Retailers need to adopt customer service initiatives that stick, says Liz Morrell

Dominic Prendergast, former Jessops and Thornton’s retail director, and now chairman of the Oxford Summer School, is a man on a mission: he wants to rid retailers of their reputation for poor customer service once and for all. “It’s my crusade. I’m very critical of service in this country - it’s at best average,” he says.

Much of the blame lies, he says, in retailers’ lack of focus on what should be a vital component of staff training and embedded in their everyday roles. “Lots of companies put in initiatives but they just don’t stick,” he says.

And at a time when customers need persuasion to part with their cash, Prendergast believes customer service has never been more important ahead of the Christmas battle to convert shoppers. He is partnering with coaching and motivation specialist You Are The Difference and former retailer Alf Dunbar with whom he first worked at Thorntons to improve customer service in store.

The You Are the Difference customer service programme, which is based on a DVD coaching programme and the Just Looking Thanks! guide to customer service book, focuses on developing the skills, knowledge and confidence of staff to welcome, engage and close the sale while also encouraging the store manager to make the customer service programme part of the shopfloor culture.

Although You Are The Difference has worked with a number of retailers in the past, including Marks & Spencer, Tesco is one of the first supermarkets to work with them to develop a customer service programme for its fresh counters business. Working with Tesco head of counters operations Mark Green, the coaching specialist has developed a programme that really helps the staff to interact with the customer.

While still in its pilot stage, work is already underway to shape an implementation programme for the project, which will be rolled out shortly. Green says: “We have been impressed with the programme and the staff involved in the pilot phase have responded positively to the training and feedback is that it is really helping with customer engagement.”

The importance of customer service is so great that it will also be on the agenda for 2011’s Oxford Summer School agenda. Prendergast says: “The people taking it seriously and who deliver it consistently are the ones that are going to perform this Christmas. I believe the secret is in the whole area of conversion. Many retailers have driven their business through average transaction values but we believe the key is converting and engaging with everyone that comes into a store,” says Prendergast.

Pricing and product range is now more competitive than ever, and the ability to stand out by offering great customer service really will help retailers make the difference.

Competition time

You Are The Difference has 100 copies of its Just Looking Thanks! guide to creating brilliant customer service. To win a copy email dominic@youarethedifference.co.uk stating the best customer service experience you have had.