Filed under: business, Customer retention, Customer Satisfaction, Customer Service, dress for success, Increased sales, Marketing, promotional wear, sales, Technology in business | Tags: Business development, Business improvement programs, Business practices, Business retention, Complaint tracking database, Consultant, Costing models, Customer relations, Customer retention, Customer Service, Improved market share, Management service, Market share, Marketing, Marketing plans, Marketing programs, Measurement systems, Personnel assessments, Training
If you’re considering how to best improve your customer service – take a look at your organization from top down. Ask yourself this question “Are we continually thinking of Customer Service”? If not thats part of the answer. Then ask “What is the customer perception when they first do business with us?” Are they greeted on the telephone in a pleasant manner, do my employees meeting the customers dress reflecting the company image?”. If not there is a good starting point.
Make sure your customer is greeted in a friendly manner either when they visit you or call you every time.
Make sure your customers are dressed for success- that meet your company image.
Finally allow every employee to become part of the customer is number one program.
Just making sure these three points are covered could take you way ahead of you competition which will result in higher sales for you!
Filed under: business, Customer retention, Customer Satisfaction, Customer Service, dress for success, Increased sales, Marketing, promotional wear, sales, Technology in business | Tags: Business development, Business improvement programs, Business practices, Business retention, caps, Complaint tracking database, Consultant, Costing models, Customer analysis, Customer relations, Customer retention, Customer Service, Customer surveys, give aways, Improved market share, improved sales, increased profit, jackets, logos, Management service, Market share, Marketing, Marketing plans, Marketing programs, Measurement systems, Personnel assessments, promotional wear, Training, uniforms
What do dress codes have to do with Customer Service?
Your interested in improving your customer service and all of a sudden your reading an article on the dress of your employees. What has dress got to do with Customer Service? John Molloy in his book, Dress for Success, suggests, “we are preconditioned by our environment, and the clothing we wear is an integral part of that environment. The way we dress has remarkable impact on the people we meet professionally or socially and greatly (sometimes crucially) affects how they treat us.” He concludes ,the fact is that “people who look successful and well educated receive preferential treatment in almost all their social or business encounters.”
If your employees are dressed properly your customers will treat them accordingly and they will be successful in business. That will equate to improved business for your company. A willingness to do work with your employees results in more sales in the company coffers.
Successful dress need not be expensive!
Dressing for success does not necessarily mean everyone should be wearing the “IBM Dress”, blue three piece suit ,white shirt etc. The manner of dress should suit the job. Dress codes are important as they affect and reflect the work environment. Brad Johnson, special council for the labour and Employment department at Foley and Lardner law firm in Jacksonville, states, employers have leeway with dress codes, they should be established with in reason, they need to relate to the business.” Molloy explains the first rule is “common sense”. So a stock broker wears the 3 piece suit and the store salesperson wears nice conservative clean sharp business casual wear. Patrick Golden a senior art director explains “ you don’t want to underscore your work by looking like a slob”.
The “Moment of Truth”.
In other pieces we have talked about the Moment of truth. Martha Barrett a manager of businesses for the King Cos. an employment leasing firm, says ‘Appearance says a lot about you when you’re meeting someone for the first time.”
Every company or organization should have a dress code that fits their individual business. Dress codes affect personal appearance as well as that of a company, there are instances where violations can get sticky. Dress Codes should be self enforced. If your IBM or stock broker then a blue suit, if your landscape gardener a tee shirt with the company logo, a matching logoembroidered cap and appropriate pants. The important point is dress professionally to suit the job.
So why come to Cornerstone Management Services?
Cornerstone Management Services Inc. has been in business for 9 years, selling a successful database and helping customers improve their customer service. More and more companies are looking for that edge to get them higher than their competition. We have taught courses on customer service part of which includes ,” The Moment of Truth”. This has led us to expand our business offering into the promotional or perhaps professional wear area.
We have access to a number of different companies to help set your dress code. Also we can call on the menswear sales manager of a former major Canadian retail department store for input based on his 40 years of expertise. Our goal would be to outfit your employees in the dress code that meets your level of professionalism, without the high cost.
For more information see:
http://www.cornerstonemanagementservices.com/promotional_wear.html
or contact us at:
905-336-6503
www.cornerstonemanagementservices.com
Email: dave.morris@sympatico.ca
