Customer

Museum retail customer service Stats: 25% of UK customers dont think they receive good customer service

Museum retail customer service 82% respond to poor service by telling friends and family never to use that business

Museum retail customer service 33% write negative reviews on the companys website or complain via social media

Museum retail customer service Your museum benefits by good service: 85% of customers who receive it, recommend the establishment to friends and family

Customer service is important to Museum shops because customers create and build the business Excellent customer service brings: Higher visitor numbers and greater customer diversity Increased sales and profit Improved public image Survival in terms of competition Satisfied customers and staff job satisfaction Repeat business and customer loyalty

Where does your museum sit?

First impressions Excellent customer service is about creating a good impression: meeting and exceeding visitors expectations, so they feel welcomed, excited and valued Despite popular 'blockbuster' exhibitions and tourism awards, many people think museums are 'boring' places with rows of 'posh' objects behind glass cases. Shops can change that!

The basics: always stay calm! Even when dealing with aggressive behaviour, staff must stay calm and treat the customer with empathy and understanding

Always think about the customer Dont let busy times displace good service. Make sure every customer receives a simple warm welcome and a friendly farewell – it attracts and retains shoppers. 9 out 10 customers leave a shop before making an intended purchase if they get poor service – good manners impact on your bottom line.

Put yourself in their shoes Make sure all of your most popular and top selling items are easily visible, in plentiful supply and are accessible in the store. Play classical music to keep staff and customers happy, but mix it up with modern music to stop it becoming monotonous.

Include part-time and temporary staff Treat them like full-time employees and make sure they get all the training they need to ensure they understand the business and the level of customer care that is expected from them. You should expect the same standards of work from temporary staff as you would demand from permanent staff These workers are equally as important at projecting the image of your shop as your regular employees so make sure they feel involved and valued

Use customer insight To maintain or improve the service you deliver, its vital to get customer feedback. Only then can you be confident youre meeting customer expectations and operating your shop to the highest standards.

Give more than expected The future of retail lies in keeping customers happy, so think of ways to elevate yourself above the competition. What can you give customers they cannot get elsewhere? What can you do to follow-up and thank people even when they don't buy? What can you give customers that is totally unexpected?

Social media

Thank you for listening. Any questions? Jayne Cartwright