Let’s get this out of the way up front: Yes, the customer is always right. That being said, the customer isn’t always patient enough or doesn’t always possess enough knowledge to make a decision right away without a little help. For this reason, you have to be patient and knowledgeable for them so they can make a choice faster and everyone is happy. Here are some tips for turning difficult customers into satisfied customers.
Have Clear Policies
Sometimes, you will feel a customer is taking advantage of you. They will be constantly asking for discounts because they are a regular customer, they will want to make all kinds of trades or extra alterations they did not pay for, etc. If they are a good customer, you will want to accommodate them, but there are limits.
A way to handle this situation without alienating your customer is to decide on firm policies beforehand. Determine under what circumstances you will do altering and resizing for free or at a reduced rate. Set out clear policies on refunds, exchanges, discounts and custom orders. Post your policies clearly in the store where anyone can see them. If someone tries to take advantage, just point to the policy. If they protest, you can say the policies were implemented by the business’s partners and you are not at liberty to make exceptions.
Don’t Take Every Customer
You want to make sure all your customers are completely satisfied with your service, but you can’t satisfy all the people all of the time. If you truly believe a customer’s demands are too great for you to meet effectively, kindly refer them elsewhere. If you knock yourself out trying to please an overly demanding client, you will drive yourself crazy, lose time and money, and they may still not be happy.
Take the Time to Listen to Your Customers
Your customers may not know what they’re talking about when it comes to jewelry. Why should they? It’s your business, not theirs. However, that doesn’t mean you should cut them off or belittle their lack of knowledge. Patiently wait for them to say their piece and then give them the information they may be missing. Hopefully, when you explain things in a clear, patient and nonjudgmental way, they will come around.
Pease & Curren strives to always offer the highest level of customer service for all our jewelry clients. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions about our service, please do not hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-343-0906.
