Summarize key
points from each
paragraph.
READING Customer Service
Learning Seed: Communicating with Customers
What Makes Good Customer Service?
When you work in a retail store, what services are you offering? You
may think that your employer is paying you to prepare food, stock
shelves or tidy up the sales floor, but those aren't the real reasons.
Your employer is paying you to serve the needs of his or her
customers. Without good customer service, the customers would
disappear, and without customers, the business would fail. How you
treat the customers has a big impact on how well the store succeeds.
So what makes good customer service? The main ingredient is trying
to understand the customer. Understanding what a customer wants,
doesn't want, and how he or she wants to be treated are the keys to
having happy customers. There are many components to good
customer service, but in the end they all come down to the same goal:
understanding your customers.
Successful (And Not-So-Successful) Interactions
How your customer feels about your interaction begins before you say
a word. Your attitude is clear before you speak, and if you aren't
friendly, a customer will know it. Begin with a smile. If you know the
customer's name, use it. That personal touch spells friendliness, and
it can give your employer a competitive edge against similar
businesses in your area. This example of a friendly, personal
approach is an essential aspect of good customer service.
Another essential practice is really listening to your customers. You
can't assume that a customer will tell you exactly what they want from
the beginning. Often you'll need to get some clarifying details. Give
your customers a chance to talk about what they think is important.
Take a real interest and connect with them. If you don't listen, you may
answer the wrong question, or provide the wrong solution. Listening
will help you to provide your customers with what they need and more
thoroughly enjoy your job.