Language lessons in customer service
I am always interested in customer relations and services as believe that personal branding reflects on the retail or service firm that the employee works for.
Through social media I saw the story of a customer in Currys asking: “hello, we’d like to buy a TV please. We know which one. Can you help us?” Currys’ employee: “Err…have you looked online? You can order it online.” Brilliant – idiot of the month award well deserved.
So I was pleasantly surprised to read that staff in Selfridges are being taught Mandarin so they can engage better with Chinese shoppers. Sale staff are being taught how to greet customers and ask if they need assistance as well as picking up on Chinese shopping habits.
Selfridges called in experts from Manchester University’s Confucius Institute after noticing an increase in the number of Chinese visitors to the store, many of who are fashion-conscious overseas students, queuing up for luxury items.
Research has shown that the booming ‘Peking Pound’ has accounted for almost a third of post-Christmas purchases of high-end goods such as Burberry, Mulberry and Gucci. The amount of Chinese customers coming through the doors is up by 62% and the average spend in a single payment is £1,000 compared to £70 spent by the average customer.
Selfridges has also started taking China Union Pay Cards – the only domestic credit card available in China.
This a creative marketing idea, using the sale staff as representatives for the store and really converting an idea into money. Well done Selfridges!
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