Service is the gateway to multiple sales:                                                                                                          By Ivan Reffell, Director of the Best of Croydon, Croydon’s go to person.

We all know or should know that providing a great business service experience for our customers is the easiest way to provide a pathway to allow customers to make multiple sales. In our present economic climate people quite rightly make their buying decisions not solely based on price (no one feels great in a cheap suit) but also based on the value of the product and providing great service adds value.

Stick with me, I can give you some simple examples. I recently had an informal morning business meeting in Locksbottoms and I chose a smart pub for our venue. My client had already arrived so I sat at his table and ordered a coffee from a passing member of the serving staff and started our discussion.

The member of staff told me in very direct manner that I had to order coffee at the bar. I must add at this stage that the pub in question is almost empty. Not wishing to break my flow of conversation with my client I waited 5 minutes and then tried again. This time I explained to a different passing member of the service team that I was having a business discussion (before lunch so there is an up sell opportunity) and would it possible that a cup of coffee could be brought to my table. The response was the same. In a word ‘NO’.

I finished my 1 hour meeting having not spent a penny (excuse the pun) because I made a point that I would not only not buy a coffee from them but never frequent the place ever again. When I left the pub, the two service staff people were behind the bar having a chat as there were no customers to serve and I found another venue to buy my lunch.

So let’s review: they could have sold me a coffee, offered me a menu for lunch and then perhaps provided me with an incentive to go back.

If I had experienced excellent service I would have stopped for lunch and I would definitely be going back. I probably would have spent approximately £12 to £15 and they would have create future multiple sales.     

The following week I had a meeting in Starbucks in West Wickham (I know, I really spoil people) and I was in exactly the same situation. My potential customer had a coffee and he was sitting at his table. I ordered my coffee and waited at the service area. A very friendly young member of staff asked me the nature of my meeting. (Great question) I said it was to meet a customer and she said with a huge smile, ‘would you like me to bring your coffee over when it’s ready’.

Now I am getting some added value, do I now mind that my coffee is slightly more expensive? No of course not, in fact, now I want to stay for lunch. More importantly I tell my friend how friendly the member of staff is and then recount my bad experience in Locksbottom. 

Now relate this to your business. Are you providing excellent service that is worthy of word of mouth praise? If your service is excellent, think how you can up-sell other products because believe me, if your service is excellent people will want to buy from you again. 

If your service is merely average you need to think again.