Customer Service

Last week while traveling I found myself in line at a Starbucks. The woman behind the counter knew just about every customer's name and, amazingly, what they wanted. For example, she would say, "Hi Stacy! An extra-hot caramel macchiato with soy?" I made that up, but you get the idea; she knew her customers and their preferences. People like that barista are worth their weight in gold in the retail world.

Ralph Lauren is making a bold statement on its homepage, but it's backing it up. In golden letters, the site reads "Legendary Customer Service." And, given its performance in Stella Monthly Benchmarks, that may be the case. The retailer topped the rankings for the first time, unseating J.Crew, which led all retailers for the past three months. J.Crew was still strong, ranking third, while L.L.Bean ranked second overall. Ralph Lauren was particularly strong in phone support, with an average total time to live agent under 30 seconds and 100 percent issue resolution. 

Promotional cards offer the same benefits of other redeemable cards, yet with no stored value and the flexibility to set expiration dates and usage limitations. With the right strategies, it's possible to capitalize on complimentary cards to increase sales. Here are four top promotional card campaigns to incorporate into your redeemable card program:

A Cleveland Wal-Mart store is holding a food drive … for its own employees. "Please donate food items so associates in need can enjoy Thanksgiving dinner," reads a sign accompanied by several plastic bins. The Cleveland Plain Dealer first reported on the food drive, which has sparked outrage in the area. "That Wal-Mart would have the audacity to ask low-wage workers to donate food to other low-wage workers — to me, it's a moral outrage," Norma Mills, a customer at the store, told the Plain Dealer. A company spokesman defended the food drive, telling the Plain Dealer that it's evidence that employees care about each other. 

Many retailers are preparing for the busy holiday shopping days ahead by making sure their websites are working properly, their inventory is up-to-date and their promotions are segmented correctly. Another area they should prioritize is making sure their sales associates are knowledgeable about their products, at least according to the findings of the recently released Retail Buying Experience survey sponsored by eXperticity and conducted by ReRez Research.

It's a retailer's dream to see long lines wrapped around their stores and customers camped out waiting for the doors to open. To make this dream become a reality, retailers must ask themselves: What keeps customers coming back? Here are five tips for retailers to increase customer satisfaction and retention:

With the multitude of ways that customers can offer retailers their feedback today, from on-site product reviews to social media platforms to surveys and more, it's created an opportunity for brands to listen to what their customers are saying and then act upon it. Unfortunately, not many brands are capitalizing on this opportunity. Office Depot is one that is.

Home Depot, the world's largest home improvement retailer, is accelerating the national rollout of its online handyman referral service Redbeacon to tap demand from homeowners who don't want to do fix-it projects themselves. Redbeacon, which connects consumers with painters, plumbers, carpenters and maids, expanded this week through Home Depot to Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Montana and Alaska. That puts the service in 11 states as it pushes nationwide over the next two years, CEO Anthony Rodio said in an interview last week.

The customer is at the forefront of any retail business. A satisfied customer leads to loyalty, which results in maximized sales. Meeting the consumer's expectations is an important focus for retailers, and self-service technology is transforming the customer experience for the better. In today's hectic lifestyle, consumers are looking for the next best automated service that makes their lives a bit easier. According to the 2012 American Express Global Customer Service Barometer, two-thirds of consumers would pay more for a more superior customer experience.

Luxury brands by their nature must approach digital marketing in a far different manner than brands that appeal to the masses. This includes everything from targeting to customer service. Luxury brands must be able to take the services their customers expect in-store and provide them in the digital space.