“Customer Service is not a department, it’s everyone’s job…” Kenneth Blanchard

Our frontline workers deal with EVERYONE. On top of that, they are expected to:

• Go the extra mile for customer
• Carry on as normal when a store/ team are short staffed
• Contend with ‘Sales vs hours’ budgets, that don’t always work
• Perform in a fast paced environment
• Work in random shifts, opening early and closing late…
• Monitor and deliver the store’s KPI’s
• Achieve (and surpass) their sales targets
• Clean the store!
• Ensure the store is enticing through visual merchandising
• Perform stock tasking: unpacking, scanning, putting out and deal with stock issues
• Ensure all stock is priced as legally required and fix promotions when they are wrong 
• Answering the phone
• Answering emails
• Attend training/ perform with a lack of training
• Deal with the direct impact of a poor customer journey
• Deal with direct impact of another department’s mistakes
• Work under misguided management
• Deal with rude or aggressive customers

So in order to focus on our customer and their experiences we can do 3 things to work with our frontline retailers:

Clear Communication 

• Use the same language as the frontline workers, not fancy marketing jargon!
• Stop the waterfall effect!
• Listen to what they have to say through direct feedback or surveys.
• Deliver your message in a manner that suits them, not you using mixed media or email!

Work alongside…

• Understand their roll in the business, what it’s like day to day.
• See the customer through their eyes.
• Don’t fob them off with crass posters or mugs!
• Understand their agenda and realise it is like the strategic agenda at C-suite level.

Welcome them to your world

• Invite them up; ensure there is an open door policy.
• Challenge the frontline to solve your problems- ask their advice (and act on it).
• Be consistent, keep it going!

Timely training 

• Set the agenda from day 1, invest in your people and their training
• Invest in continuous on the job training because they meet our customers in real life delivered by someone who understands
• Show them how and where they fit in by investing in technology specifically for them.

If you are looking for retail training for you and your team then email melissa@theretailadvisor.ie to discuss your training requirements. We will work together to ensure that your teams are empowered and confident to provide your customers with amazing customer experience.