The Lost Art of Old-Fashioned Customer Service: Five Things Customers Want Back

As a youngster in the early 1980’s, I held tightly to my clueless father’s hand as we circled the clothing racks of a noted retailer in search of the perfect gift for my mother. It was apparent that the ocean of choices created a strong under toe that left him flailing helplessly until one of the many available sales clerks jumped in to rescue him. After firing a friendly and efficient battery of questions at my father, the clerk was armed with my mother’s height, weight, size, and an inkling of her clothing tastes. Skirts, blouses, sweaters, and slacks were assembled with typhoon swiftness into attractive combinations that wowed us and later delighted my mother.

I still roam the aisles of the same retailer today, but no one offers to assess my size and style in order to pair tops and bottoms to transform me into a vogue fashion statement. The clerks today are frenzied at busy check-outs with no time to provide personal and detailed attention to each client. Mega stores are only big in size—not necessarily in service. When I ask for assistance in finding a particular article, I’m pointed in the general direction and not personally escorted because the clerk often isn’t familiar with departments outside of her own.

1. Be Familiar With the Products and Services Your Company Provides

When a customer spies a uniform and official name badge, the employee is deemed an authority whether he’s the janitor, the shipping clerk, or payroll officer. When an employee responds to an inquiry with, “I don’t know,” it causes great customer angst unless it’s followed by, “ but I’ll find out for you.” Home improvement stores have a better handle on this than other retailers. Ask anyone in a home improvement warehouse for a particular item, and they can tell you the precise aisle it’s in and on which side of the aisle to look—even if it’s not their department. If home improvement specialists harbor any uncertainty, they accompany you on the mission until the item is located. That is what customer service is all about. Customers don’t expect employees to have all the answers, but they feel valued when the employee takes the initiative to track down the information they need.

2. Take Responsibility for Company’s Mistakes—Even If It Wasn’t Your Fault

When something goes amuck with a transaction, the customer wants someone to make it right. An apology goes a long way in taming ruffled feathers. Unfortunately, in our society, people no longer want to assume responsibility and would rather project the blame elsewhere. The customer is always right seems an archaic mantra.

I recently toted my toddler to a local supercenter to purchase potting soil. After hauling her to the home and garden section of the store only to learn that the bags I needed were in the outside lot, I headed for the check-out. The cashier informed me that the potting soil was available in either one or two cubic feet bags. After paying for two, two-cubic feet bags, I loaded my toddler in the car, drove to the designated spot in the lot, and popped the trunk to load my potting soil. The outdoor worker informed me they never stock two-cubic feet bags, only one-cubic foot bags. I asked if I could just take four bags then in order to accommodate the four cubic feet I had purchased. That was out of the question as it would interfere with their inventory tracking! I had to park my car, unload my toddler again, and head for the customer service desk where I waited in line for an eternity. When I explained to the clerk what had happened and expressed my irritation over the run-around, he quickly piped up that I had to follow this procedure to keep their inventory accurate. What I wanted to hear was, “I’m so sorry for your inconvenience, ma’am. This was our fault, and I apologize that you’ve had to come back in here to correct it. We’ll be sure to better educate our clerks on this issue so it doesn’t happen again. In the meantime, why don’t you let us bring the potting soil directly to your vehicle. Oh, and here’s a discount coupon for your next home and garden purchase because we sure hope you’ll come back and give us another chance.” Since I heard nothing of the kind, it must have somehow been my fault for assuming the clerk knew what she was doing when she rang up my order.

3. Compensate Customers Who Have Been Inconvenienced

We all know the cliché, You can win more bees with honey than you can with vinegar. While this saying references the power of kind words to win more favor than bitter ones, you could also apply the same concept to a business plan. Drive-thrus are notorious for inaccurate order fulfillment. Have you ever set your palate on something delectable you thought was in that carry-out bag, only to return home and find you received the wrong order? When I recently visited a chain well-known for its donuts, I didn’t think ordering three donuts at the drive-thru would be asking too much. Back home when the much anticipated beep of the coffee pot signaled it was time for donut dunking, I happily delved into the bag, which did not yield a donut for me. Upon my return to the restaurant, I discovered the clerks were expecting me because they had already realized I had been shorted. Even though I smiled pleasantly and behaved graciously, the clerks did not apologize for the inconvenience, let alone throw in an extra donut for my trouble and gas usage. Would an extra donut have really thrown the company into bankruptcy? Companies lose business when they demonstrate such low regard for customers. Honey, not vinegar, entices repeat customers.

4. Save Co-Worker Conversations For the Break Room

When a customer has patiently waited in line for his turn at the register, he doesn’t want to feel like The Invisible Man. The volley of banter from one clerk to another over the customer’s head communicates he is not worth polite interaction. The customer doesn’t want to hear clerks being critical of the boss or other co-workers—he has enough of his own problems. Save personal conversations with fellow employees for the break room. Patronage of your establishment is your job security. Make your customers feel noticed and appreciated.

5. Go the Extra Mile

A customer wants to feel like a person—not a pain in your neck. Some workers resent being underpaid, even though they agreed to the hiring salary, and are only willing to provide the bare bones customer service they feel matches their wage. The very least each customer deserves is eye contact, a kind word, a smile, and a thank-you. A local grocery store delights children with a mechanical pony ride for one cent. One clerk saves all the pennies from her morning coffee purchase to pay for the pony ride of each child who goes through her line. That’s outstanding customer service. Many grocery stores and supercenters now expect customers to place their bagged groceries back into their own carts, but some clerks still demonstrate the courtesy of doing it for them. That’s going the extra mile, and clerks who exceed customer expectations are responsible for winning the customer’s repeat business.

Old-fashioned customer service doesn’t have to be a thing of the past. In today’s competitive marketplace, consumers have more options than ever before regarding where they spend their money and their time. Businesses that proactively engage employees to honor clients with kindness, respect, and appreciation will profit from receiving loyal patronage from grateful customers. The Golden Rule works every time.