Post originally appeared in The Observant Customer 8/8/2016
I stopped at the local Outlet Mall the other day to do some shopping and some observation. It was a warm and sunny day and may of the stores had their doors open to deal with the heat.
Being a fan of the brand and a citizen of the PNW, I stopped by the Columbia Sportswear Outlet where they had a great sale going on. I quickly found several items that I was shopping for so I headed to the registers where there were a number of waiting cashiers.
“I can help you right here,” came a greeting from the nearest cashier.
During the transaction, I noticed that a name tag affixed to his jacket. I thought it odd with the stores so warm that a cashier would be wearing outerwear. So, I asked him if he was warm.
“No, actually I am quite comfortable,” he replied as he handed me my change. I thought that would be the end of our conversation but he continued apparently excited to talk about the jacket. “The jacket is made of Omni-Shield™ and it is really comfortable,” he said as he carefully folded and bagged my purchases.
Nice finish.
Teachable Moment
So often cashiers are in a hurry to move people through the lanes and out the door. I have nothing against a quick and efficient cashier. But many times when there is no need for a rush, customers are still hurried out the door when a bit more service could be added.
In my case, the cashier took the time to offer a bit of information about his companies proprietary product and to reinforce the brand. Whether he was trained to say that or he developed that himself it was a nice touch to finish off the transaction.
Other things that cashiers can do to add a nice finish to a sale include:
- Thanking the customer
- Validating the customer’s selection with a comment
- Offer some quick care instructions
- Wishing the customer a nice day or safe travels home
- Careful bagging of the product
These and many other little things can finish the sale nicely and increase the likelihood of return customers.
sellingtheoutdoors.com 