Retail Operations - Customer Experience

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes on building strong foundations for exceptional customer service.

Why Customer Service Matters

Customers are the reason you have a job.

Effects of Poor Customer Service (Bad News)

Low complaint rates, silent dissatisfaction leading to lost customers, and customers switching brands after problems.

Effects of Poor Customer Service (Good News)

Employees are not the main cause of dissatisfaction, proper complaint handling increases loyalty, retaining customers saves money

Reasons Customers Don’t Complain

Believing complaining won’t help, lacking knowledge of where to complain, or fearing retribution.

First Impressions

Mental snapshots that include appearance, tone of voice, body language, and behavior.

Appearance Matters

Wearing appropriate clothing for your business, maintaining grooming standards, and ensuring appearance fits the environment.

Nonverbal Communication

Maintaining open and relaxed body language, smiling often, making eye contact, and having good posture.

Power of Politeness

Using “please,” “thank you,” and “you’re welcome,” and addressing customers respectfully.

Impact of Your Attitude

Creating positive interactions and lasting impressions by appreciating yourself and others.

Ethics in Customer Service

Always being honest, following through on commitments, and treating customers fairly and equally.

Truthful Communication

Avoiding misleading claims about products or competitors and admitting when you don’t know something.

Handling Ethical Dilemmas

Evaluating requests against company policies and avoiding crossing ethical boundaries.

Accountability

Acknowledging errors openly and learning from them.