Devoted to small businesses and those who run them

I had an interesting customer service experience when I bought a whiteboard today. Not an exciting purchase but it provided some useful reminders.

I was after a very large whiteboard for my home office wall to act as an editorial calendar/planner for my freelance writing business.

Store 1 - Small local office supplies store:
The assistant showed me a tiny whiteboard for a fridge shopping list, and then one just a little larger. When I asked if she had anything larger, she said "That would be very expensive."

Store 2 - Small local office supplies store:
When I asked if she had anything larger than the very small size, she said "You want it bigger than that? I guess we could order one in for you."  but didn't ask for further details of what I needed.

Store 3- Huge office supplies chain store:
No service at all.
"If we have any they'll be over there."

Store 4 - Medium size office supplies store:
A sample of each of the 5 sizes displayed on the wall plus great service. 

Needless to say, Store 4 got the sale. 

I like to observe customer service as it provides good reminders for myself as a business owner.

Observations From This Experience

1. Don't make assumptions about the customers themselves

2. Don't make assumptions about what the customers need

3. Find out exactly what it is the customer needs by skilled questioning and listening

4. Be helpful

5. If you don't have the item, that's not necessarily the end of the communication

In other words, whether you know you'll make the sale or not, give consistently good customer service.