you valued their input enough to act on the information they’re going to feel in- tertwined in your success. 2. They’ve formed opinions about each person on your team (including you). Whether they realize it or not, the micro- impressions your customers receive from each interaction with you and your staff creates an imprint of what they think of your shop’s moral character and general vibe. Maybe they’re willing to look past one or two passively disgruntled employees, but when that number hits their threshold, they’re out the door. Therein lies the key to the crucible of trust and respect you so vehemently work to build. Be cognizant of this fact. Put yourself into their shoes before you let your other encumberments muddy the waters with the impression you left on a fresh face. 3. They’ve dated around and know your competition. They’ve chosen to come back to you and your store for a reason. It might be your killer customer service or your stock avail- ability of highly sought after gear, but make no mistake that repeat customers are shoppers keen on walking avenues in their best interest. By stepping in the door again they’re validating you’re a strategic part of that process. Use that perspective to embolden your team to the point of feeling pride and value, but not hubris. That will translate to more confidence when making follow up calls and closing sales. They’ll be less insecure in interactions, which means they’ll be less likely to default to unnecessarily offering a discount in an attempt to garner favor from the client. Be sure to calibrate this as needed. No one likes a braggart. 4. Not all of them are interested in what you have to say ... And that’s OK. Most of your customers won’t know as much as you and some customers will know vastly more than you on a specific tech or product. Just be comfortable with the fact that if they’re not asking you for an opinion, you don’t have to give one. Know the difference between empowering your customer and intruding on their decision-making process. Heck, pipe down, listen up and you may even learn something new. 5. Just because they don’t say “thank you” doesn’t mean they’re not thankful. Maybe it’s the follow-up email you sent
that you never got a reply to. Maybe it’s the voicemail you left with a tracking update on their time-sensitive DJ equip- ment. Customers may not always respond to you or give feedback but those are the types of effort that tip the scales for a one-time customer to become a life-long patron. Don’t rely on validation. Make sure you and your team stay consistent with that practice. Like most sage advice given, it’s only worth a dime if it’s actualized through
daily practice. So, take from this col- umn that which appeals and applies to you and find a way to integrate it into the roots of your customer relations mindset. See if it serves you well and, if it does, feel free to buy me a drink at the next NAMM show. Cheers! MI
Cyph Shah is the manager of Astro Audio Video Lighting in Glendale, California. He’s also the lead instructor of the DJ School, Astro Mix Lab and designs AVL systems as Astro AVL’s installation foreman. He’s toured the country as a DJ for more than 20 years.
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