Bedside Manner (bed’side’ mann’er) n. a term describing how a doctor handles a patient.
A good bedside manner is typically one that reassures and comforts the patient. Attitude, body language, openness and ability to help a patient all affect bedside manner. Poor bedside manner leaves the patient feeling unsatisfied, worried, alone or frightened. Practicing good bedside manner may result in a shortened recovery time for your patient.
Car-Side Manner (kÄr’side’ mann’er) n. a term describing how your retail salesperson handles a customer. A good car-side manner is typically one that reassures and comforts the customer. Attitude, body language, openness and the ability to serve a customer better than your competition all affect car-side manner. Poor car-side manner leaves the customer feeling unsatisfied, worried, alone or frightened. Practicing good car-side manner may result in repeat and additional business.
OK, I know we are not medical doctors, but our retail salespeople are faced with the same challenges that doctors face with their patients. Retail salespeople face customers (patients) every day. How they treat those customers ultimately affects the customers’ experience with your business.
We all want to provide our customers with a positive experience. Any time we delight customers, they are likely to share that experience with some of their friends. On the flip side, we know for certain that unpleasant experiences are always shared. Our goal is simple: to provide the best possible buying experience for our customers each time, every time. Good experiences often result in repeat – and additional – business.
Finding new and innovative ways to improve your level of customer service – your car-side manner – can be the answer to edging out your competition.
Imagine, for example, that you empowered your front-counter salespeople with a wireless handheld device (PDA) and sent them out to greet customers as they arrive in the parking lot.
Now, imagine that a salesperson could ‘tap-tap’ the PDA device as he approaches a car, enter the customer’s license plate ID and greet the customer by name. Then, imagine that he could scan the vehicle identification number and enter the vehicle mileage right there in the parking lot, all while talking with the customer right at the car.
This gives the customer a good feeling that the salesperson is going beyond simply standing behind a counter asking questions. This salesperson is providing good car-side manner.
And, something else is happening behind the scenes. With the tap of a screen, a work order has begun, wirelessly right from your parking lot. When the customer and the salesperson go into the store, the information that was captured at car side is already in your computer, and a work order is waiting for the rest of the information.
This may sound futuristic, but I can assure you that it’s not. It’s here today and available at very affordable prices. Something as simple as this can put you and your company above the competition. Giving the customer a total experience and making it easier for your salespeople to capture important information in a professional manner will result in more satisfied customers and increased sales.
This technology is available today. You owe it to yourself, your employees, and your customers to take advantage of it.
