The classic adage first coined by the founder of London’s iconic Selfridge’s Department Store in the early 1900s revolutionised the retail industry’s approach to customer service, and has endured as a point of focus over the decades since.
Of course, SME owners and managers are now operating in a landscape vastly different to that of Harry Gordon Selfridge’s era – but his sentiments are worth re-considering in this age of online shopping, where the value of the personalisation of interactions is often underestimated.
Yet, face-to-face interaction is just one facet of the customer experience, and prioritising a nuanced and responsive service for clients allows SMEs to differentiate their offering from the rest of the big dot com pack.
With US-based online retail giant Amazon looming on Australian shores, smaller retailers need to be creative and innovative in how they package their offering to attract and retain customers against the challenge of a huge international operator with buying power and technological prowess to match.
Amazon offers huge product variety, low prices, and fast delivery – but can they personalise that offering?
This is where SME owners need to excel to survive.
We need to adopt a holistic approach to personalisation, because it’s not just knowing the customers’ name – it’s knowing their motivations and their shopping habits. What’s more, if you can answer all these questions pre-purchase, your customer service team are better resourced to focus on providing faster and more accurate customer service responses across all your channels, including social media.
To do this, use Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to your advantage. For example, when the customer gets in touch ask questions such as “How are you liking your last purchase?” Or “If you could pick one thing that would have made the experience better, what would it be?” If handled correctly by your customer service team, this will build your customer loyalty and retention.
When we hire staff in customer service, we look for emotional intelligence, because this is needed to provide the best customer experience. Listening and interpreting correctly a customers’ query or concern is a really important skill – because no one wants to feel like they’re being processed. If you’re having trouble with this, create customer profiles and train your staff on them. Discuss various scenarios from the perspective of each customer segment, for example, how would each respond to a delayed order?
It’s the era of two-way dialogue – mass marketing is certainly no more. Every customer has a different journey on our website and in our stores, therefore they have different preferred methods of communication. Here at RY.com.au, we invested in a sophisticated omnichannel experience to connect with our customer base across internet platforms and within the traditional bricks-and-mortar setting.
Omnichannel retailing involves a consistent experience for the customer between a company’s offline and online channels, allowing the customer to communicate with the business through various media, potentially at the same time and outside of traditional business hours.
The omnichannel becomes an extension of a company’s commitment to meeting the customer’s needs, rather than expecting them to shop within a format defined by the retailer itself.
We must be aware there is no limit to disruption. What made customers choose Airbnb over hotels? Uber over taxis? Customers will always follow the path leading to a better service experience.
SME operators – whether traditional or online – have a unique opportunity to put into action new strategies capitalising on the biggest advantage they have over Amazon, and that is the ability to tailor a nuanced offering that evolves with the changing demands of their customers.
James Patten, Co-Founder, RY
