You’ll Get Me at “Hello”
I had an unusual shopping experience years ago. Although more than 10 years have passed, I’ll never forget it.
I stopped into a small grocery story to buy a gallon of milk and some produce. The store was so small, the young girl working the register could see me from the moment I entered until I left. Yet in the 5-10 minutes I was there, she didn’t utter a word. No hello. No are you finding everything okay? She didn’t even tell me my total after she had tallied my purchases. I had to look at the screen.
It became a battle of wills to me, so I, too, said nothing. I left without saying thank you or goodbye. Instead, I silently accepted my change, gathered my bags and walked out the door.
And it has bothered me ever since.
Today, take note of the ways in which you and your staff interact with customers. Do you greet them when they enter the store? Do you check to see if they need assistance as they shop? Do you smile? Do you try to learn their names? Do you thank them for coming in as they leave?
You don’t have to bombard them will all of these things during their visit, but when they leave, they should know you were glad they chose your store.
