter , have employees make a list of their favorite books and print them on bookmarks , have shelf hangers under employees ’ favorite books with the reason why it is a favorite . Also , meet with your employees often and brainstorm ideas and feedback regarding marketing campaigns , or use Survey Monkey as a tool for staff to offer ideas or to give feedback . Visit stores for business ideas , not only bookstores , and take pictures and notes of what the other establishments are doing right or wrong . Engage your employees with specific responsibilities to implement your ideas in the store .
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LOCAL EXPERTS Engage your community ’ s local experts for book suggestions . Ask therapists for their favorite self-help books , business owners for the business section , veterinarians for pet books , local chefs for the cookbook section , and so on , and post the lists in the relevant sections of the store . Also , ask local teachers and professors to recommend books to help your bookstore become a better curator for student customers . Most public school teachers have yearly “ summer book lists ” from which students are encouraged to read two books during the summer . SMARTPHONES Bookstores that have a “ no smartphone ” policy are hurting themselves . By not allowing customers to use their phone to look up books and reviews , even if they could use the information they find to shop elsewhere , you are succeeding at only one thing –– giving customers a bad feeling about your store . You cannot stop customers from purchasing a book on Amazon ; however , giving them a reason to buy from Amazon , and likely never return to your store , is just bad business . EASIER THE BETTER Many customers come to your store because they want to support a local business rather than a big box store . However , at the first sight of difficulty they will almost certainly run to the big box store . Customers want their questions answered quickly , so computerize your inventory and have someone on hand who understands the computer system or smartphone app , so that customers have their questions answered instantly . Also , no one enjoys waiting in line to make a purchase . Speed up the checkout process by ringing up purchases without having to go to a register , using a square reader or smartphone . CUSTOM ORDERS It is important to make customers orders simple . If all you are doing is placing an order on Amazon and having it ready to be picked up in a week , a customer will appreciate that service , and if you can order books at wholesale and have them available quickly , offer that as a service to your customers . Hang large signs that tell customers the service is available . Wave the shipping costs if you must , or you could offer 99 ¢ shipping for all orders over $ 15 . STORE WEBSITE A simple , welldesigned website allows customers to find information and place orders easily . The process of placing an order should be easy , with clearly defined policies . Also , if a customer finds a book in the inventory , they should be given the option to place the order over the phone . The customer should be able columns
to track the progress of their delivery . The shipping policy must be clear to the customer . Offer fixed rates and a reasonable delivery time . Staff need to ensure that orders are delivered within the predetermined amount of time to maintain customer satisfaction . There should be several payment options available including credit card , debit card , or cash on delivery . Providing these options will likely result in increased sales and improve the customer ’ s buying experience . REALLY LISTEN Have a “ Customer Suggestion Box ” and ask your customers to fill out a card with a short survey . Questions can be as simple as “ What don ’ t you like about our bookstore ?” or “ Did we have what you were looking for today ?” The answers will bring to your attention issues that may have never crossed your mind , however , are very important . RETURN POLICY It is important to have a clearly defined policy regarding exchanges and returns so that there is no confusion . Mention the policy on receipts , and train staff to handle all customer questions regarding the policy . Typically customers have a 30-day timeframe where bookstores will allow returns or exchanges under certain requirements . The book must be in good shape at the time of return . ESCALATIONS Make sure to train your staff how to handle escalations . When a customer is angry , disappointed , or feels wronged by someone within your business , quality of merchandise , pricing , and so on , your staff needs to remain calm and listen to the customer without interruption . Never have a bad attitude towards a customer ' s complaint . Always stay friendly , smile , and assure the customer that you are going to work hard to make their complaint heard and , if needed , corrected . Moreover , never , ever , make promises that you cannot fulfill . IN CLOSING No marketing professional will ever honestly state that there is one marketing idea or method that will work 100 % of the time , for 100 % of their clients . The truth is , there is no magic bullet , and there are no guarantees in life or business . Everything we do is a risk . However , there is one thing I can assure you –– something I can and will promise . The worst thing you can do in this life is nothing at all . Remember , do what you love , and love what you do , and the world will eventually follow .
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TOPShelf magazine APRIL2017