It might be nice if all your customers were the same. If you had cookie cutter customers they would all be cut from the same mold. They would all want the same things, in the same way. It would be easy to figure out what they want and to develop one strategy to deliver it. But wait, if everyone wanted the same thing that could mean you have things in your store that no one would want. This could be a big problem for your small business. If everyone was the same you might win big but you could also lose big if you choose to stock something that your customers don't like.
It's important to get to know your customers and develop a feel for what they want and how to give it to them. When trying to determine their preferences, it can be tempting to jump to conclusions based on appearance, mannerisms or other clues. This method can be misleading and could result in erroneous assumptions about your clientele.
We've all heard stories about millionaires who go around looking like they don't have a dime to their name and snooty people dripping in diamonds who were so in debt they couldn't afford a cup of coffee. Making assumptions about someone's ability to pay can lead to lost sales if you insult someone, or wasted time if you spend too long trying to sell to someone who can't afford to make a purchase. If you show every customer respect and take the time to help them shop you may earn their loyalty, whether they buy something that day or not. It would be easy to assume that you get what you pay for so our free easy inventory solution isn't worth much, but that would be a mistake, too.
Many stores have a target audience. They may cater to teens, outdoorsy types, athletes, or some other demographic. When someone who doesn't fit the ideal customer image enters the store many sales associates fail to give them proper attention because they assume they are just looking. It is a mistake to jump to the conclusion that everyone who enters your business is shopping for themselves. They may be looking for an item for a friend or loved one. These customers probably need more assistance than your average shopper. If they aren't familiar with your store or your product offering they may have difficulty finding what they need. If your staff is gracious and provides extra assistance you will make them feel comfortable and could very well become their go-to destination when shopping for that friend or family member in the future.
Instead of trying to use external cues to develop your customer profile you should gather customer feedback either through one on one conversations or questionnaires. The best way to find out what your customers really want is to just ask them. For more tips on customer satisfaction visit back with our previous post.
Find Time to Focus on Your Customers Thanks to Stockpile Free Easy Inventory Solution
Worried that you don't have time to develop and read customer surveys? If you use Stockpile free easy inventory solution for all your inventory management needs you can save time on this chore. Stockpile makes it easy to track inventory within a single location, or across multiple locations. Stockpile is fully customizable, so you can add the fields that make the most sense for your small business. We know that not all customers are the same, and neither are all small businesses. Stockpile free easy inventory solution is designed to work for you. Running reports is easy, as well. Just a few clicks and you can see the critical inventory data that you need. Plus, Stockpile is mobile compatible so you can access your data anytime, from anywhere. Try Stockpile today!
