Good Customer Service Leads to Repeat Business

Have you ever gone in a store and ask for help or when cashing out the person taking care of you never said a word or even looked up? How did it make you feel?

In the age of online communication, there seem to be a disconnect with communicating with a real person. Many people have to learn or relearn how to communicate in person.

Providing good customer service online is great but connecting with the person in front of you in your store is a must for the success of any small business.

Small business must set themselves apart from big corporate brands. A successful way to do this is build a rapport or bond with your customers. Since most purchases are bought on an emotional level, learn and teach your staff to build a bond with your customers.

Here are 5 tips for better customer service;

1. Say “Hello, how are you? How may I help you” and here is the catch, WHILE looking the person in the eyes.

2. When a customer is looking for something, take them to the item don’t just point in the direction.  Oblivious they don’t know the store very well or they have never been in the store before.

3. While helping customers, ask questions either related to the product for service or general questions. The more you communicate with your customers the better you will know them and their buying habits and you build a bond with the person.

4. Ask the customer their name, repeat it in the conversation and make note of it with a few notes so when they return you will remember.  The goes a long way! People like to feel remembered and special.

5. Say Thank You. Two simple words we sometimes forget while building a bond with customers.

By providing great customer and making those personal connections you have given them an emotional experience rather than just a purchase. They will remember it, share with others and return for more.

 

How do you feel about this issue?

 

Blog by:
Sharp Realty
400 Union Hill Drive, Suite 300
Birmingham, Al. 35209
205-879-1995
www.sharprealty.com
Leasing retail locations nationwide.

  

5 Important questions to ask your property management company before leasing a retail space.

You may have heard the three most important factors when starting a business is location, location, location. Yes, location is vital to your business success but equally important is the relationship you maintain with your property management landlord.  

Just as every property is distinctly different, so are the companies that manage them. You are going to be in an ongoing relationship with the property management company and it is essential that the lines of communication be and remain open.   

Rhonda Lusco, property manager of Sharp Realty, suggests meeting with your management team while still in the searching phase for available commercial space to lease.

Have your written questions ready ahead of time and be clear on what your expectations are, not only for the answer but how they are answered. For example, does the management team seem to be flexible and easy to deal with or are they fixed on “these are our rules no exceptions”.  Know what is important to you before the meeting. 

Below are a few questions you may what to consider.

1. What the expectations of the leasing agency is regards to rent payment, utilities, garage or snow removal each month?

2. Can you put displays in the front of your store? Is so, are there any restrictions?

3. Who is for responsible signage, and how is it handled?

4. Is the management company promoting foot traffic the business complex and how?

5. What are the procedures when renewing the lease or if expansion is needed?

Being prepared and having your answers before you lease will save a lot of time, money and discontent.  Most of all establish a good relationship with the property manager that is built on open communication.

Sharp Realty has served the served the commercial Real Estate community for over 20 years. Contact Sharp Realty to discuss our commercial space needs.

Sharp Realty
400 Union Hill Drive, Suite 300 Birmingham, Al 35209
Phone:205-879-1995
www.sharprealty.com



 

4 Smarter Time Management Tips for Small Business Owners

In this world of instant gratification time management is something that all small businesses seem to struggle with.  But maximizing your time is vital for businesses to stay successful. Below are a few tips to manage your time better.

1.  Make Time for Training: The biggest time-waster for most retail managers is answering employee's questions about mundane tasks.

If you find yourself getting a lot of routine queries, you probably haven't trained your employees adequately.

When you compile your to-do list, make teaching something new to your people one of your daily priorities. 

2. Take control: Practice not answering the phone just because it's ringing and e-mails just because they show up.

Disconnect instant messaging. Instead, schedule a time to answer email and return phone calls.

3.  Take the first 30 minutes of every day to plan your day. Don't start your day until you complete your time plan. The most important time of your day is the time you schedule to schedule time. 

4. Take five minutes before every task to decide what result you want to attain. This will help you know what success looks like before you start. Take five minutes after each task to determine whether your desired result was achieved.

Let us know how you feel about these tips.
Blog by Sharp Realty and Management.


Commercial Real Estate Office and retail location space for lease throughout the United States. Contact us for details.

Sharp Realty

400 Union Hill Drive, Suite 300 Birmingham, Al 35209

205-879-1995

www.SharpRealty.com

Get your business in the right location!

It may be cold outside but the Cherry Tree Plaza is hot with activity of customers and new retail stores opening in the plaza. We would like to welcome some of the new stores!

Welcome:
Smooth You Med Spa & Boutique
108 Cherry Tree Plaza
Washington, Indiana 47501
(812) 254-6810

About: Smooth You is a place where all your skincare needs can be met with our numerous products and specialized services. We are located in Cherry Tree Plaza in Washington, IN. Sharon Cullen, R.N. is the owner of Smooth You.
Visit them on Facebook - Smooth You Med Spa Boutique.  

 

Welcome:
Four Stars Books & Games
107 Cherry Tree Plaza
Washington, IN 47501
(812) 259-2035

About: We love entertainment! Video games (New & Retro), DVDs, Books, Electronics, Vinyl, Comics, and RPG Books and Dice! PC repair with FREE estimates! We Buy, Sell, and Trade!

Here at Four Star: Books And Games we pride ourselves in 4 STAR QUALITY REPAIRS at the lowest possible prices! Don’t throw your money away on a new system. Make your electronics last longer, and operate more efficiently! Let us keep your electronics like new, and keep more cash in your pocket!  

Four Star: Books And Games - because if it’s not the best, it just isn’t worth it!
Visit them on Facebook - FourStarBooksandGames

Welcome:
EyeWorks
109 Cherry Tree Plaza
Washington, Indiana 47501
(512) 254-1600

About: Glasses and Contacts in about one hour!
We are a full service optometric practice. We have 5 fulltime optometrists on staff along with 3 visiting Opthalmologists, one being a retinal specialist. We perform full eye health examinations, along with fitting glasses and all types of contact lenses. We have the largest inventory of the latest eyeglasses and contact lenses in the area. We also have a state of the art computerized optical lab to produce the finest eyeglasses for you in about one hour.  Visit Them on Facebook - ILikeEyeWorks.

Expanded in to large space:
Anytime Fitness
101 Cherry Tree Plaza
Washington, Indiana 47501
(812) 254-2200

About: 24 Hour Fitness Club with Personal Training and Tanning available. Visit them on Facebook - AnyTimeFitnessWashingtonIn.

Coming soon: Jimbo’s Pizza and Wings! The current businesses located in the plaza include Peebles Department Store, Jay C Foods, Orscheln Farm & Home, Trader Baker’s, GNC, Radio Shack, Fiesta Salon, Hibbett Sports, Great Wall Restaurant.

Get your business in the right location!
Commercial Space available for lease in Washington, Indiana.

Suite 100 @ 2,000 sf

Suite 112 @ 910 sf

Suite 114 @ 5,425 sf

Suite 116 @ 1,200 sf

Contact the Management Team: Rhonda Lusco

Sharp Realty, LLC.

400 Union Hill Suite 300

Birmingham, Al. 35209

Phone: 205-879-1995

www.SharpRealty.com

How To Select A Great Franchise Location?

Most franchisors provide you with specific selection criteria for finding a good site such as:

·    Demographic Characteristics

·    Population Density

·    Traffic and Parking Parameters

·    Site visibility  

·    Anchor Stores in Complex 

Most franchise systems assume you'll do most of the legwork in terms of locating a prospective site.

Many franchisors often provide other helpful information, such as the type of tenant mix that is preferable in a shopping center you are considering.

There is usually a team approach to finding the location and negotiating and finalizing the lease. The team consists of you, the franchisor, a local commercial real estate broker and a good lease attorney.

Sharp Realty currently owns and manages over 2,000,000 square feet of space for lease in over four different states. We provide pro-active marketing of each complex with great anchor stores to help drive foot traffic. Contact us today to discuss the right location for your business.

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Blog content by: Sharp Realty.
For more great tips follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

 
Sharp Realty

400 Union Hill Drive, Suite 300 Birmingham, Al 35209

205-879-1995

www.SharpRealty.com

How to keep customers coming back as repeat buyers?

As economic times become tougher many consumers are focusing more on only necessary purchases. How do you get them to continue buying your products or services that are beyond essentials?

Creating an emotional bond between the consumer and the products or services they use is a MUST for business owners.  Apple's iPhone is one of the best examples of a company doing this.

When a customer has an emotional connection with a business or product they are more likely to keep coming back!

How can a business that does not have a large marketing budget still create such an emotional bond?  Below are 4 things a businesses can do to establish and maintain a relationship with their customers.

1.  People connection – it seems like the more mobile and social we are getting online the less social and customer friendly we are being offline.
Remind your employees to connect with the customers, ask personal questions like “Did you have a great weekend”? “How’s your week going”?

There is nothing like good old fashioned customer service when customers are buying in your store or online!

2.  Add a personal thank you note of appreciation for their continued business. A thank you goes a long way especially when it is expressed in the written form. In this modern time we seem to have forgotten the emotional attachment that can develop from the written word.

3.  Highlight your business in a human light by presenting the owner and staff on a personal level.  Feature pictures and stories in your store and online about the person or personal event.

Create a “Meet the Staff” or Team Board. Design a board in the store that displays personal pictures, hobbies and interest of your staff. As the customers read and see pictures of your team members they become more connect on a personal level and don’t see them just as a salesperson.

4. Create an experience when they come into your store. Design an atmosphere appropriate to your business. Hand out unique paper and pen to take notes, tea or water in a special cup, cookies, or a special goody bag when they check out.

Consumers buy on emotion! You must develop that emotional experience for them. Use your time wisely by creating an emotional and human connection with consumers.

 

Blog content by: Sharp Realty.
For more great tips follow us on Facebook or Twitter.


Sharp Realty

400 Union Hill Drive, Suite 300 Birmingham, Al 35209

205-879-1995

www.SharpRealty.com

Start Ups:5 Key Questions you should ask suppliers before doing business.

1. What are my payment terms and are they negotiable?
While payments for invoices are often due within 30 days, you can talk to your vendor about getting 60 or 90 days.

2. What will my total costs be?
While a supplier might give you a quote for the cost of a product or materials, be sure to ask about other fees. For example, are there delivery fees, fuel surcharges or restocking charges for returns that you must pay?

3. Can you give me a liability insurance certificate? Your suppliers should provide written proof that they have adequate liability insurance in the event that their products or parts malfunction. Get a new copy of the liability insurance certificate each year.

 

 4. If a product does not sell, are you stuck with it?
You don't want to get stuck with a finished product that flops or the parts and raw materials for a product that doesn't sell. Talk to your suppliers about their return policies. You want to negotiate the opportunity to return unsold products or materials.

 

5. Under what circumstance might prices change?  
Ask what determines a change in price. Is it tied to inflation or an industry index? If prices go up, how much notice will you receive?

For great information and retail locations available for lease contact Sharp Realty or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Sharp Realty

400 Union Hill Drive, Suite 300 Birmingham, Al 35209

205-879-1995

www.SharpRealty.com