Don’t follow the Dutch example if you want to lose customers
It all started in September. I arrived to this beautiful country when the weather was still nice. The air was rich with autumn scents – by the way it was the exact same feeling as it supposed to be according to my Hungarian standards. This means nice and warm sunshine during the day, colour changing leaves, crispy air in the mornings, and so on. It was beautiful, and just the way I like it. For the whole week.
On top of that, everybody was kind and nice, in the shops as well! What to say, I was impressed, how everybody spoke English, how everybody was able to be nice, friendly and professional at the same time. What to say, this treatment fulfilled my checklist for an outstanding customer service, absolutely:
- Smile from afar – I know: you, me, we are all only humans with our fluctuating moods and sometimes it is really hard to do our job with a smile on our faces. But it’s worth the effort. I have not one, but several shop assistants working in nearby stores who I started to like during the years. We shared smiles, then longer greetings, and after that our thoughts and dreams and we even started to share stories from our life.
- Clean shop – oh, yes, there isn’t a worst thing when you enter the shop and it looks like a battlefield.
- Help me, I’m lost! – Without the shop assistant’s help I would never have found my non-allergic bread.
- Don’t make me think – well, this is just like the previous one. When I’m shopping, I’m more or less on autopilot, so it can be really problematic, if I start circling in the shop and not finding the desired products. In this case either I gave up or sought for help. Once I even asked a stranger – who, according to me, looked like an employee of the supermarket – where I could find my favourite chocolate. The poor victim looked so dumbfounded, I felt really terrible after it, because I judged him by his clothes. Lesson learned.
- Respect me – even if I’m a foreigner or worst, a tourist.
- Try to understand my needs – listen carefully, with the intent to understand the others is one of the greatest gifts ever.
- No hurry, let me breathe and take my time – give me space to feel comfortable while I’m deciding what I want to buy. I really liked that. But when I needed them, the staff was always nearby.
- Give me some extra tips – I’d love to hear about the latest discounts and the best offers – who wouldn’t?
Conclusion: if you want to lose customers, don’t follow the Dutch example.
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Author: Anita @AnitaKocsis910
Anita is an employee of Bare International. Besides her work, she loves doing yoga, dancing, running, travelling and reading – which is why she often wonders how would it be possible to fit one or two more hobbies into her schedule. Her love for the automotive industry came from the passion for innovations and technology. She has a master’s degree in International Economics and Business.
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