Through the eyes of Amy...

The malls are crowed, people are in a hurry, and the lineups go throughout the store! While Black Friday is a day filled with fantastic deals, people who work in customer service must take on a big challenge. How often do we hear a customer sigh heavily in line while carrying heavy bags and new items to purchase? How often are customer service workers abrupt in dealing with the customers due to the sheer volume of people that they have to help? Customer service on Black Friday goes both ways. – From the customer to the Customer Service Representative, and the Customer Service Representative to the customer.

Here are 5 ways customers and Customer Service Representatives could make the Black Friday shopping experience be as smooth as possible:

1. Customer Service Over the Phone
Calling for the help of Customer Service Representatives could be frustrating because of the long holds. However, if customers prepare their questions beforehand, and remember to make them short, sweet, and to the point, then Customer Service Representatives could quickly and easily help them!

For the Customer Service Representatives, bringing in extra workers to aid in customer service could reduce the long holds. Customer Service Representatives should also be well-trained and knowledgeable in order to answer questions clearly and consistently.

2. Customer Service Using Social Media
In the age of technology, customers are being more vocal about their favourite brands on social media websites like Facebook and Twitter. If customers have a concern about a certain product, then be polite to the person behind the social media page. Don't forget that the gold rule is, “treat others how you would like to be treated.”

The person working on customer service via social media can in turn thank customers for reaching out to them. Providing links to aid customers in finding more information about things is effective as well. Responding quickly on social media is another way to help more customers in less time.

3. Understanding the Frustration
Customer service can be frustrating to both the customers and the Customer Service Representatives! Once both parties understand that crowds, people in a hurry, and long lineups cannot be helped by a heavy sigh coupled with anger, then the customer service experience would be more pleasant. Customers could check their phones, read a book, or strike up a brief conversation with others while waiting for service.

Customer Service Representatives could ask a brief question to the customers about their day so that the customers could release some of their frustration through expressing it. Friendly greeting and parting words may seem lost to the customers' ears at times, however the positive demeanor is memorable! Customers would remember how well they were treated, and come back to stop at the store on another day.

4. Prepare for Trouble, and Make it Double
Customers could help reduce long lineups by having their method of payment at hand before reaching the cash register! Not only does this help the other customers, but the Customer Service Representatives as well. By preparing beforehand the correct amount of cash or the correct type of card, there won't be struggle and frustration when searching for either of those items at the cash register.

Customer Service Representatives could double that preparation for trouble by observing if the customers have either cash or a card ready at hand. Once Customer Service Representatives know the method of payment, then they could prepare it even before the customers reaches the cash register.

5. Communication is Key
It is important for customers to fully understand the discount of interest before creating accusations about either the Customer Service Representatives or a brand. To avoid miscommunication, customers should either carefully read the details of the discount, or ask Customer Service Representatives for clarification.

Customer Service Representatives should be knowledgeable about the details of their store's discounts as well. They should be clear and concise in answering answer the customers' questions. If the initial explanation does not make sense to customers, then rewording it using different terms could be very effective. 

Through the eyes of Amy...

Last week, I went to a small restaurant with a couple of my friends for lunch. We made our orders and quietly chatted among ourselves while we waited. We have not seen each other for a long time and it was a time for us to catch up.

When the waiter came with our drinks, they did not leave right away. Instead, they attempted to make conversation with us. Surely, it was great that the waiter was going above and beyond; however, it felt a bit awkward. The waiter then left to get the rest of our orders when another employee called out to them.

When the waiter came back, they had a different demeanor. They could not help but tell us about how much they disliked the other worker. Perhaps the waiter expected sympathy or for us to be part of a retaliation when they began to tell us gossip about the worker.

Such customer service, or lack thereof, was not what had been expected and was a surprise to us all. After quickly finishing our lunch with a few more interruptions from the waiter, my friends and I made plans to meet again on another day. The next meeting would be at a coffee shop as opposed to a restaurant.

Perhaps that small restaurant would improve employee conduct in the future with a customer feedback program. Gossip is not something for the dining table; excellent customer service requires all employees to understand this. 

What makes a great customer service experience is when a sales associate goes above and beyond to ensure a customer is satisfied. I recently experienced this type of service when I went shopping at my local mall for an airline messenger bag.

When I entered the store I browsed their selection and eventually asked the sales associate if they had the specific bag I was looking for in stock. She told me that they sold out since it was one of their best selling bags. The sales associate told me that my best bet was to go to the Lacoste at Yorkdale Mall since they had a larger store, thus a larger stock selection.

I asked her if she could double check with the store just to make sure they had the bag in stock at Yorkdale before I headed there. She agreed and called them for me. After she spoke with a sales representative at the other store, she told me that they only had one left and she asked them to keep the bag on hold for me.

I made my way to the other location and was greeted by a sales associate upon entering the store. At the cashier desk I asked for the bag that they kept on hold for me. The sales associate asked me to wait while she brought the bag out from the stockroom. When she came back, she had the airline messenger bag I was looking for.

She gave me a brief explanation about the material of the bag, including how to care for it. She also told me that it was their last bag and was on sale for 30% off. I decided to purchase the bag and after that purchase I was very satisfied with how smoothly the process went and how helpful the sales associates were.

Do you remember a shopping experience where the sales associate ensured your satisfaction? Share it in the comments section.

Through the eyes of Kevin...

Although there are multiple ways to purchase flight tickets, the most common method is through online websites. Once people solidify their travel dates, they choose to book their flights in advance to ensure that they’ll get to choose from a variety of routes for the most affordable fares.

There are some online flight sites that may be a bit overwhelming and confusing especially to new users. I was once helping my mom buy flight tickets from a travel website. Once we had selected our flight route, seating and completed the purchase, we realized that the price was not in Canadian dollars but U.S. Dollars, meaning the price was a bit more than we had expected.

I found it shocking how unclear this had been on the website. Other travel websites made it clear whether or not you were purchasing in Canadian or U.S. dollars. You can't take a site at face value. Just because it looks user friendly does not mean it's without its flaws.

Having information presented in an organized manner is vital to attracting customers. It has become even more important today as websites offer a wide range of information and resources to attract their target market. For websites to be user friendly, it is important that sections and categories are carefully presented in a way that is simple for customer usage. Since travel websites specifically display a lot of information, it’s important for the developers to think from the perspective of the users.