| Treat every customer as a millionaire, remember the | | | | customer wants to spend five thousand dollars at |
| movie Pretty Woman? | | | | your store, do you really care if he is not wearing a |
| While working in a retail furniture store, one evening, | | | | shirt? |
| a man walks in. He was wearing a dirty jacket, two | | | | "No Food or Drinks" - Shopping is relaxation therapy |
| sizes to small on him, it was torn in a few places and | | | | for most people. Do you eat and drink when you |
| the stuffing was falling out. He truly looked like a | | | | watch a movie? Why should a customer not walk |
| homeless guy. | | | | around the store with a Latte? What is the worst |
| I gave him my usually greeting of, "Hi, if you have | | | | thing that will happen; they will spill their drink on the |
| any questions please let me know, if you don't find | | | | carpet? If you tell the customer not to worry about |
| something you like, the special order catalogs are | | | | the spill, you will create such an impression that they |
| over there on that wall". He then starts asking me | | | | will tell ten friends to shop at your store! |
| about a living room set he sees on the floor. I give | | | | There is an old saying; a customer with a good |
| him the standard sales pitch and tell him the various | | | | experience will tell 1 person, a customer with a bad |
| colors it is available in. He then asks, how long does it | | | | experience will tell 10 people. |
| take for delivery? So I tell him either tonight or | | | | Here is a great example of Five Star Customer |
| tomorrow. He then says ok, I want it. | | | | Service. While traveling overseas, a good friend takes |
| Even though I am still skeptical, because he looked | | | | me to a restaurant and says; "they are the best in |
| like a homeless guy, I start writing up the invoice. He | | | | the city", all the members of parliament eat here. I |
| then asks me, how much is the total with tax and | | | | couldn't understand why. The restaurant looked like |
| delivery? I tell him six hundred dollars. He sticks his | | | | the type of place that construction workers go to. It |
| hand into his torn pocket and pulls out cash for the | | | | was between a mechanic shop and a used |
| entire amount. He then tells me, "the store around | | | | motorcycle dealership. After we ate the extremely |
| the corner, your huge competitor, kicked me out of | | | | generous amount of food they served us they bring |
| the store and told me they have nothing for me", "I | | | | out chocolate mousse for dessert. I tell my friend in |
| guess they didn't like the way I looked". | | | | English, wow, my wife loves this stuff. As we are |
| Now you see why I say, treat every customer like a | | | | getting up to leave, the waitress brings me a bag |
| millionaire, because sometimes the millionaire comes | | | | with 2 containers of mousse for me to take home |
| to your store in his dirty work clothes. | | | | to my wife! No charge of course. This restaurant |
| Your store needs to stick out and be noticed to | | | | knew how to ensure customers always tell their |
| attract shoppers. Those shoppers need to make | | | | friends and always come back! |
| purchases. We need to make sure that a high | | | | Keep the parking spaces in front of your store |
| percentage of people that walk into the store | | | | available for customers. You don't like to walk far so |
| actually buy something. | | | | why make your customers. If you are worried about |
| When a customer walks into the store, don't say, | | | | people that are not your customers taking the spots, |
| can I help you? Say "Hi, if you need help, please let | | | | put a sign that says reserved for my customers only. |
| me know". Don't breathe down the customers back. | | | | Shovel the snow in front of your store so customers |
| Don't follow them around the store. Don't watch | | | | can get in easily. When the snow is not shoveled in |
| them like they are a thief. | | | | front of a store people assume your store is closed. |
| You should tell the customer your specials when they | | | | It is also smart to invest in some salt so that no one |
| walk in. Just like, a restaurant tells its diners the | | | | slips on the ice in front of your store. The publicity |
| specials when they sit down and review the menu. | | | | and attention of an ambulance in front of your store |
| Show your customer where the clearance rack is. | | | | is not good for business. |
| Point out what is on sale. | | | | There are more ideas on my website if you are |
| Remove signs on the front door that promote | | | | interested! |
| negativity. Like No Shirts, No Shoes, No Service. If a | | | | |