How to Greet Customers Arriving in a Store
Smile when you greet your customers., Dress professionally., Acknowledge the customer quickly., Remember customers' preferences., Show customers to products., Ask questions., Give space after the greeting if necessary., Get the exit right., Don’t...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Smile when you greet your customers.
You want your customers to feel welcome, and that starts with your body language.
Stand tall, smile, and approach them briskly.
Everything about your manner should say “I’m glad you’re here!”, How you look is a key part of your greeting.
You need to look like you care about your job.
A conservative, professional outfit will convey that message.
Unless you work in a store with a specific dress code that states otherwise, avoid provocative clothing that might offend customers or make them feel uncomfortable., 80% of customers say they want to be noticed and nearly all welcome a friendly greeting.You don’t have to greet each customer right away, but you do need to acknowledge him or her with eye contact and a smile.If stocking shelves or working in the back, stop to greet a new arrival.
At the very least, tell her you will be with her shortly.
Studies show that customers are much happier waiting if they have been greeted first.If serving another customer, ask him if he minds if you quickly greet the new arrival before you do so.Use a bell on the door to let you know when new customers have arrived, so that you can be sure to greet them promptly.
Try to greet incoming customers within 30 seconds. , It pays to remember frequent customers’ likes and dislikes.
Knowing what someone orders at a coffee shop or restaurant makes them feel like a regular.
If you work at clothing store, remembering that a customer loves pink or is fond of a certain brand will make her feel like you care.
Personal attention like this is a great way to create customer loyalty., Don’t just tell them where to look for what they want.
They will appreciate it if you walk them to the product and show them precisely where it is., The more specific details you can get on what a customer is looking for, the better you can satisfy his needs.
If at a nutrition store and looking for protein powder, you might ask if he is trying to lose weight, built muscle, or tone.
Does he want something for after workouts or to stave off hunger? If a customer is looking for shorts at a clothing store, you might ask about how formal or the type of fabric.
Questions show you care., Don’t try to read your customers before greeting them.
You never want to assume someone wants to be left alone.
Always greet an arriving customer warmly, but if she responds coldly or not at all, tell her you will be nearby if they need help and give them space., The effect of a great greeting can easily be lost with a bad goodbye.
Don’t just thank them for coming in.
Walk customers to the door and open it for them.
Ask anyone who looks like they could use a hand – older customers, pregnant women, parents wrangling their children – if he or she would like help carrying their packages to the car., Usually, the answer is “no, just looking.” You’ll usually get a similar response – “just looking” – If you ask customers if you can help them find something.
And don’t start off with a canned speech, either.
The key is to promote a natural conversation that makes the customer feel welcome and relaxed., You want customers to know your name if they need something.
Giving them your name also transforms you from a faceless employee to a person they can feel comfortable with.Try to use your name more than once to be sure they remember it. , If it is a frequent customer, you should greet him by name. “Jack! Welcome back!” Hearing one’s own name stimulates specific regions of the brain that makes people listen more closely to whatever comes next.If you don’t remember his name, at least let him know you remember them: “Hi! Nice to see you again!” People enjoy recognition.
It will make them want to return., If you don’t recognize the customer, ask her if she has visited the store before.
This greeting has been shown to increase sales by up to 16%.If she has been there, ask what she bought and if she liked it.
This gives the opportunity for positive reinforcement or to address concerns.
If she has not been there before, offer to show her around the store. , Weather is the old stand-by of small talk for a reason.
It’s inoffensive and something that everyone can talk about.
Be sure to listen to your customer’s responses and reply appropriately.
The key is to foster a natural conversation in order to put customers at ease, making them more likely to buy., If there is anything interesting or unusual in your store – a piece of art, a new display, a pet – mention it.
Anything that gets a customer relaxed and talking will help sales. -
Step 2: Dress professionally.
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Step 3: Acknowledge the customer quickly.
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Step 4: Remember customers' preferences.
-
Step 5: Show customers to products.
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Step 6: Ask questions.
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Step 7: Give space after the greeting if necessary.
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Step 8: Get the exit right.
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Step 9: Don’t say “Can I help you?” This is a standard greeting that simply does not work.
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Step 10: Tell customers your name more than once.
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Step 11: Show you recognize your customers.
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Step 12: Ask if the customer has been there before.
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Step 13: Discuss the weather.
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Step 14: Use a conversation piece.
Detailed Guide
You want your customers to feel welcome, and that starts with your body language.
Stand tall, smile, and approach them briskly.
Everything about your manner should say “I’m glad you’re here!”, How you look is a key part of your greeting.
You need to look like you care about your job.
A conservative, professional outfit will convey that message.
Unless you work in a store with a specific dress code that states otherwise, avoid provocative clothing that might offend customers or make them feel uncomfortable., 80% of customers say they want to be noticed and nearly all welcome a friendly greeting.You don’t have to greet each customer right away, but you do need to acknowledge him or her with eye contact and a smile.If stocking shelves or working in the back, stop to greet a new arrival.
At the very least, tell her you will be with her shortly.
Studies show that customers are much happier waiting if they have been greeted first.If serving another customer, ask him if he minds if you quickly greet the new arrival before you do so.Use a bell on the door to let you know when new customers have arrived, so that you can be sure to greet them promptly.
Try to greet incoming customers within 30 seconds. , It pays to remember frequent customers’ likes and dislikes.
Knowing what someone orders at a coffee shop or restaurant makes them feel like a regular.
If you work at clothing store, remembering that a customer loves pink or is fond of a certain brand will make her feel like you care.
Personal attention like this is a great way to create customer loyalty., Don’t just tell them where to look for what they want.
They will appreciate it if you walk them to the product and show them precisely where it is., The more specific details you can get on what a customer is looking for, the better you can satisfy his needs.
If at a nutrition store and looking for protein powder, you might ask if he is trying to lose weight, built muscle, or tone.
Does he want something for after workouts or to stave off hunger? If a customer is looking for shorts at a clothing store, you might ask about how formal or the type of fabric.
Questions show you care., Don’t try to read your customers before greeting them.
You never want to assume someone wants to be left alone.
Always greet an arriving customer warmly, but if she responds coldly or not at all, tell her you will be nearby if they need help and give them space., The effect of a great greeting can easily be lost with a bad goodbye.
Don’t just thank them for coming in.
Walk customers to the door and open it for them.
Ask anyone who looks like they could use a hand – older customers, pregnant women, parents wrangling their children – if he or she would like help carrying their packages to the car., Usually, the answer is “no, just looking.” You’ll usually get a similar response – “just looking” – If you ask customers if you can help them find something.
And don’t start off with a canned speech, either.
The key is to promote a natural conversation that makes the customer feel welcome and relaxed., You want customers to know your name if they need something.
Giving them your name also transforms you from a faceless employee to a person they can feel comfortable with.Try to use your name more than once to be sure they remember it. , If it is a frequent customer, you should greet him by name. “Jack! Welcome back!” Hearing one’s own name stimulates specific regions of the brain that makes people listen more closely to whatever comes next.If you don’t remember his name, at least let him know you remember them: “Hi! Nice to see you again!” People enjoy recognition.
It will make them want to return., If you don’t recognize the customer, ask her if she has visited the store before.
This greeting has been shown to increase sales by up to 16%.If she has been there, ask what she bought and if she liked it.
This gives the opportunity for positive reinforcement or to address concerns.
If she has not been there before, offer to show her around the store. , Weather is the old stand-by of small talk for a reason.
It’s inoffensive and something that everyone can talk about.
Be sure to listen to your customer’s responses and reply appropriately.
The key is to foster a natural conversation in order to put customers at ease, making them more likely to buy., If there is anything interesting or unusual in your store – a piece of art, a new display, a pet – mention it.
Anything that gets a customer relaxed and talking will help sales.
About the Author
Zachary Perez
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow organization tutorials.
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