Debenhams International Learning and Development

Delivering Excellent Customer Service To prevent Stock Loss On the Shop Floor

Trainers Notes (60 mins)

Debenhams International Customer Service on the Shop Floor Trainers notes

Produced: 22.03.09

Time 9.00

Content Welcome and Introductions INTRODUCE yourself to the participants and welcome them to the session. EXPLAIN that for the next 60 minutes you will be going through all the Customer Service Actions you would expect to see them doing on the Shop Floor. ASK why is it important that we offer excellent customer service on the Shop Floor? Expected answers to include.. Part of the customers positive shopping experience within your store Gives the sales advisor a great opportunity to build a relationship with that customer. Great opportunity to get add-on sales through suggesting alternatives or additional co-ordinating garments. Helps to confirm in the customers mind that they are buying exactly the right product Prevents unnecessary refunds and exchanges. High level of service reflects the quality of the store and the products

Materials

Write answers on to wipe board or flip chart.

.add Not every customer in the store is honest. Unmanned areas of the Shop Floor are a perfect place for shoplifters to hide unnoticed Poor or no customer service on the Shop Floor creates stock loss.

..therefore 9.07 Delivering Excellent Customer Service on the Shop Floor creates sales and improves store security. Produced March 2009

Debenhams International Customer Service on the Shop Floor Trainers notes EXPLAIN that once you have looked at the Customer Service steps they will have the opportunity to see how each step helps to improve Shop Floor security. ASK when they are shopping in stores what sort of service do they expect to receive from Sales Advisors? Expected answers to include Friendly service with a smile Eye Contact A greeting when they arrive Sales Advisor interested in me as an individual Sales Advisor knows their products Find me exactly what I am looking for Check stock rooms if my size / colour is not available Tell me about promotions Sales advisor advising me on fit/ colour/ style etc Sales advisor suggesting additional items Escort me to the Dressing Room Escort me to the Service Centre A THANK YOU and a GOODBYE. Write answers on to wipe board or flip chart.

Demonstration Ask for 2 volunteers to role play a short typical shop floor scenario. I volunteer to be the sales advisor. 1 volunteer to be the customer. Rest of the group to make notes on the actions that the sales advisor does during the role play. Run the demonstration Ask the rest of the delegates to feedback what the sales advisor did well. Ask for any feedback on what they could have done better. ISSUE Handout 1

Make sure delegates have pens and paper

9.17

Handout 1

RE-CAP the role play showing the delegates all the steps to giving Excellent Customer Service on the Shop Floor. Produced March 2009

Debenhams International Customer Service on the Shop Floor Trainers notes Stage 1 Smile and Greet the customer Stop doing the task and focus on the customer A genuine warm greeting Make eye contact Stage 2 Interact with the customer Find out how you can help them Ask further questions to establish exactly what they are looking for Stage 3 Escort to item Show options available Use your product knowledge Talk about the features and benefits of the various options Stage 4 Option Availability Check stockroom if size / colour is missing Stage 5 Increasing ATV Suggesting co-ordinating / add-on items Informing customer of promotions Stage 6 Concluding the transaction Compliment customer on their choice Escort to Dressing Room Escort to Service Centre Ask if they have any other shopping to do in the store Thank them for making their purchase Look forward to seeing them again for examples of a good greeting examples of offering additional help examples of a personalised parting comment

ASK

Examples could include enjoy the rest of your shopping hope the wedding / party/ celebration goes well Final Demonstration 9.27 Using 2 more volunteers Run the same scenario only this time it must include all the Produced March 2009

Debenhams International Customer Service on the Shop Floor Trainers notes stages and actions 1 - 6 Rest of delegates to feedback. REMIND the group that we have already mentioned how excellent service on the Shop Floor also helps to reduce stock loss SAY that whilst most of our customers are honest some of our customers enter our stores with the intention of stealing and not buying. ASK what sort of things will shoplifters try to do to steal items on the Shop Floor? Answers to include.. Try to find areas of the store where there are no staff. Hide themselves in blind spots behind pillars and around corners. Look around them all the time Carry large empty bags or holdalls. Position bags under merchandise ready to drop product in when nobody is looking. Keep returning to the same fixture they are trying to steal from. Refuse the sales advisors offer of help Try to get the sales advisor to go off and get something. Engage the sales advisor in a discussion whilst an accomplice steals the items Distract the sales advisor by pretending to be ill or some other emergency Conceal items under babies in pushchairs Conceal items under pushchairs Conceal items in pushchair hoods. Hide small expensive items inside handbags and pay for the handbag at the till only to return it later. Swap their old shoes for new ones and leave their old ones behind. Swap their old coats and wear new ones out of the store Wear sunglasses OUT of the store

ASK how do they think Sales Advisors can let Stock Loss happen on the Shop Floor? Produced March 2009

Debenhams International Customer Service on the Shop Floor Trainers notes Answers to include. Gathering round the Service Centre Being so focused on tasks that they dont notice the customer. Chatting to each other Not paying attention to the job Not greeting every customer. Leaving customers to find the Dressing Room. Leaving customers to find the Service Centre. Not reporting suspicious customers to security staff/ manager Leaving rails and totes of stock unattended.

9.47

Handout 2

EXPLAIN to the group that they are going to do a short exercise reviewing how they can stop all these things happening by using the Customer Service Actions from Stages 1 6.

ISSUE Handout 2 and either or. ISSUE Handout 2 and use for a group discussion to decide which action will resolve each potential stock loss attempt. EXPLAIN that you are now going to look at some other actions they will need to do to prevent stock loss occurring through the Dressing Room ASK what they would do to prevent stock loss in the following situations. A customer enters the shop carrying a large empty bag or holdall? Answer to include Smile meet and greet the customer? Find out what it is they are looking for Produced March 2009 split into smaller groups allow 10 minutes for the groups to decide which action will resolve each potential stock loss attempt collect feedback on each point allow 5 minutes for feedback

Debenhams International Customer Service on the Shop Floor Trainers notes Escort them to the correct product Hand them over to a colleague if it is not your area of the store Alert your Line Manager as soon as it is safe to do so.

A customer says they are only looking and do not need your help? Answer to include Smile Find out if there is anything they are particularly looking for Reassure the customer that you will be available to help when they need you Keep your eye on them You have to go to the stock room to find a missing option Answers to include Let another colleague know you are leaving the shop floor Bring back more than one of the missing option to save you having to go again. 10.00 You see a customer stealing / concealing an item. Answers to include Get a colleague to alert your Line Manager/ security staff as soon as possible Approach customer smile meet and greet Offer help Remain in area and observe customer. FINALLY ensure that all staff are briefed on your local security arrangements to include the following. What to do if they spot a theft taking place What to do if they suspect anybody of theft What to do if they see anybody acting suspiciously

REASSURE delegates that they are never expected to put themselves in a situation where they accuse the customer of theft OR put themselves in any situation where their personal safety is at risk. ASK if anybody has any further questions THANK all the delegates for their work during the session and remind them that everybody has a part to play in preventing Produced March 2009

Debenhams International Customer Service on the Shop Floor Trainers notes stock loss occurring in their store. CLOSE the session.

Handout 1 6 Stages of Shop Floor Customer Service Excellence Stage 1 Smile and Greet the customer Stop doing the task and focus on the customer A genuine warm greeting Make eye contact Stage 2 Interact with the customer Find out how you can help them Ask further questions to establish exactly what they are looking for Produced March 2009

Debenhams International Customer Service on the Shop Floor Trainers notes Stage 3 Escort to item Show options available Use your product knowledge Talk about the features and benefits of the various options Stage 4 Option Availability Check stockroom if size / colour is missing Stage 5 Increasing ATV Suggesting co-ordinating / add-on items Informing customer of promotions Stage 6 Concluding the transaction Compliment customer on their choice Escort to Dressing Room Escort to Service Centre Ask if they have any other shopping to do in the store Thank them for making their purchase Look forward to seeing them again

Handout 2 Actions used by shoplifters on the Shop Floor 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Try to find areas of the store where there are no staff. Hide themselves in blind spots behind pillars and around corners. Look around them all the time Carry large empty bags or holdalls. Position bags under merchandise ready to drop product in when nobody is looking. 6. Keep returning to the same fixture they are trying to steal from. 7. Refuse the sales advisors offer of help 8. Try to get the sales advisor to go off and get something. Produced March 2009

Debenhams International Customer Service on the Shop Floor Trainers notes 9. Engage the sales advisor in a discussion whilst an accomplice steals the items 10. Distract the sales advisor by pretending to be ill or some other emergency 11. Conceal items under babies in pushchairs /under pushchairs/ in pushchair hoods. 12. Hide small expensive items inside handbags and pay for the handbag at the till only to return it later. 13. Swap their old shoes for new ones and leave their old ones behind. 14. Swap their old coats and wear new ones out of the store 15. Wear sunglasses OUT of the store How Sales Advisors can let Stock Loss happen on the Shop Floor 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Gathering round the Service Centre Being so focused on tasks that they dont notice the customer. Chatting to each other Not paying attention to the job Not greeting every customer. Leaving customers to find the Dressing Room. Leaving customers to find the Service Centre. Not reporting suspicious customers to security staff/ manager Leaving rails and totes of stock unattended.

Produced March 2009