According to the US Chamber of Commerce, October was a tough month for sales in the small business category but in spite of the shaky economics and political transition, US based small businesses remain optimistic towards 2025. Just over half of small businesses surveyed in that US Chamber of Commerce research indicated that they would be increasing employees in the next 12 months. With a tough entry level job market, customers facing small businesses face an uphill battle when it comes to maximizing every customer opportunity. Checking in on customer service processes and culture heading into the key holiday season is a good strategy for small business owners and managers. Heading into the new year, every customer will matter and maximizing the experience and opportunity will impact profitability and overall success of the business. Expectations from consumers are only getting higher and that experience can have a far reaching effect on the brand making it essential to focus on customers and elevating the interaction.
Customer Service Skills Check In
Customer facing businesses depend on those customers for revenue generation and delivering exceptional experiences is what can differentiate one brand from another in a crowded marketplace. Are frontline teams ready to maximize each customer opportunity with a key selling season on the horizon? Owners and managers can check-in on customer service and identify opportunities to improve the experience. Using the customer’s perspective can help evaluate processes and culture from that important viewpoint. Some strategies to get teams ready:
- Communicating the brand’s commitment to customer service
- Quick customer service tips during morning or general meetings
- Upskilling and refresher training to give individuals tools and skills they need to deliver exceptional experiences and drive the business
Focusing on the customer can help build a culture of service within the business and highlighting the importance of customers and customer service on a consistent basis can also bring the point home. GIving the individual resources and tools they need can help them achieve customer service quality goals.
Planning for the Season
The upcoming holidays are a key selling season for the majority of customer facing small businesses and creating a detailed plan can make the most of customer interactions and opportunities. A few areas to showcase:
- Scheduling – ensuring enough staffing to accommodate expected customer traffic
- Spotlighting the customer experience during team interactions
- Monitoring and driving motivation and productivity of frontline teams
- Detailed tasks and jobs defined well in advance and ensuring smooth day to day operations
Some businesses depend on key shopping holidays such as Black Friday and Christmas and strategizing these key busy seasons can positively impact the customer experience and potentially increase those all important individual transactions.
Taking Old School Retailing to the Next Level
For small businesses that have retail or showroom type layouts, the customer experience begins at the front door. Internal layouts are an important part of the selling process and strategizing placements and mapping can positively influence the customer experience and increase individual transaction value. Walking ‘the track’ can offer the customer’s lens and identify potential opportunities to improve access to products. Possible high traffic spots should be maximized while ‘blind spots’ must be addressed for loss prevention. While time consuming, changing and freshening layouts and maps has positive effects on consumer purchasing and can potentially drive the basket. Owners and managers who establish defined plans and schedules for store layouts and mapping are better positioned to maximize each customer interaction and increase business.
The Bottom line
The forward outlook for small businesses remains positive but increasing expectations and iffy economic fundamentals means maximizing each customer opportunity is crucial to drive business. Owners and managers who utilize customer service check-ins can identify opportunities to improve experiences and increase individual transactions. Upskilling and fast development solutions can give frontline teams the tools they need to elevate the experience and maximize those valuable interactions. Customer experiences can also extend marketing opportunities as consumers are more inclined to share positive (and negative) experiences in public forms and personal networks. Viewing the service experience through the perspective of the customer can help improve internal customer service processes, also driving the interaction and transaction.