by Cari Sass for our “99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy” blog series

Spectacular customer service has become a goal for many retailers. There are many shopping options out there, including similar stores, nearby locations, comparable prices, identical product offerings, not to mention your online competition. Your staff and how they interact with your customers may be that one difference that separates you from your competitors and drives consumers into your store time and again.

It makes my day when I receive excellent customer service. As a matter of fact, I often tell my family and friends when and where this occurred, hoping they go and experience it for themselves. There’s nothing better, easier, and less expensive than positive word-of-mouth advertising.

Everyone likes to be acknowledged for their efforts, whether it’s at work or at home. Rewarding your employees for outstanding service seems to be a no-brainer, especially when it’s done publically. Acknowledging an associate in front of the rest of the staff encourages positive behavior store-wide.   

Being rewarded or recognized for your efforts encourages repeat behavior and becomes what other employees will strive to achieve to be recognized themselves. Some rewards could be: a premium parking spot for a month, a monetary gift, or a day off. You can even use the opportunity to reward a high-performing employee with a coveted task which encourages growth in their position and builds trust.

I don’t believe you need to have a regimented program such as committing to picking a staff member to reward every month, it doesn’t seem as special. Rather, do it as it best makes sense or when excellent customer service is observed.

Appreciation is the key to keeping any staff happy, and exceptional customer service will generate repeat customers. Rewarding your staff will make them feel like they have a stake in the success of your store and inspire them to work harder to keep up that level of customer satisfaction.

Cari manages the Marketing Communications team and is the primary liaison with other HRG departments. Her responsibilities cross the divide between B2B and B2C marketing and include strategic planning, creative development, corporate communications, and new product and service development for HRG. She also serves as project manager for many clients’ marketing and research needs, including everything from product packaging and social media to consumer focus groups.