Customer service in pet shops

Transcription

1 Customer service in pet shops Pack 1 Providing advice and information Pack Code: ACS1 This pack you will help you to: explain the importance of customer service describe and practise key customer service skills explain the knowledge required to provide customer service.

2 About this pack Objectives When you have completed this pack you should be better able to provide advice and information to customers. This pack will help you to: explain the importance of customer service describe and practise key customer service skills explain the knowledge required to provide customer service. The pack is also relevant to the Level 3 unit Undertake Retail Merchandising for the Land-based Sector, and in particular to: Outcome 1: Be able to deliver effective customer service. Links to other packs This is one of a series of learning packs which look at customer service in animal care. They are: Pack 1: Providing advice and information Pack 2: Resolving complaints Each pack contains several activities which ask you to think the topic through or to apply it to a pet shop or other organisation you know of. In some cases you may be able to work on these activities with other people in your group. Note that the following packs are closely related to this topic: ACBM4: The marketplace ACBM9: Business improvement ACBM10: Marketing and promotion Customer service in pet shops 2

3 Introduction For friendly service and expert advice Customers are assured of the helpful friendly service for which we are well known We re extremely enthusiastic and terribly helpful These are just three examples of pet shops and kennels who advertise in the Yellow Pages stressing the service they offer customers. Providing good customer service is vital if you are to retain the loyalty of existing customers and gain new customers. You provide customer service every time you talk to a customer face-to-face or on the phone, or write to them. The way you behave, the information and advice you provide, and the way you treat them will determine how they see your organisation. Doing this right will help gain their custom; getting it wrong may put them off. Customer service is about identifying and meeting customer needs. Activity Think of two examples of customer service that you have received: one good or one poor. In the good example, what did the person or organisation do that impressed you? In the poor example, why did you feel dissatisfied with the service you received? Check your answers with the feedback at the end of the pack. Customer service in pet shops 3

4 Different customer groups A wide range of customers may come into an animal care establishment. For a pet shop these may include: Individual consumers who are buying pet products for themselves; and representatives of companies who you supply, who may spend more money with you on a regular basis. People who buy pet products on a regular basis who may be quite knowledgeable and have a clear idea of what they want or people who are making a one-off purchase, who may welcome more guidance. People who are mainly interested in price and value for money, or those who are prepared to spend more eg for premium cat foods. People of different ages. For example, families may be buying pet products for their children. Men and women. People from different social backgrounds, lifestyles, cultures and disabilities. All these different groups of customers are important to your business, and you need to provide a service that matches their needs. Activity Think of three customers who you have encountered in an animal care establishment. Write one or two sentences about each one: Discuss your answers with other people in your group. Customer service in pet shops 4

5 Identifying customer needs In all cases, you need to identify what they need and expect from you, and do your best to meet these needs and expectations. A customer explains that he has a nine year old Labrador cross with early signs of arthritis. He would like your advice about food and possible treatments. This example shows how in order to identify customer needs you need to: listen to what the customer says ask questions to find out more or to check understanding. Listening skills In the example you would need to listen to the customer to: show you are interested in helping him obtain information about what he needs understand his vision he wants a healthy dog recognise his feelings he may be feeling worried about his pet. Asking questions In the example you might need to ask questions to: obtain additional information e.g. about the breed of dog, its current diet and exercise check your own and the customer s understanding e.g. to check the dog s age, to agree the choice of foods. Closed and open questions Bear in mind that there are two types of question. Questions like Can we park lead to a straight Yes/No answer. These questions are called closed questions they are useful when you want a quick, factual answer. Other questions like How would you like to pay? are open questions. The customer cannot just answer Yes or No. These questions are useful when you want to gain more detailed information from the customer. Customer service in pet shops 5

6 Activity This activity asks you to practise listening and questioning skills. A customer asks for your advice about a pet for her young son. She is considering a hamster, guinea pig or rabbit. Your task is to answer the following questions. You could do this on your own or you could work in a small group as a role play exercise. 1 Write down two ways in which you could make sure you listen to what the customer says: i) ii) 2 Write down two ways in which you could show that you are listening to the customer and interested in what she is saying: i) ii) 3 Write five questions you could ask to check your own understanding of the requirements of the customer: i) what/why ii) iii) iv) where when how v) who for. Check your answers with the feedback at the end of the pack. Customer service in pet shops 6

7 Giving information In many cases meeting customer needs will partly involve giving them information. You therefore need a good knowledge of the products and services you provide, including: features e.g. exercise facilities in a boarding kennel, services offered by a grooming parlour benefits how the product or service can help meet the customer s needs quality price and availability including special offers etc. after care needed e.g. when and how to give food, how to care for a fish tank, etc. follow-on purchases e.g. plants for a fish tank, food and bedding for a guinea pig, etc. You also need to know about relevant organisational procedures, such as methods of payment accepted. Knowing these things means you can answer questions from customers with confidence, give accurate information and ensure customer needs are met as fully as possible. Giving information and advice clearly Knowing about your products and services is one thing; putting this across the customers is another. You need to: Speak clearly enough for the customer to hear and understand. Use words that the customer knows avoid technical jargon. Use an appropriate form of communication not too formal or informal. Check that the customer has understood. Smile. Customer service in pet shops 7

8 Offering help You also need to be clear about the help and advice you can offer customers: suggesting solutions to a customer s problem once you have established the customer s needs, you can suggest appropriate ways of meeting these needs offering alternatives if you do not stock a particular product or provide a particular service, you may be able to suggest another way of meeting the need following up you must take care only to promise what you can deliver, and to stick to any promises you make. Activity This activity focuses on giving information and advice about products and services. If possible, work on this with a partner so that you can practise giving and receiving information. 1 Choose a product or service that you might provide in a pet shop or kennels. Make a list of all the information you would need to know about it in order to feel comfortable discussing it with a customer: 2 A customer comes to you with a problem. You do not know the answer yourself, though you think the manager does but unfortunately she is out at the moment. a) What would you say to the customer now? b) What would you do to follow up the problem and ensure the customer is satisfied? 3 A customer asks for a product that you do not stock. What alternatives might you be able to offer to the customer? Check your answers with the feedback at the end of the pack. Customer service in pet shops 8

9 Dealing with problems The problem in question 2 puts you in a difficult position. On the one hand you cannot yourself deal with the customer s query. On the other hand you don t want to lose the customer. You would ideally want to agree with the customer how your manager could contact them. The best solution in this case may be for your manager to phone them at a suitable time that way you keep in contact with the customer while keeping things simple for them. Whatever you do: Be honest never promise what you cannot deliver. Explain that there is someone else who can solve the problem. Ask the customer what would suit them best e.g. for your manager to phone them. Make a clear agreement e.g. your manager will phone them at Don t make any promises you can t keep. Offering alternatives In the third question you would need to clarify the problem. Why does the customer want this particular product? You might be able to: propose a similar product that would have a similar effect order the product on behalf of the customer suggest an alternative stockist. Customer service in pet shops 9

10 Image What you say to customers is a vital part of customer service. But it is only one part. There are several other things you can do to provide a good service to your customers. This includes: Your body language whether you smile, look at the customer, and show you are willing to help. Your general behaviour whether you are friendly, polite and courteous to customers and fellow staff. Your appearance how you look, how you dress. All this adds up to setting an example showing enthusiasm and pride in your work, and having a positive attitude towards your customers. There are also links to marketing here. The image that a company and its staff provides is all part of the impression it wants to give to customers. All this should fit together, along with the products and service you provide and the kind of customers you wish to target, to ensure you provide a coherent approach to the business. Customer service policies To help ensure this coherent approach, animal care establishments increasingly have customer service policies. These set out how the business wants to treat customers. It will include procedures for: ordering answering questions payment delivery of products arrangements for refunds/replacements dealing with complaints Customer service in pet shops 10

11 Answers to activities Activity on page 3 In the good example it is likely that the people involved: listened to what you had to say tried to find out and provide what you wanted offered appropriate help and advice knew the product they were selling were friendly and helpful seemed genuinely interested in you. Activity on page 5 You can listen most effectively if you: give the customer your full attention concentrate on what they are saying avoid interrupting them or jumping to conclusions give them time to finish what they are saying. You will show you are listening if you: look at them while they speak nod and smile or show concern encourage them to carry on speaking record what they say on relevant forms etc. avoid looking distracted, glancing at your watch, etc. Questions you could ask to check your understanding include: How old is your son? Have you had pets before? Questions you could ask to obtain more information include: Would you prefer to keep the pet indoors or outside? Is your son used to handling animals? Would it be a problem that hamsters are nocturnal? Some employers use checklists to make sure you cover all action points. Customer service in pet shops 11

12 Further information Activity on page7 Your answers to the first question will depend on your choice of product or service. Make sure that you covered: The main features and benefits of the product or service. Aspects of product or service quality. Price and availability. Follow-on purchases. Any relevant organisational procedures. For more information, see: Customer service in pet shops 12

13 Knowledge quiz 1 State two questions you could ask to clarify customer requirements: 2 Why is it important to know about products and organisational procedures? Give two reasons: 3 Suggest three ways in which you could advise a customer about how to care for a product they have purchased 4 If you were unable to offer the following products or services to a customer, what alternatives would you offer? Product/service Alternative A size of guinea pig run you do not have and would need to have made specially! A brand of cat food you do not stock A species of tropical fish you do not have A type of dog muzzle you do not stock 5 List four areas that should be covered in a customer service policy: Customer service in pet shops 13

14 Acknowledgements This learning pack has been produced by the Land Based Colleges National Consortium Ltd. The LBCNC is a consortium of colleges working in the land-based sector which cooperate in the development and production of quality flexible learning materials which encourage independent learning. We would like to acknowledge the contributions made by the following individuals and colleges in the development of this learning pack. Initial source material and guidance Hilary Freeman, Oaklands College Andy Purchase, Brinsbury College Critical review and comment Lynn Whitmore, Writtle College David Phillips and Graeme Murdoch, Plumpton College Ann Purt, Richard Walpole and John Whittington, Cambridgeshire College of Agriculture and Horticulture Isobel Oldknow and Eileen Banfield, Brookfield College Cover photograph: Steve Watson, Riseholme College Revised in June The Land Based Colleges National Consortium Ltd. All rights reserved. Permission to photocopy or adapt the material in this learning pack is granted to members of the Land Based Colleges National Consortium Ltd. only. For further information please contact the LBCNC project management team at 7 Tyne Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8EE. Tel Customer service in pet shops 14