I was Christmas shopping this weekend and my goal was to find an Angry Birds iPod case for my six year old nephew. I tried a few stores but no one sold an Angry Bird case. So I wondered around the mall and went to one of my favourite stores and asked them if they sold the case. The young sales woman told me they didn’t sell any iPod cases, but without hesitation, told me what stores to check out.
Once again, I continue to love this store for its great customer service. The stores she mentioned that might have what I’m looking for didn’t have any cases. I kind of got lost in the mall (yes, I know crazy. I’m not a shopper) and stumbled across the store that sold iPod cases. The man behind the counter said “You’re in luck. We have one left.”
It wasn’t until later that evening when I broke open my fortune cookie and it made me think about my shopping experience. My fortune said:
Many people will benefit from your kindness and generosity. – Tweet this
Reading that fortune made me think of my shopping trip. I wasn’t thinking about the iPod case I purchased, but instead I was thinking about the great customer service I received from the salesperson who told me even though they didn’t have what I was looking for, she was more than happy to suggest other stores. This is the kind of service we should always provide our customers. No matter if we have a product or service-based business, good customer service is imperative.
I first heard about this type of referral customer service when I watched the movie “Miracle on 34th Street”. I was only a young girl when I first watched this movie, but even then, not understanding how business works, this type of marketing has always stuck in my head. I call it the Macy’s Effect.
The Macy’s Effect is what happened when Kris Kringle started telling people to visit Gimbels (the competition) because they carried the items shoppers were looking for when Macy’s didn’t carry them. One would think this would make shoppers leave the store and never come back, but it had the opposite effect. It actually increased sales. It’s that type of genuine customer service we all need to strive for.
It’s the same thing the salesperson did for me today. Even though the store didn’t carry my product, she still left me feeling like I had a great shopping experience. That is what the Macy’s effect is all about. It provides a genuine connection with the customer and a good customer experience. The end result is that we never hesitate to come back to the store again and again.
Watch the video to see the Macy’s Effect and how it works.
I want to know from you. How do you positively impact your customers shopping experience? What makes you stand out from your competition?
