Shoppers are fed up with bad customer service. In all kinds of shops, they are aggravated by the lack of knowledge of some staff about the products or services they sell. While this problem plagues the retail and service sector all over the world, it has been compounded in the last decade by the rise of online shopping at the expense of bricks-and-mortar shops, and social media, which gives everyone the chance to voice their complaints and get responses from companies the world over.
In many countries, sales staff are drawn to a particular brand because of a personal affinity and are passionate about their role in selling it. But the multinational complexion of the workforce in the UAE means some staff may have never heard about the brand they are selling before they arrive in this country. Naturally, this affects their ability to sell with a sense of purpose, often leaving them unable to do much more than state the obvious.
Educating people from all these different backgrounds about the range of products we enjoy here is no easy task. Although incredible progress has been made, there remains room for serious improvement – and the spark for this might come from the internet. Never before have ordinary people had the ability to complain or praise the service they received. It only takes a few seconds to tweet about a great flight or write a disparaging post about a bad experience at the mall. Our power to share also presents a chance for companies to learn what we want and improve.
The intelligent way to ensure great customer service is for employers to empower their staff. If staff believe in their products and are given the resources and space to grow, the result will be a better shopping experience for the customer.
Malls in this country are civic spaces that regularly attract residents and tourists. As such, our retail spaces are protected, to a certain extent, from the online revolution. But the online shopping experience continues to improve and if customer service remains in a slump, shoppers will be drawn away from the mall. Shop owners must not ignore this reality.
