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                        Customer Service – The key to success in Retail

You might have heard about “Singh is King” but in Retail it is often said that the customer is king and you better keep the King happy. All the companies, these days, are making an effort to attract the customers by providing them with miraculous service and thereby making them feel more important. The expectations of the Indian Consumers are escalating day by day and an attempt to match these expectations is by improving the level of service. A number of companies have been setting examples of their astonishing attitude towards the customers. Arguably, one of the most famous examples of customer service can be of the US based department store Nordstrom. Initially the company started as a shoe retailer but later on it also started selling clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings. The following statement is taken from the official website of Nordstrom regarding its policy about finding a lower purchase price elsewhere:

“We assure you'll never pay more. If you find the same item elsewhere for a lower price, we will gladly match it. Our Customer Service Specialists are ready to assist you, simply call 1-888-282-6060, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

The statement means that if any customer finds lower price for the same product in any other store then Nordstrom will be refunding the difference to the customer. This shows the loyalty of the company towards the customer.

Lately, the companies have realized that apart from offering quality merchandise, convenience, discount offers and a competitive pricing, they also have to remodel their strategies around the needs of the customers and focus upon providing the customers with excellent service both to attract and retain them. Today most of the retailers across the world like Mc Donald’s, Dominos,  Lands’ end, Pantaloons , Reliance etc. have used customer service to gain an edge over there competitors. In the world of competition where the retailers are only looking for the sales number, customer service has been playing a significant role. Yes, sales is the most important factor in retail business and you can not be the best until you are more profitable than others but the bottom line is that in long term, if you have to stay in business , you should have the “trust of the customers”.

About the Author:
Priyank Azad, Lecturer, Rai Business School, New Delhi

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Customer Service - the Key to Success in Retail