Continuing on the theme of customer service from last week, I’ve been thinking about three key elements of retail: the product, the service and the location. For pure plays read site accessibility and visibility for location.
There is no doubting the importance of your product. If the quality of what you are selling is at all flaky then your customers will let you know, or cease to be your customers in the future.
Being accessible is also a key factor. The distance a customer is prepared to go is proportional to the strength of the brand and the desirability / availability of the product. The significance of convenience in the purchasing decision also varies at different times. If it’s Christmas Eve and you’ve still not purchased an essential gift then it can sharply focus the mind.
Service however in my opinion is the most vital factor in how your brand is supported and perceived, and ultimately in how loyal your customers feel towards you. A restaurant for example that is brilliantly placed with great product still leaves you feeling dissatisfied if the service is poor and inattentive. The location and the product may result in repeat visits but ultimately if the service issues aren’t addressed then true customer loyalty will never be attained.
We all acknowledge that it is our staff who make the biggest difference to service and how our brand is perceived however, as these are the people who generally earn the least in the organisation, motivation and improvement can be a perpetual issue.