Wishing you a sweet Valentine’s Day from our headquarters in Burbank, CA. While you’re thinking of a special someone, don’t forget to send a valentine to your customers, too. Here are three ways to show your customers a little affection.

Provide Amazing Customer Service

Customer service is a given; every business must provide a minimum level of customer service to remain in business. But you don’t want to merely be in business, you want your business to rock.

Start with the phone. Do your employees answer with a helpful “Hi, this is Corner Sports. How may I help you?” rather than a snarly “Yes?” When it’s time to ring up purchases, train employees to say “Please” when presenting the total.

Make sure staff training includes how to spot customers who need help fast: the harried mom toting several toddlers; the man who dashes in at closing for a special gift. And when customer complaints arise, as they will, train employees to consider how they can help the situation, rather than escalate it with hasty, defensive words.

Make Shopping Easy

From your website to your physical location, making shopping a pleasure should be a top goal. This means accurate online listings, posted store hours and receipts that clearly state return policies, the store’s address and phone number.

Make sure to collect email addresses from customers so you can add to or create a customer list. Who are your regulars? Consider creating an email blast from the store owner or local franchise owner just so you can alert these loyal customers to great new items, classes or special events.

I used to get my hair cut at a salon in a busy part of Denver’s Lower Downtown. The salon offered free parking at a garage down the street. Without fail, the counter desk staff always asked me, “Do you need your ticket validated?” Without their prompt, I would have forgotten the parking garage ticket shoved deep in my bag. I appreciated their attention to this $10 freebie! And I appreciated the good customer service.

Let Us Hear Your Social “Voice”

Responding to online reviews and Facebook comments are part of today’s business environment. You know this, of course, but some enterprises and franchises are still waffling about how to get involved in social media and online review responses.

Whatever you need to do (hire someone, train existing staffers, empower franchise owners), craft your social strategy as soon as possible. Customers and prospects want to know your brand is engaged online. Your social replies should be professional and hopefully posted within minutes, if not hours. Need help knowing how to respond to online reviews? Check out Connectivity’s free guide, here

Showing your customers how much they mean to you can mean the difference between the customer choosing to walk through your door—or someone else’s down the block. Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

Jennifer Fenske is a Content Strategist for Connectivity.