is so annoying when you go to a neighbourhood shop to get stuffs and the seller ends up getting you treated as one who has come to beg for the things you actually came to buy with your hard-earned money. That's how it is with most Nigerians, especially, those that sell provisions, foodstuffs and other little house-hold items. Immediately they get a handful of customers, they become lords and turn arrogant! One could lose the numerous customers one has made over the time if your customer service is bad! You can actually improve your customer service through the following ways:
1) Readily having change to give to customers: I know that there are times when it seems difficult getting accurate change for customers but you shouldn't make it a duty for customers to come with the exact money for the purchases they would want to make. There are shop owners who even quarrel with you when you don't come with the exact money . The Northerner in my neighbourhood makes more money than any other shop owner I know of because he has change readily available except on few occassions. This is in sharp contrast with the seller who frowns and quarrels with you when you come with 50 Naira to buy pure water of 20 Naira! Though, some buyers are annoying How you go bring 1000 Note and talk say you wan buy 30 Naira groundnut?
2) Value every customer that calls in: If you sell something worth 20 Naira, you are richer because you must have made profit. You can't tell me that the market price was the same as the amount you sold it!!! There are people who sell reluctantly to you when you are buying something of small quantity but observe how they react to the man who has come to buy more. My guy, life nor be competition o! Treat your customers well, whether big or small and watch how your sales increase!
3) Always say 'Thank you' when someone patronizes you: Money doesn't grow on trees. People toil and sweat for it, so their purchase, whether small or big must not only be appreciated but must be shown to have been appreciated. Saying 'thank you' when someone buys from you is a sure way of making them come back again. There are people who will never say 'thank you' even if you buy something worth thousands of Naira from them!!! Absence of courtsey in business can make someone to patronize your competitor even if it takes them a longer time to get there!
4) Make sure customers are comfortable while they wait: You can increase people's patronage when you treat them very well whenever they check in. Do not leave customers standing unattended to. There are people whose business outfits you would visit and I bet you, you would regret calling in. Some would be seen discussing and laughing on phone or with a friend in the shop while you are waiting. If you own a shop and it is always crowded, make sure you talk to every customer that comes in, make them comfortable and assure them that you will soon attend to them. Don't make them stand, waiting without any pleasant word to ease the stress of waiting. It is easy to lose customers when there are other competitors!
5) Always avoid the temptation of selling bad goods to customers: This is one sure way of giving your business a bad image! Some years back, I had a woman who operated a provision shop close to my house. She was fond of selling spoilt and expired stuffs to people. When she discovers that her packs of noodles have been eaten by rats, she would still package them and sell to an unsuspecting buyer!!! She thought she was being clever but she got to know better when her customers started decreasing!!!
Your attitude in business matters a lot. It doesn't just end in packing your shop full with variety of goods.
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