What’s the difference between a “customer” and a “guest”? By definition, a customer is someone who simply buys goods or services from a store or business. A guest, on the other hand, is someone who is invited to take part in something important. Shifting your perspective to view your customers as guests gives you an opportunity to improve service and increase loyalty. After all, you are inviting customers into your store through your location, exterior appearance, and marketing efforts. Make the most of those visits by training your convenience store staff on the GUEST philosophy.
GUEST for Customer Service Training
An effective customer service training technique is to use the acronym GUEST. It goes like this:
- G stands for Greet – To make a positive first impression with every customer, c-store employees should greet every person as soon as they walk in the door.
- U is for Understand – To understand customers’ needs, employees should listen carefully to customer requests and respond effectively and efficiently.
- E is for Eye-contact – Making eye contact lets customers know they are important. Remember that positive body language is just as powerful as verbal communication.
- S stands for Speed of Service – Convenience store customers aren’t in your store to browse – they expect to be served quickly, even when the store is busy. Train your employees to prioritize tasks, always putting customer needs at the top of the list.
- T is for Thank You – A personalized and sincere “thank you” at the end of a customer experience will let customers know they’re appreciated and encourage them to return again.
Delivering exceptional service to every customer – to every guest — is the responsibility of all employees in your store. Use the GUEST acronym as part of your customer service training and you’ll see improved service and increased loyalty.
Customer Service Training for Convenience Stores Online
For more information on how to provide excellent customer service, check out our Be Our Guest training, now available online. Click here for more information and a preview.
