Recently I read a survey that 67% of consumers polled left or didn't return to a store because of perceived apathy.  Stores seemingly or actually not caring about them as customers.

That got me thinking about the whole customer experience and the importance of the real connection between you, the retail owner, and your customers.Service quality is your #1 concern, it's part of the whole customer experience. Retail consumers measure you in the market place and against your competition.In my daily practice as Retail Makeover Coach I'm often asked the question "How does a retailer find out what the customer experience is in their store?"The best and easiest way is to ask.Why I want you to do surveys is that it gets you in front of your customer; you get to hear what they think.So what do you ask your customers?Here are keys ideas you want to know from your customers:

• Where do you live?
• How often do they come to this general area to shop?
• How often do they come into your store?
• Do they shop for themselves or for gifts?
• Do they like your store set up?
• Is it easy to find things and to move from one place to another?
• Do you carry the products they like?
• Would they like to see something added to your product mix?
• How is your staff? Friendly, knowledgeable, available to help
• Store appearance?
• How would they rate your customer care?
• Product displays?
• Overall shopping experience?
• Would they recommend your store to friends and family?
• Would they like to receive your monthly newsletter?

I believe in regular surveys being done. One a year is a must. You should be able to handle this yourself. Create the form and do the leg work.Surveys can be administered in many different ways: in-store, on-line, your monthly newsletter, mailed to your customers home or place of business or by phone. You choose what works best for you. Use a rating system 1-10, 10 being exceptional and 1 very poor.In getting ready for this article I went into different retail stores to pick up their customer care cards. From formats that just ask. How are we doing? Leaving me endless lines to write - to surveys that were full of questions with boxes to tick off. There where on line surveys with a contest attached to it. Or mail me back surveys with a coupon attached to them. So lots of different approached.As a thank you, you may want to give an in-store coupon for $10, it's a nice gesture and the customer gets to spend the coupon in your store.So what do you do with the info you get? You react to it and act on it. If after you do the survey you don't know how to assess what you need to do. Please contact me, it will be my pleasure to help you.Let me know how you are doing with this.Your Retail Makeover CoachBarbarawww.retailmakeover.ca