Give Them What They Least Expect!

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Give Them What They Least Expect

For years, I have been saying that when a customer walks into your store or contacts your company, they are not necessarily looking for your particular merchandise. They may be looking for a sofa, a diamond, a television, a piece of jewelry, a firearm, an appliance, or a particular item they saw online. But what they are really looking for is a place and a person to buy that merchandise from.

That distinction is extremely important in today’s retail environment.

Customers have more choices than ever before when it comes to spending their money. They can shop at a big-box store, visit a mall, buy from an online retailer, compare prices on their phone, or do business with a locally owned independent retailer. In many cases, they can find the same or similar merchandise in several different places.

So, if the merchandise is available somewhere else, what makes your store different?

Unless you are selling something nobody else has, the one advantage your competitors cannot duplicate is your people.

Your competitors can sell the same brand. They can carry similar merchandise. They can offer comparable prices. They can advertise the same products and even make it easier for customers to compare prices.

But they cannot duplicate the experience a customer has with your salesperson.

If I were to ask every customer who purchased something from your store, “Why did you buy from us?” and the most common answers had nothing to do with the people, the service, the experience, or the confidence they felt doing business with you, I would be concerned.

I am not suggesting that price, selection, location, convenience, or merchandise are unimportant. They certainly matter. But those things are becoming increasingly easy for customers to find elsewhere.

The salesperson is the differentiator.

The interesting thing is that customers may not even realize they are looking for this.

Most customers don’t walk into a jewelry store thinking, “I hope I find a salesperson who really listens to me, asks good questions, understands what I am trying to accomplish, and makes this an enjoyable experience.”

They don’t walk into a furniture store thinking, “I hope someone takes the time to understand how we live and recommends the right solution rather than simply showing me what is on sale.”

They don’t walk into a pawnshop thinking, “I hope I find someone who treats me with respect and makes me feel comfortable doing business here.”

But when they encounter that kind of salesperson, they know the difference.

Customer service and professional relationship-building have become so inconsistent across the retail industry that I believe many customers have actually lowered their expectations. They may expect to be ignored, pressured, rushed, or treated like a transaction rather than a person.

That creates a tremendous opportunity for the professional salesperson.

When a customer expects mediocre service and instead receives genuine attention, enthusiasm, product knowledge, and professional guidance, you have exceeded their expectations before you have even asked for the sale.

And something else happens.

They remember you.

They remember the salesperson who didn’t make them feel pressured. They remember the person who listened. They remember the salesperson who found the right solution instead of simply trying to sell them something. They remember the person who followed up after the sale. And when they need something again, they are much more likely to come back to that person.

That is how relationships are built.

Think about it from your own perspective. When you receive exceptional service, don’t you tend to remember the person who provided it? You may not remember exactly what you purchased six months later, but you probably remember how you were treated.

That is the opportunity available to every salesperson in every retail store every day.

Give customers what they least expect: great service.

Don’t just show them merchandise. Give them your attention.

Don’t just answer questions. Ask questions.

Don’t just process a transaction. Build a relationship.

Don’t just try to make today’s sale. Give the customer a reason to come back tomorrow.

And don’t confuse great customer service with simply being nice. Professional customer service means understanding the customer’s needs, providing knowledgeable recommendations, demonstrating the value of the merchandise, overcoming concerns, making the buying process comfortable, and following through after the sale.

When you combine great customer service with professional selling skills, you create something your competitors cannot put on a shelf and sell.

You create an experience.

Give customers the experience they hoped for but didn’t necessarily expect. Make doing business with you and your company something they enjoy. Make your store the place they want to return to and your salespeople the people they want to buy from.

Because making the sale today does not guarantee a sale tomorrow.

But earning the customer today can create customers for years to come.

Be sure to go to https://principlesforbusinessandlife.com/ – click on Our Viewpoint Newsletter and read a terrific article Titled:

The Value of Showing Up – By Bryan Dodge of Dodge Development

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