ICSC Panel
Customer Service Strategies
I was honored this week by being asked to “moderate” a panel at the Hawaii chapter of the International Council of Shopping Centers “Idea Exchange” at The Hilton Hawaiian Village. My panel’s topic was “Customer Service Strategies.” On the panel I had Thomas Sorensen from the Honolulu Design Center, Tanna Dang from The Wedding Cafe, James Kerr from SuperGeeks and Michael Zhang from Blue Hawaii Lifestyle. We shared things we are doing to prosper during what so many are finding to be challenging times.
Good Sign
The first sign of prosperity was when I pulled up to the Valet and saw this license plate on Doug Smoyer’s new Maserati. Doug has had this plate for many years, but the car is new.
It’s EASY!
I have had EASY on my car for many years as well. The car has been a Cadillac since 1962, and this one is new. I tipped the valet a little something extra to park our cars side by side to deliver a message to those attending the conference. The message is that “Retail Success is EASY” when you are doing the right things.
Hilton Luau $95
Another sign of prosperity was the line I saw going into the Hilton Luau.
The showroom was full; it holds 500 people. Do the arithmatic. Yes, people are here and they are spending money!
June 21st, 2009 at 4:00 am
The mall was packed yesterday. The line to get the new I-Phone was out the door. They came home without one. You would think Apple would hire extra help on the weekend when they have big hit items like this.
I was just thinking how engaging human contact by the sales force with creative, discerning opening lines is key in this environment. If people are spending less, you want them to spend less with you and not somebody else. Again I was shopping and walked up to a stranger and said, “this would look really good on you”; her husband agreed, she took it in the dressing room and then to the register. People are wandering around looking for things to jump out at them. Power of suggestion is tantamount to increasing sales volume and building a rapport.
So many employees are busy doing inventory, paper work or stocking they forget to figure out how to enhance a buying experience for someone who may be looking for something, though they are sometimes not quite sure what. These days many are shopping because they need to. Fill the need with expertise. I see it when I am out shopping. Shoppers are being ignored. The employees have the tired line, “can I help you”. Try, “What’s your mission? You look like you may be on the hunt for something, I’m not sure what?” Laugh a little. Try to guess.
Shopper’s legs get tired, then their hunger kicks in, they can only stand to shop/hunt for so long. Make it easier for them to find what they are needing by putting your heads together. Suggest that. “I’m here to put my head together with yours”.
Oh, and someone just browsing needs to know your name, so they can yell it when they have questions. You can’t follow around every shopper unless you have discerned that it’s okay or you can keep a reparte’ going. “Excuse me, but this just came in, what do you think of it?” It doesn’t matter what they think. It is an opening line. Use the word you or their name as much as possible. Sometimes I would tell people that I was thinking of buying something for a gift for someone, and would they tell me if they liked it. Anything to strike up a conversation. It was always pleasantly surprising when it worked. Really. Happy power of selling.