Exceeding your customers' expectations

Originally published in Southern Jewelry News, December 2006

The value of your existing customer base goes far beyond what they can purchase. If you are able to exceed their expectations, they will brag about the wonderful experience they had in your store to everyone they know.

It doesn't matter what you do, as long as it appeals to your customers. Try and be specific to the needs of who you know. If you are not building relationships with customers and finding out about their personal interests, you are missing retention and referral opportunities.

For example, if you have a customer who likes lobster; you might arrange a special dinner at a local seafood restaurant with an especially large lobster for that customer. The impact the gesture would make would far exceed the cost in terms of the value it would provide.

Don't be a penny pincher! Think about how you can enhance the experience of buying by adding something special. If you do, you will never be forgotten, and your customer will probably not shop anywhere else.