“If above 37° you are not allowed to enter”, the safety guard informed me when he checked my forehead temperature entering the department store. Monday this week many italian stores where allowed to open again to welcome the first customers since months of lockdown.
Staying in service of your customer is a truth I strongly believe. I know how hard it is to really, and I mean really put the customer first. This week pictures where spread across social media of co-workers applauding visitors entering stores and my heart jumped with joy! Will they finally have learned the importance of the customer? Can this tough period have tought the retail business how crucial it is to listen to, care for and serve the customer?
Yesterday I spent the morning downtown Florence and went in a couple of stores. When you enter a serious safety guard checks that I wear a mask, use the provided alcohol and gloves. In one department store they even checked my temperature, “If above 37° you are not allowed to enter” the guard informs me. Sales co-workers where busy following the strict rules of safety telling me that I was not allowed to touch anything. Instead of asking how to help me they kept talking with eachother on how to manage todays tasks. If they where smiling to me behind their masks I could not see it….
Working within retail means loving to stay in service. Real customer focus is about understanding and being curious about the customers need. The very first step is to connect with the customer, look them in the eyes and ask ‘how can I be of service?’ From there you do your best to find solutions to satisfy these needs. To build long term loyalty you need to give something more than satisfaction. At Lo Scopo we believe in that extra personal attention and value. That doesn’t only make the customer walk away feeling great, it triples the chances they will come back!
There is no better time than NOW to really start serving the customers!