First Friday has developed an approach that will deliver improved customer service for any size of retail business

Customer service standards aim is to deliver improved customer satisfaction. Yet customer service fails, not due to poor standards for customer service, but due to the inconsistent delivery of these standards.

First Friday believe that store teams want to do the right job. However, they are often unsure of what is expected of them. They need effective and on-going training in how to deliver good customer service. This needs to be reinforced with consistent feedback from line managers.

First Friday believe that businesses need to focus on four key areas to deliver effective customer service:

• Clarity and visibility of the customer service standards
  
• Translating these standards into reality for each
  member of staff.
  
• Management reinforcement of the standards day to day.
  
• Ongoing communication & recognition.

First Friday’s Customer Service Programme follows a four step path:

1.Customer Service Standards
First Friday works with the business to develop, clarify or incorporate their approach to customer service.
As well as developing a customer service statement, First Friday works to identify the ways of working that deliver this service for each role in the store/business.

2.Training for delivery
First Friday then works to develop a training solution that ensures that staff understand the impact of good and poor service delivery AND how to deliver the service standards set by the business.
First Friday’s approach to training is to ensure it is engaging, relevant and fun. It is also practical – people need to be able to deliver improved customer service in their normal jobs every day.

3.Training for reinforcement
Managers and supervisors need to be trained to be able to reinforce the new standards.
First Friday’s approach to training for consistent and effective feedback covers:
- When to give feedback
- Frequency of feedback
- Where to give feedback
- Feedback skills &techniques

4.Communication & recognition
First Friday believe that effective, planned and ongoing communication is the only way to keep customer service at the front of people’s minds.
Additionally, recognition mechanisms should aim to make good service a ‘way of life’ for the business. These include:
Immediate - positive and visible praise.
Local schemes that recognise real delivery in store.
Regional and company recognition schemes.

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