Holding your ground when under pressure from customers.

During the lockdown period most businesses were closed, but over the last 6-8 weeks more have opened up. Having been supporting clients and also running my own retail business, I have to say it has been a very difficult period and important that you stick to your customer service standards.

In normal times, I would always recommend you overdeliver on your promises, this means set realistic promises that are achievable. With the current COVID challenges and possible Brexit challenges next year, then it is important to hold your ground.

From ‘behind the counter’, businesses are facing many challenges including delayed Supply Chains and staff are cautious about what they will or won’t do. This is on top of the uncertainty about how will trade be if there is a second wave.

On the other side, Customers are releasing ‘pent up demand’ and are out looking to spend money. A combination of money they are getting from Furlough, money saved from planned holidays and not forgetting many more nights in is available to spend.

What I am seeing a lot of though is a lot of strain being put onto retailers and hospitality staff who are being stretched to deliver.

Customers are not understanding these challenges and not showing patience to the retailers either, pushing them to do things that are not realistic. I see these situations are counter productive for both parties and it needs some sensible thinking on both sides.

As a #CX professional myself, I am in these situations and am having to hold true to what is possible and not give in to unreasonable demands. In the short term you may think you are doing the right thing for your business, but you will damage your brand if you are not careful.

Let me share back some of my observations and advice at this difficult time.

• If it is out of stock for 2 weeks, it’s better to tell the customers a realistic date and ensure they understand this. Promising something unrealistic is only going to give you follow-on issues.
• If you only have 5 available appointment a day, then don’t try and fit in 8 customers thinking that you will reduce the time for each appointment and do more. Customers will think you are short changing them.
• If the wait time for a table is 35 minutes, tell your customers that is the case, don’t worry if they can’t wait that long. If you tell them 15 minutes and they decide to wait, then they are most likely going to be furious when they are made to wait double the amount of time you told them.

I would love to hear back your thoughts, or experiences right now and learn from anything you may have done or experienced.