Customer Service 101 For Retail

There is nothing worse than having to call customer service for a problem.

We've all waited to speak to someone who has already gotten screamed at before your call. It's rarely a fun experience for either party.

Many furniture and retail owners and managers assume, right or wrong, that if they don't hear complaints from their customers, all is well.

What tips and tricks can they utilize to overcome unforeseen roadblocks and offer an outstanding customer service experience? Let's discuss.

Proper Software

Unfortunately, the retail furniture industry doesn't have many options for a customer service system that integrates with their existing software. So what are your options?

STORIS is an option that allows for POS (Point of Sale), customer service, inventory management, logistics & distribution, buying tools, and accounting & finance.

Front is a customer-focused communication hub that can integrate with several different platforms so you can manage the conversation with your customers.

Handy Dandy Guide

Often, employees have a hard time dealing with customer service requests because there is no straightforward "if this, do that" type of road map for troubleshooting. Several companies work to correct this issue by recording the service calls that come in for training purposes, but having step-by-step guidelines can go a long way in providing the CSR (Customer Service Representative) peace of mind.

Support Options

CSRs can only offer so many options before management has to step in, or the customer gets so fed up that they hang up. Not every solution offered is one that the customer wants to hear, which is unfortunate. 

Just as with having a clear road map, knowing what is and is not a reasonable request when dealing with a customer complaint can give your CSRs the tools and confidence they need to be able to tackle troublesome customers head-on or to know when it's time to bring in management for back-up.

Staff Shortages

If you need to conduct a house call to fix an issue, one problem can be the lack of service techs available at any given time. When staffing issues are a problem, transparency with your customers is the best course of action. Never promise an unrealistic timeline—this will only lead to more problems in the long run.

So, where do you even start to figure out where you can improve? Starting with an anonymous company-wide survey is a great way to understand better where the issues lie so you can discover ways to fix them.

And remember: we've all been the person on the other end of the line. Consider your ideal customer service experience and brainstorm ways you can recreate that experience for your customers.

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