I read an article yesterday about the level of customer complaints in retail being at an all time high. Not surprising really given the ever-changing retail environment and ever increasing challenges from other channels. I have a close friend who works in the retail industry and she was saying only the other day how different retail is since ‘my day’!
It got me thinking…. That’s actually not true! OK so the competition might be coming in different guises, rents can be crushing, and there may be increasing pressure on managing technologies at the same time as delivering service excellence….. However it is still about getting the right products into customers’ hands to meet their needs and to do that the number one never changing element is your people. Brilliantly engaged, knowledgeable and empowered People! So what’s new there?
You can’t cut corners with your people if you want a successful retail business. Simple. Technologies offer a dynamic, instant source of information, peer endorsement and can add credibility to a product….they can’t replace personal interaction and neither should they. Retailing is still ALL about people.
Now, more than ever, with so much choice customers are looking for help in deciding what to buy. Click and collect encourages them back into your store and its a lost retailer that doesn’t grab at that opportunity with both hands and allow what’s often their most expensive and always their most valuable resource to engage, advise and sell. Training and empowering individuals to resolve issues at the sharp face and turning that customer around is crucial whilst any back of house issues are fixed.
Customer complaints in retail may be at an all time high, that’s inexcusable. Things might be different in terms of the dynamics of retailing, faster, multi-dimensional, complex. People are still your greatest asset.
Get in touch if you want to focus on your people to drive success.
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