Month: April 2012

Good Service Equals Happy Customers

Posted onAuthorericw@specialtystoreservices.com

While I was on vacation I walked into a small boutique and was completely ignored. I was shocked that she did not even say hello or acknowledge that I was in the store.  As I walked around and touched the merchandise she never once ask if I was looking for anything in particular, and just kept on doing what she was doing and never once looked up.  I was shocked at the lack of service she was giving and couldn’t wait to leave. I was very disappointed because she had great merchandise and I would’ve bought something had she been more engaging.
No matter if you are the owner or the employee it is important for you to make your customers feel welcome and comfortable.  When you have guests at your home you don’t let them just walk around you make them comfortable offer a drink or a place to sit and make conversation. Wouldn’t you do the same for your customers?
Service is simple and very important.  Service encompasses attitude, efficiency, knowledge and availability. Customers want to shop in a place that is inviting and where they feel valued. Customers have options so why not give them what they are looking for cause they are spending precious time and money.  Employees should be well trained, courteous, attentive, helpful, friendly and efficient.  Remember a customer is willing to overlook imperfections if they are given the service that they want. Here at Specialty Store Service we believe a smile, small conversation and attentiveness is what keeps our customers happy.
Good Service= A Happy Customer.

Great Retail Promotion Idea

Posted onAuthorericw@specialtystoreservices.com

Looking for a new promotion idea to use at the local festival, sidewalk sale or even in your store? Check out this “Grab Bag” idea featured by Bob Negen on the Whizbang! Training site. People like surprises and they like a good deal, and this promo idea has the best of both worlds. Plus, people are likely to spend more when them come into the store to cash in the $1-$10 gift certificate they won! Read on –

You know, a little bit of imagination can take you a long way.  Re-imagining, re-inventing an idea to make it your own is what having your own business is all about.  It’s one of the reasons we really liked this Tip sent in by a reader last week…

Sidewalk sales are coming up this month for many of you and we thought this idea from Shari Aussant could easily be transplanted from her local fair to your sidewalk.  It’s a fun, imaginative way to create excitement, increase sales, get rid of excess inventory, and boost the number of transactions per customer.
“Hi Bob –

Your Tip of the Week re: using gift certificates to increase traffic in the shop was fantastic! Our shop sponsored a table at a local fair and we were fresh out of ideas of what to do to create excitement.  The night before I re-read your email and listened again to the pod-cast and here is what we came up with;

We filled 500 grab bags with product that wasn’t moving.  Candles that were not the best, free samples given to us by our companies, hot chocolate packets, teas, all little items that we had sitting around.  For $1.00 customers could pick a gift bag and in 50 of the bags we hid plastic gift cards with random amounts ranging from $1 to $10 with one $50.  We also filled a retro bubble gumball machine with fun prizes and free samples for 50 cents a chance to win a $25 gift card.

The bubble gum machine brought in $325 and the Grab Bags brought in over $500.  We made our cost back of all the items given away, covered the cost of the table, staff, and gift cards.  We passed out hundreds of little $5 gift certs as well and the store which had a history of being quiet on festival days, ended up having a banner day with all the new customers that were coming in with the gift cards and mystery gift certificates.  The winners had to physically bring in the card for us to run it on the machine to see what dollar amount they won!  It was so fun and our table was the busiest one at the fair.  People were jumping when they got a card in their bag as well as with all the freebies they got.

Thanks so much for all of your great ideas, we are having such fun with your e-blasts!”

– Shari Aussant  http://www.oldcompanystore.com/



Please let me know how this promotion idea works out for you! Sounds like fun!