Providing high quality customer service is easier when business is slow or there are only one or two customers in the store. However, what happens when we are busy or there are more customers than there are salespeople? Those customers still deserve the same level of customer service, don’t they? Of course they do, but there are challenges in getting that done.

The first thing to remember is that most customers are going to be understanding if you are busy and will be patient, provided you are up front with them. If you simply acknowledge that they are there, and you will get to them as soon as possible, most people will wait. Salespeople or people who work in the customer service field get themselves into trouble when they become so focused on getting to everyone that they get to no one.

We were eating at a restaurant the other day and they were obviously short staffed. Our waitress was trying to cover double the tables that she normally does and was having issues. As strange as it may sound, this is the time to slow down and take the time to make sure you are providing quality customer service. If our waitress had just slowed down and taken her time at each table, then the customer service for everyone would have improved.

The legendary UCLA Basketball Coach, John Wooden, once said, “Be quick but don’t hurry.” That could easily be applied to salespeople.

A salesperson’s natural reaction when they are busy is going to be to try and rush to get to as many customers as possible. That’s a mistake. If you are rushing then you are not providing quality customer service, and, in the end, you are going to lose more customers than you gain.

Every customer you work with deserves your undivided attention. Take the time to show them what they want, handle any objections, answer all questions and see the sale through to the end. It would be easy to quickly turn them over to someone else to handle “check-out” so you can move on to the next customer, but that fails to meet the standards of quality customer service. Once the transaction is complete including a handshake, then it is time to transition to the next customer.

I find using a verbal agreement with customers will give them the service they expect and buy you a little time. Try saying, “I will be right with you, will that be OK?” Or, “I just need to say hello to that customer, I will be right back; will that be OK?”

Remember: busy is good, but to stay busy, maintaining high standards of customer service is a must.

FINAO - Brad Huisken