Lessons From Retail: It's The Service That Makes The Difference

My business is a service business. I could argue that most businesses, whether or not they offer "products" for sale, are service businesses. As the proprietor of a service business, I can tell you it's not easy. It is human beings who provide the service, and human beings are, well, human. They make mistakes sometimes. And it can be hard to keep your morale up. You do things 98 percent perfect, and all you hear about is that two percent. But that's the nature of a service industry. And it is imperative that you keep trying for that 100 percent.

Trying to differentiate yourself on the basis of the quality of your work product is hopeless. Differentiating yourself with outstanding customer service is a great opportunity.

Studies show that success in retailing depends largely on the training and comportment of the sales staff, and much less to do with product, price, location and other factors commonly believed to be most important.

I remember a conversation I had years ago with a printer (I think of her and her business now as "my printer"). She told me "I figure anybody can put ink on paper. It's the service that makes the difference."

How to translate this idea to your website? What do web gurus mean when they talk about a site that is user-friendly? In the book Why We Buy, studies are cited to show that the amount of time a shopper spends in a store is perhaps the single most important factor in determining how much she or he will buy. If you think of your website as your store, then your priority should be to make it as friendly ("user-friendly" in web parlance) and attractive as possible. The more time a potential client or customer spends on your website (sometimes called "stickiness"), the more business you are likely to get.