Recently I was in a market where my wife likes to buy certain small chocolates displayed by the check-out counters. I asked one of the cashiers who was free at the time if she knew where they were…I had forgotten the exact brand name. Without moving or looking for herself, she said try the first register. I did. After looking for several minutes I walked back to her. She was teamed with someone else now but still not busy. When I told her I couldn’t find the candy, she suggested I look at the other counters. Her co-worker agreed, neither showing any inclination to come help me. I never did find the candy and mentioned it as I was checking out. They each shrugged, as if to say, “what can you do…?
While driving away I thought about another market where I shop. Where the staff tend to escort me not just to the aisle but to the exact spot of an item I’ve asked about.
The manager there is just as helpful, a burly, middle-aged guy, who seldom smiles. But always makes it a point to pause what he’s doing when he sees me waiting.
I couldn’t help wondering about the grocery store customer service training difference between both markets, others as well.
There’s something “right” about the grocery store employee who says, “Let me show you”. Or “I’ll take you over there”. A small gesture, I know. But it demonstrates care and responsibility. And more importantly, it makes the customer feel as if his business is important.
On the other hand, it doesn’t feel right at all when the bagger or cashier gets annoyed because you’ve asked for paper instead of plastic. Because they now have to walk 8 feet to an adjacent register to retrieve some.
Nor does it feel “right” getting a subtle eyeroll from a counterperson after you’ve asked for your fish to be wrapped in paper as well as plastic.
Also, I don’t mind “slightly over”. But when I’ve asked for 1.5 lbs. of salmon in 4 pieces, and the counter person is not happy that I wouldn’t accept 1.8. That’s not my idea of grocery store customer service.
Some cashiers make a point to look at you and say hello as they begin scanning your groceries. It’s a quick and polite gesture. Not a big deal, but you notice it. And it makes your shopping experience a little more enjoyable.
When at self-checkout it’s nice to see attendants, attentive and eager to help, not just going through the motions.
In one market I frequent, you’re asked if you’d like help out to your car…I’ve never taken advantage of that but it’s a nice gesture.
All this has to do with a level of interest in your customers. Interest to help them with want they need, not simply doing the bare minimum, “going through the motions.”
Cashiers and grocery store employees often become accustomed to “going through the motions”. They tend to get resentful when asked for something even slightly out of the ordinary.
If you’ve decided on a narrow set of parameters you’d like your job to exist in, then customer requests outside of those parameters will annoy you. You’ll also be bored and miserable on the job, watching clocks that never move.
But if you’ve decided to spend your days being helpful, and observing customers with interest to see what they need. There’s a good chance your time at work will pass quickly and the job will be a lot more fun.
Ideally, you’re receiving solid customer service training, and being sensitive to customer needs becomes second nature.
But whether you’re trained well or not, if you’re a grocery store employee, and it comes to customer service, always go that extra mile. Observe and be interested in your customers. Never feel a customer is interrupting “you”.
From what I see, poor attitudes come from the top. When managers see their grocery store employees offering half-assed customer service and accepting it, they’re just going through the motions themselves.
But the ones that do know the value of grocery store customer service practice it and demand it from their staff. And their staff is better for it.
It’s not a coincidence that grocery store customer service tends to be excellent throughout one particular store and mediocre throughout another.
Rick Grassi
The Little Customer Service Book
A Common Sense Guide to Helping People
Recommended Links
http://www.thelittlecustomerservicebook.com
https://thelittlecustomerservicebook.com/2023/04/06/why-not-help/
https://thelittlecustomerservicebook.com/2024/01/27/common-sense-customer-service/
