Excellence in Customer Service

 We have a saying here at Brady's West: "Sales through Service." Translated, this phrase means that by providing excellent customer service, sales will take care of themselves. We are a steadfastly strong community-oriented retail business, and our focus is on developing trusting relationships with our customers. As you will find, each of us here at Brady's West interact with customers on a daily basis; thus, we are all work in sales, regardless of our position. Our conception of excellence in customer service is based on the following 9 principles--and we strive to live by them each and every day.

 We Put Our Customers First

No matter what task we might be doing when we see a customer, we stop, and attend to the customer, assuming of course that another employee hasn't already beat us to it. A key aspect of our work is customer awareness--keeping an eye out for customers, be it indoors or outdoors. We don't get so focused on our "chores" that we forget to be on the lookout for customers in our area.

 We Create a Positive First Impression

We greet new customers (as well as existing customers) with a smile on our faces and a warm greeting. Doing so conveys a positive attitude about both our customers and our work, and helps to establish a connection between the customer and Brady's West. As an employee of Brady's West, you are a representative of the business--and your actions, good, bad, or otherwise reflect on us and our standing in the community.

 We Exude Genuine Interest in Our Customers

We engage our customers in conversation by asking them if we can help them, inquiring what they are looking for or need, and asking if they have any questions. By keeping the discussion focused on their interests, we convey to our customers that we care about them.

 We're Helpful

Excellent customer service means that we are helpful--we assist our customers in finding the product they wish to buy, we correctly answer their questions, and we help them solve any problems they might be encountering with our products and services. Being helpful is key to establishing a positive rapport with customers.

 We're Fair

Our owner likes to say, "Fair is fair," which means that we treat everyone--customers and fellow employees--honestly and impartially. We charge a fair price for our products and services and we do not try to take advantage of our customers by selling them products they don't need or will not use. In other words, we are honest in all of our interactions with our customers and with each other.

 We're Respectful and Patient

Occasionally we will have people who aren't sure what they are after or they have a lot of questions to which they want immediate answers. These sorts of customers require us to spend a bit more time with them than our typical customer. That is okay. Be patient. Be kind. Be respectful. Be helpful.  You will be amazed at how far this sort of goodwill can go in helping shoppers become happy and appreciative customers who will return to Brady's West time and time again. They will remember how you made them feel about Brady's West and, just as importantly, about you. If you are unsure of how to answer a customer's question, never hesitate to call on a fellow employee or manager to lend you a hand.

 We Respond Calmly When Problems Arise

We see all kinds of customers at Brady's West, and most of them are very nice people. Sometimes, though, we come across a customer who is having a bad day or who is not happy about a product he or she has recently purchased. Perhaps a plant they have purchased has died and they're upset and frustrated by it. Take time to listen to these customers and try to understand things from their perspective--in other words, try to put yourself in their shoes. Figure out what you can do to help them resolve their issue. If appropriate, apologize. If you are not sure what to do, call a member of our management team over to speak with the customer.

 We Know Our Stuff

The best salespeople know everything about their products and the services that their company offers. Customers truly appreciate a salesperson who can give them thorough and helpful answers to their questions. With time, you will learn a lot about Brady's West products and services--we don't expect you to know everything on Day 1 or even after Week 1, but we do expect you do learn a little about our products and services everyday--beginning with your specific area(s) of responsibility. You will find that answering your customers' questions correctly will give you an undeniable feeling of satisfaction and success every time it happens.

 We Leave Customers Feeling Good About Shopping at Brady's West

We want all of our customers to leave Brady's West feeling happy about their purchases and about their shopping experience. As a salesperson, be sure to thank your customers for shopping with us, even if they didn't buy anything. Often a simple, "Thanks for coming by," is sufficient to leave a positive and lasting impression of Brady's West in our customers' minds. People like to feel appreciated and valued--and that's a good lesson to remember day in and day out for getting along with others.

 In short, excellent customer service is a process that has a clear beginning, middle, and end. It starts with a friendly smile and a greeting, and is followed by a genuinely caring interaction between a knowledgeable salesperson and a customer. It ends with a thank you and an appreciation for the opportunity to serve others.