A genuine smile. A friendly hello. A simple “how are you?”. It can be easy to offer average customer service, yet the bar needs to be lifted up a few notches to really gain customer attention. Beyond the expected hellos, smiles, thank yous, etc., there are some stand out customer service tips that can really help your store and your associates shine when working with customers.

Among the most overlooked tips is that of being sincere in your actions. As a store owner, this often comes easy. But your associates may not be as invested in your business and therefore their personal energy may rub off the wrong way sometimes. Having genuine smiles, genuine conversations and genuine care about your customers is the #1 tip you can offer to help achieve better customer service. This starts with you in your own customer interaction but extends to any employee who communicates with customers in your store, as well.

Beyond being sincere, it’s important to take the time to listen. Don’t just talk. Ask questions from customers that aren’t personal but rather engaging in their shopping experience. What type of occasion, if any, are they shopping for? Is there a certain style they prefer? For that matter, are there any styles they simply are not interested in? By asking questions and listening to their responses, you can more accurately help them in their purchase decisions based on what they want, not what you want to sell them. Listening may be #2 on the customer service tip list, but it’s equally important in achieving customer service success.

With lots of listening comes lots of details. Don’t be afraid to take notes on who your customers are, what they like, what they don’t like… even the names of their kids! Create a profile account on repeat customers to help you better support them in their unique shopping needs. As they reveal information about themselves, such as important dates, likes and dislikes, write these details down after they leave your store so that you can better help them on their next visit. It simply takes a quick review of these notes next time they return to your store to help kick off a stronger customer service experience. As #3 on this list, customer profile notes is a time engaging experience that is worth the return in customer service points. Make sure to be organized in your note taking and customer profile tracking so that finding these notes can be done in a breeze.

Smiling, listening, note-taking… it all adds up to being engaged with your customer and being a part of their shopping experience. But even the nicest of customers prefer a little space. #4 on the customer service tip list is to know when to back off. Sometimes giving your customer some space is what they want, so give it to them – it’s that simple.

Finally, being there for your customer even when you aren’t actually with them goes a long way. As part of your customer service strategy, make sure you offer easy accessibility about your business online in a clear, professionally formatted website. Believe it or not, websites act as supporters in customer service since so many consumers refer to websites first before ever walking into your store. Including details such as your store shopping hours, return policies, brand selections and all other details a customer may inquire about is the best thing you can do to support them. A simple webpage that identifies your store name, street address, phone number and email address just doesn’t cut it anymore. The difference in these two sites could mean the difference in a customer coming into your store. So forget about just the good old-fashioned customer service tips we have heard for years in include the modern expectations of technology support, as well.

Finally, all customers are different – yet all should be treated the same. Whether someone is just browsing or shopping for their entire family, treat them equally with respect, courtesy and service. Even those that don’t buy anything will remember this and likely be more inclined to return when they do need to make a purchase. Aside from this, it’s just the nice way to be – and with lots of stores and lots of choices, isn’t this the way you would prefer to shop?