5 Customer Service Musts For The Holidays
 By Alex R. Merriman

‘Tis the season for you to impress customers. The holidays are the perfect time to show new customers your stellar service and to remind your existing customers how much you appreciate their business.

And if you can create an exceptional service experience, you’ll set your small business apart from the competition—because most businesses will be focusing on sales and volume instead of service.

Here are five ways to take your service to the next level this holiday season.

1. Say hello
When customers walk into your shop, acknowledge them immediately. Say hello or ask if you can help them or tell them you’ll be with them in a moment.

Whatever you do, don’t ignore them, no matter how busy you are at the moment. As the old saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

2. Train your employees
You may have full-time workers, part-time employees or temporary help for the holidays. Train each and every one of them in the fine art of customer service.

When times get busy with last-minute shoppers, these employees will be the face of your small business. They will be the business as far as many customers are concerned.

Teach them how to smile. Show them how to be attentive and accommodating. Give them the power and the responsibility to make your customers happy.

3. Put pertinent information on your Web site
People look for ways to save time during the holidays. If you help them, they’ll remember that your business offered superior service.

And one of the easiest ways to save a customer time is to display important information on your Web site.

Make sure these tidbits are highly visible on your homepage:

• Your telephone number
• Your address (and a map if possible)
• Your hours of operation
• Your e-mail address (and fax number if appropriate)

Give them what they need. Now. Save them time.

4. Answer the phone
The holidays are hectic. But that’s no excuse to let your business phone ring unanswered or to send calling customers into the voice mail abyss.

Arrange to have your phone answered promptly by an informed person—either you or an employee. The person who picks up the call should be polite, to the point and capable of providing general information such as:

• Hours of operation
• Directions to your store
• Whether a certain product is in stock
• Whether you will hold an item for pick up

This seems so simple and basic. Yet in the rush of the holidays, many of your competitors will let calls go unanswered. Stand out from the rest—answer your phone.

5. Surprise your customers
During the holiday rush customers become resigned to crowded stores, long lines, harried salespeople, often messy displays shelves and other inconveniences.

Give shoppers a break from that routine when they enter your space.

Surprise them with well-stocked, organized merchandise. Honor them with an efficient checkout process and an educated sales staff.

By giving your customers a first-class shopping experience brimming with top-notch service, you’ll win fans who will be loyal to your small business long after the holidays are over.


(Posted November 2009)

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