Fantastic customer service has the power to set your store apart from the competition. Regardless of store size, the time and care you take with your customers will strengthen your position in the campus community and demonstrate the service you provide. But what does great customer service mean in today’s collegiate retail environment?
In the 25 Customer Service Trends that Strengthen College Stores white paper, we explore how college stores have elevated their customer service practices to strengthen student and campus relationships while elevating in-store service. These practical examples provide ideas for how your store can take customer experience to the next level.
Five pillars of college store customer service
In this white paper, customer service is divided into five distinct pillars: convenience, relationships, innovation, trust and value.
- Convenience
Convenience is how your store makes normal processes easier for your customers. In today’s retail environment, customer expectations for convenience are at an all-time high. Customers are less willing to wait for a website to load, a product to come in or for the attention of a sales associate. Discover how five completely different stores elevated the store experience to make shopping more convenient for students. - Relationships
Customer service is more than just making a sale. It also encompasses how your store interacts with campus groups. Stores that take the extra step to form strong on-campus relationships have more tools at their disposal for initiating programs or events that require additional campus buy in. From faculty adoptions to alternative revenue streams, we highlight five campus stores that cultivated fantastic on-campus relationships with great results. - Innovation
Innovation can help stores provide customers with an unforgettable in-store and online experience. Fortifying your omnichannel presence is an easy and affordable way to show customers that your store is keeping up with retail trends. From social media best practices to in-store pickup and loyalty programs, these five stores have demonstrated their innovative approach to retail. - Trust
As part of the campus community, your store is more than just retail. The college store plays a larger role in student lives and demonstrate how much you care for the entire campus community. With engaging community events and heartfelt outreach, our five campus store examples show the difference a dedicated campus store can make in the community. - Value
Affordability is very important, but it isn’t the only reason a customer chooses to shop in your store. Value is also important in today’s retail environment. How customers perceive an item determines its value. This is why it is important that college stores know their customers, assess buying patterns and trends, and offer quick, convenient access to merchandise 24/7. In this section, we talk to five stores that use business intelligence to provide customers the products they value most.
Download the 25 Customer Service Trends in College Stores white paper to learn more about each pillar of customer service and get real-life examples of how stores are meeting today’s retail challenges.
