Customer Service

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.

Etsy faced a backlash from angry sellers after announcing a major overhaul of its feedback system late last month, and this week it modified one of the more unpopular features of the system. Etsy

The warehouse is the last step in preparing a package before it lands in the hands of a customer. It's responsible for the last impression of the customer's overall buying experience. While this means it should be a key place to differentiate your brand's messaging, not many retailers recognize that order fulfillment represents an opportunity to capitalize on brand awareness. The fulfillment opportunity is responsible for the last impression of the customer's overall buying experience.

According to Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index, the purchase decision-making process is about 70 percent emotional and 30 percent rational. If your brand isn't emotionally connecting with consumers, there's a good chance that you're missing out on a huge number of sales.

In front of 6,000 Wal-Mart associates at the company's annual holiday meeting Wednesday, Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer Duncan Mac Naughton introduced free layaway with no opening fee. Beginning Sept. 13 through Dec. 13, layaway will kick off the retailer's official start to the holiday season. "Times are tough and it's not easy for many Americans — they're watching every penny," said Mac Naughton. "All year long, but especially during the holidays, our customers need a low price leader. This year, we're committed to doing everything we did last year to help Americans save money — plus more." 

How can the retail customer experience matter when your customers are locked into buying from you? To get the answer, we need to back up a step or two: When you're a retailer, there are two possible commercial relationships you can have with your customers:

With the paradigm shift from brick-and-mortar to online retail, too many business owners think that great customer service has lost its importance. A customer, however, is always a customer, and whether the purchase process takes place in a store or on a laptop, in order to get repeat business, you want to give your buyer the easiest, most enjoyable experience possible. If you're unsure how to improve customer service online, follow these helpful pointers:

Customer service-focused companies pay attention to the needs of their customers. Such companies are amazing. They empower their employees to avoid such negative phrases. They hire the right people, train them properly, and motivate and praise them when they come up with solutions to their customers’ needs and problems. In other words, they empower their employees to come up with solutions where they can say, "Yes!"