Offering alternatives to customers instead of turning them away
Businesses have to develop an attitude where not only they try to sell a product, but they also try to keep in mind that they are trying to fulfill a need or a want of a customer. With that mentality, businesses can train their employees and customize their products and have a broader sense of how to offer products to customers even if the products differ slightly that the exact requirements specified by customers. Thus, instead of saying “We don’t have that, sorry“, businesses can say “We have something similar to what you need.”
Imagine owning a small business store where a customer walks in looking for an item that they want under $4. If you don’t have any such item below $4 but have similar items that cost $4.50, which of the following responses would you want to give to that customer?
- “Sorry, we don’t have anything below $4“
- “Sorry, we don’t have anything below $4 but we have something close, and it costs only $4.50“
You would probably think that option number 2 above is better of the two answers, offering a customer something close to what they want and also being helpful to them at the same time. Even if the customer does not use that alternate solution, the customer will remember that you were helpful and that you cam came close to fulfilling their requirements, instead of thinking that you did not fulfil their requirements. Most businesses do not realize this. If a customer comes in with a specific request for something, many businesses rarely say anything other than “Sorry, we don’t have that”, thus turning the customer away. Offering alternate solutions to customers can be one of the best methods to have satisfied and loyal customers.
I recently went to a Wendy’s store around 9 pm and was told by an employee standing at the main door that Wendy’s was closed. As I was pulling out of the parking lot, I decided to go through their drive-thru and found out that it was still open, and would remain open until a few hours later. The store employee who told me to basically go away knew I was referring to dining inside the store, though he did not know if I was willing to do a drive-thru or not as an alternate. He thus risked losing me as a customer by not offering me the alternate solution that his store could offer for my needs at that time.
One should reach out to a customer in different ways and not only address their direct needs, but also be creative and thoughtful enough to offer alternates that would satisfy the exact needs of a customer in ways other than what the customer specifies. That involves flexibility and the willingness to think more and taking extra steps to make the customer happy, instead of looking for easy and direct sales all the time.
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( August 25th, 2006 at 10:38 am )
Isn’t that practice illegal? I remember learning some sort of advertising scam that stores use that’s similar to what you’re describing. I can’t remember what it’s called…but I’m fairly sure it’s illegal….or something like that.
( August 25th, 2006 at 11:05 am )
Birdie, I’m confused. How is that illegal? I’m not referring to advertising at all, but to customers who come in asking for one thing and if you don’t have it but have something similar, to let the customer know that you have something similar that they might like.
( August 26th, 2006 at 5:09 am )
you know…i realize that the staff always treat me better when im dressed properly.
i always go to starbucks near my house on saturday morning. sometimes im dressed because i might decide to go shopping, but at times i just woke up and wanted be have a casual weekend. whenever im not dressed, the staff always treat me like sai.
i dont know if they charge me extra when im dress…
( August 26th, 2006 at 11:32 am )
Oh…………….Ok. I misread the post!
I presumed that there was advertising involved. 
Oi…dorky.
( August 26th, 2006 at 8:37 pm )
Interesting. You should try that and see if that’s the case.
I’m also sure girls getter different treatment than guys in many stores.
( August 26th, 2006 at 8:41 pm )
( August 29th, 2006 at 11:22 am )
well, in the case of fast food, if they turn you away, they don’t have to serve you. they’re not getting commission. when i was working at the local ice cream parlor, clean up would start 15 minutes before we closed. we were still open though, and people could still come in and order stuff. even after closing time, if they manage to squeeze their way in through the door, if there’s still a line and there are other people ordering, they’ll still get served. and sit down and eat and take forever which means we can’t clean that area or the bathroom until after they’re done. so we end up not leaving until half an hour later than we’re supposed to. and when you’re a minor, there are certain laws about how late you can work or be out (curfew).
( August 30th, 2006 at 12:06 am )
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( September 23rd, 2006 at 12:29 pm )
This is the only way in which amazon is surviving….
( September 26th, 2006 at 4:20 pm )
I see what you mean. What I was trying to say was that they could do some extra effort to sell, even if the employees don’t get a comission but in reality they just give upto-the-point answers without thinking how they can improve sales in other ways.
( September 26th, 2006 at 4:20 pm )
Haha, what a great example. Yes, Amazon does this so well, so far!
( February 23rd, 2007 at 5:54 pm )
[...] up with businesses not wanting to be more flexible? They can use the services they already have, utilize any resources that are available, like those [...]