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<<<Back to Press Releases |
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21 September 2005 Good Customer Service Equals Increased Sales (and that's a fact!) Brent Cross has carried out unique research over the past nine months which indicates that there is a strong correlation between service standards and sales performance. Sales performance is measured at Brent Cross via the Daily Sales Advantage System, while all the stores at Brent Cross are mystery shopped twice every quarter. The results highlight what, for many years, retail experts have been preaching. 'The customer always comes first' and 'good service equals, repeat visits and good sales'. The categories which most demonstrated a relationship between service levels and sales were mixed fashion, fashion accessories, ladies & men's fashion, cafes & takeaways, electrical & media. The evidence was less clear-cut for gifts & cards, footwear, health & beauty and jewellery. The research is part of a wider reaching twin track service strategy which Brent Cross has undertaken over the past 18 months focussing on the service given by shopping centre staff and retail store staff. All of the 150 Brent Cross direct employees receive customer service training and have been accredited with the British Tourist Authority's, 'Welcome to Excellence' standard. Retail staff are also invited to receive 'Brent Cross' customer service training, while stores not performing to the required standard in the frequent Mystery Shopping visits are invited to work with the Centre Management through a customer service action plan. The Centre as a whole is reaping the benefits as both footfall and sales continue to outperform national and regional trends. Retailers and individuals are now being rewarded for excellent customer service via the new Brent Cross Customer Service Awards, which launched this year. The awards are sponsored by, MITIE (Engineering Services) and Amber Arch, the leading mystery shopping agency and have been encouraged by retail property organisation BCSC who's president, Bob De Barr, has put customer service as the focal activity for his year in office. Tom Nathan, General Manager states: 'By rewarding those who achieve excellent customer service we are offering an added incentive to improve performance. The awards will also serve to highlight positive role models for retail stores and staff to emulate.' There are three main Brent Cross awards: Retailer of the Year (prize £1,000 to be split between the store employees), Best Improver Award (prize £250 to be split between the store employees) and Sales Assistant of the Year (prize £1,000 for the individual). Michael Green, Chief Executive of BCSC, who was on hand to present the £1,000 cheque for Brent Cross Sales Assistant of the year, stated: 'Customer Service is a priority for the BCSC and I am delighted to support initiatives that reward good service and the end user. It is great to see that customer service is high on the agenda at Brent Cross.' The winner of the Sales assistant of the year award was an extremely excited (and very polite) Premila Patel. Premila, a check out supervisor, has worked at Waitrose in Brent Cross for 19 years. Premila claimed: 'Serving customers is my priority and I always do it with a smile on my face. I believe nothing is too much trouble for our customers.' The retailer of the year award went to Abbey National, while the Best Improver was awarded to The Link. Fashion Accessories - Sunglasses Hut Electrical & Media - Boots Electrical Childrenswear - John Lewis Banks & Building - Abbey National Brent Cross Services - Shop Mobility Cafes & Takeaways - Spreads Restaurants - Wagamama |
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