Customer orientation always pays off

All big companies stress the improvement of environment of their stores and choice of merchandise and services. But, we have not seen significant changes in customer service. Big company stores are neat, the environment gives a pleasant impression, but sellers often drive back these pros completely with customer service.

Everytime we talk about customer service and access, it reminds me of my long-time friend from CostaRica, who studied in Prague and fell in love with it. During his stay in the Czech Republic he gained a lot of experience and always likes to come back. Regarding the fact that he works for a big international IT company, he recently had the chance to stay in Austria for a few days, and, because he had three free days before going home, he decided to come to Prague. For his journey from Vienna to Prague, he chose to travel by train. After arriving in Prague, he got off the train at the main railway station and went to ask about his return ticket to the information office. Behind the counter, a frowning, unpleasant-looking lady was sitting, who, without a greeting and with a certain amount of disobligingness, gave a reply, which was absolutely incomprehesible for an English-speaking customer. However, my friend ́s reaction was positive: “Great, I´m here, I´m in Prague!“

Unfortunately, the standard of customer service, obligingness and helpfulness to customers is poor in the Czech Republic, and we are notorious for that abroad.

Most companies base their success on the improvement of environment, merchandise and services, but forget about the most important–about each single employee, who works in the company and comes into regular contact with customers and potential clients.

That this attitude is justified, is proven by improving sales results and growing base of regular customers of companies, who take their attitude earnestly and care for its observance.

A lot of companies and their employees do not realize, that for a customer, the first thing that is important is the attendant and his/her attitude to the customer. Those are the factors, which, with most of us, decide whether we actively react to the sales incentive, if we return to that particular store or company in the future, if we visit other branches.

Whenwe have a look at the basic areas of customer orientation, we find out that it is in our power. Greet, smile, offer help to the customer and help them, not let them wait long, look at the customers when talking to them…. Such attendant or businessman leaves a good, unaffected, trustworthy impression on thecustomers.

The customer, in such situation, behaves naturally, does not pretend and trusts the businessman. That significantly contributes to sales growth, another outstanding proof this attitude is also a substantial reduction of the possibility of conflict or other difficult situations. It is said, that a person is a mirror of its surroundings. So treat the customerin the same way we want him/her to treat us.

In every contact between two people who have not seen each other before, the first impression plays the most important role. That, in most cases, decides about if the customer decides to make a transaction, to react positively to an active sales incentive. We build the first impression during the few first seconds of the contact with the other person. The biggest part of the impression is taken not from what the counterpart says, but mostly from his/her body language and voice tone. Often, the uknown person does not have to tell us anything, but based on a quick look, we build our opinion. That is the first impression.