I visited a local lighting store a week ago. There was a receptionist at the front. She looked at me without saying a word to me. Not a “hello” or a “can I help you”? I thought to myself, “She’s not exactly oozing enthusiasm”. Someone forget to tell her that a warm welcome sets the tone for a good experience in the store.

I didn’t know it at the time, but this was a sign of things to come. The store wasn’t very busy. I think there were probably 3 other customers in the store.

I walked around and around and around. Two employees walked by me and made eye contact with me, but didn’t utter a word. Of course I could have spoken up, but as a marketer I wanted to see how the situation would play out.

This company has been in business for a long time, so they must be doing some things right. However, if this is the way they deal with visitors, their future isn’t very bright.

Maybe they were all having a bad day. We all have bad days, but taking it out on your customers isn’t smart business.

Ignoring people when they visit your place of business isn’t just dumb business, it’s also down right rude. Remind your employees that whether people are just window shopping or making a purchase, their job is to help customers have a pleasant experience with your company.

I’m not advocating hovering over people or hounding them, but a little common courtesy can help make your business standout from your competitors. If you are busy with another customer or on the phone, acknowledge people when they walk in. A simple hand jester would do the trick.

If you operate a business where people visit you, invest in training for your employees, because good customer service is an essential element of successful marketing. “Practicing common courtesy can go a long way – saying “please” and “thank you” use to be common in retail interactions. These days, such courtesies can actually set your business apart.” (American Marketing Assoc.)

I left the store after wandering around for about 10 -15 minutes, every one on the showroom floor saw me and no one approached me. Needless to say, I’ll never shop at that lighting store again and I’ll never recommend them to anyone I know. As business owners or sales professionals we should never forget that bad customer service has a high price. A price the majority of us can’t afford to pay.