3 Examples of Excellent Customer Service to Get You In the Right Mindset

Running a business means thinking about the customer every step of the way. We’ve said it before and we’ll likely say it again and again another million or so times: Great customer service is the most important thing you can offer your customers as a optical retail store owner. Not only does it play a key role in customer retention, but it can be the sole reason that your business thrives or dies. We want to help you understand what excelling in customer service sounds like so you can begin to think with the same mindset. We’ve put together 3 fantastic examples of customer service that won’t go unnoticed amongst your customers/patients.

1. Out of Stock? Be the Business Owner that Takes Interest in Connecting Customers with Products They Desire

There will be times where your customer finds an item that peaks their interest or suits their style, and you will be out of stock. Your goal moving forward with this customer needs to be how to make the process of connecting the customer with the product they are interested in as painless as possible. How can you do this? Simple. For starters, offer free shipping. If you’re not able to ship the product directly to the customer, take down the customer’s contact information so you can call them personally to inform them that the product they’re interested in is back in stock. When doing this, let the customer know that you will put the item aside for them to pick up. If none of these solutions fit the customers needs, you should know your inventory well enough to offer alternatives that fulfill the customers needs in a similar fashion.

2. The Business Owner That Educates Customers to Help Them Make the Best Purchasing Decision Possible

You and your team work with your products on an almost daily basis, which means you should be going out of your way to educate your customer base on your products and services. When customers being to look at glasses in your optical retail store, you can begin by offering frame shape suggestions based on the patient’s face structure. If that seems a bit too forward (let’s face it, no one wants to hear they have a face the shape of a soccer ball after all), create a chart or a poster that provides your customers with such information without causing offense. Next, try to understand the customer’s lifestyle. For example, if your customer has a 2 year old, maybe a pair of flexon glasses is the way to go. If your customer seems to be active in sports, perhaps consider upselling them on more scratch-resistant lenses and thicker frames. Feel free to cross-sell accessories while you’re at it. A pair of eyeglass straps may work well for customers that wear glasses while playing tennis. In conclusion, ask relevant questions to show interest in the customer’s needs, and explain how each question helps you become a more informed assistant to their needs.

3. When You Remember Customer Names & Details About Them

Use whatever memory tools necessary to try to remember patient names and details they share about their life. If Anna has 3 kids, a nice personal touch would be to ask Anna how her kids are doing when she comes in for an eye exam or for a new pair of glasses. Not only will this make Anna feel a little more special as a customer, but it will likely keep Anna coming back to your optical practice. People like to create connections with their doctors, nail technicians, realtors, car insurance agents, etc. It makes the customer feel like they’re building a community of professionals around their life. Once you’re in, you’re in, and it will take a hell of a lot of effort to mess up a personal customer relationship.