Winning Customers’ Hearts at the Checkout Counter

The relationship we maintain with brands is hardly ever based on a single, isolated event or interaction. Rather, it is the whole customer experience, from the moment that an individual enters a place of business to the very moment that they walk out of it, that sums up a lasting impression of that particular brand. Keeping that in mind, the checkout counter is the ideal place for brands to win their customers’ hearts!

Lost on how to win your customer’s heart at the counter? Here are a few simple tricks and tips to deliver customer service excellence.

It’s In the Way That You Speak

The checkout counter is your final sales point and it is imperative for your business that a customer leaves the counter completely satisfied with the service rendered. Make sure the customer is happy and pleased with the overall experience offered. It is also a key opportunity for the representative to make more sales as customers often make impulse purchases at the counter. However, this impulsive urge works both ways as there is also a chance that they may also change their mind at the checkout counter and drop some of the items from their shopping cart. Prevent this change of heart by offering a personalized service experience to your customers which makes them want to come back.

The Extra Touch of Personalization

In the age of self-checkouts and self-scans, provide your customers an extra touch of personalization by being more human in your interactions. If it’s a regular customer who drops by every morning for a quick cup of coffee, personalize your greeting by including their name while you ring up their bill. Exchanging short pleasantries builds a positive reputation about the brand and encourages customers to keep coming back for more.

Even if you don’t know the customer’s name, actively greet them with a smile, introduce yourself and ask them their name – all of this will take under 30 seconds!

Empower your staff with customer service training by teaching them vital skills such as active listening and empathy to better interact with customers. Here’s an unwritten rule to remember:

If your customer pays and leaves the checkout counter without a change in expression, you’ve made a sale. If they pay and leave the checkout counter with a smile, you’ve made a client. MAKE THEM SMILE!

Provide Useful Solutions

The checkout counter is a perfect place to demonstrate to your customers that you care for them. Anticipate your customer’s needs, be an active listener and provide solutions to them without delay. One way of doing this is to stock your checkout counter with frequently forgotten items. For instance, it is not uncommon to see chewing gums or pretty little notebooks and stationary items at the checkout. These are things that customers need but forget to buy while crossing off items on their shopping lists. Mega-brand makeup stores are known to design their checkout lines with mini-sized essentials, such as makeup brushes, nail files, and travel pouches, that customers can pickup while they are waiting in line to pay. Another neat strategy is to keep a log of items that customers frequently ask about and place them close to the sales counter. Winning hearts is all about being proactive where your customers needs are concerned.

Tempt Them to Visit Again & Again

The checkout counter is one of the places where your employee gets an opportunity to interact with the customer and exhibit their best customer service skills. While it is important to pitch additional items at the sales counter, it is just as important not to sound too pushy or overbearing. Instead train your checkout counter staff to positively engage customers by offering them loyalty rewards, coupons, or access to exclusive sales and other promotional events.

A good loyalty program will multiply the impact of a good customer experience and help you increase customer loyalty. What matters is how well you can provide a pleasant service experience and secure a repeat customer for your organization.