Customer service goes beyond making sure shoppers are served with a smile. It’s about making a good first impression, making sure you can field any customer questions with minimal fuss, and offering an overall experience that will ensure a repeat visit.
This means a clean shop with organised shelves, and approachable staff who know when to ask a customer for help or to leave them be. If you’re going to have approachable staff, they need to be knowledgeable about shop layout, stock levels and new products so that they can actually offer help.
Measures such as a labelled list of standards and name tags can help you offer a more personal experience for customers. Above all, make sure customers know they can offer feedback easily, and that you show proof of acting on it.
Secrets of success
The IAA selects a Category Star each year that is showing the best thinking, processes and results. Find out what made those that were previously recognised by the IAA stand out to the judges, and what you can apply in your own store by taking a look at the previous Category Stars.
- 2021-22 – Tenby Stores & Post Office, Pembrokeshire
- 2020-21 – Costcutter Armthorpe, Doncaster
- 2019 – London Road Bakery, Boston
Top ideas to improve
Each year the IAA visits and mentors’ retailers that have previously taken part in the programme to help them make simple but impactful changes to improve their profits. Find out what they learned, the results they’ve seen, and what you can replicate in your store!
- 2021-22 – Nisa Mackworth, Derby
- 2020-21 – Kings Fee Stores & Post Office, Monmouth
- 2019 – Today’s News, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Take part in the IAA
Take part in the IAA today by completing our online checklist and you can:
- See how your store compares to others and find ways to improve
- Be in with a chance of making the Top 100 and being recognised for your efforts
- Gain access to free marketing tools to help attract more customers to your store
- Invitation to the IAA Learning & Development Festival – to help you take your store to the next level
- Be in with a chance of being selected to be mentored by the IAA in 2023
Supported by the industry to help you
The IAA is supported and funded by industry brands who recognise that retailers want access to free, unbiased support to help them increase profits and improve their stores without big investment.
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