Importance of Customer Service in Fashion Industry

Fashion Industry is a highly specialised and personalised field. Customer Service is more important in fashion indsutry since the taste, choice and expectations of each customer are different.

1. Significance of Customer Service in fashion industry Prof.Shantilal Hajeri Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

2. A hearty welcome to this Webinar Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

3. Universal application of Customer Service Customer Service is significant to any business So also it is significant to fashion industry The concept of Customer Service by and large same for all business. Products can be divided into goods and services. Significance of Customer Service is very high in service sector such as fashion industry Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

4. Evolution Once upon a time people never used to wear clothes. Later, with time people felt the need to protect against external hazards. So they started covering their bodies with leaves and tree trunks and later also with animal skin. After the civilisations began, people realised they could weave cloths from a plant source . Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

5. A scene from a boutique Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

6. Non Verbal Language When you attend to your customers, the words you speak are only 5% important. Non Verbal Language is 25% important. Whether you are happy in attending to your customers can be easily judged from your body language. You must improve your body language. Eye contacts, Facial expressions, shake hands, poise, movements etc. your body language should suggest that you are pleased to attend to your customers Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

7. Prof.Shantilal Hajeri Can U differentiate between the body language of these 3 student s?

8. Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

9. A question A vegetable vendor daily comes in the morning with 50 KGs of vegetables and goes home after selling it. One day morning a customer offers to buy entire 50 KGs of vegetables. A vegetable vendor refuses the offer and agrees to sell maximum 5 kgs. The customer thinks this illiterate vendor is a fool. Can you guess the reason? Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

10. Introduction In a speech in South Africa in 1890 Mahatma Gandhi said this: “A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption of our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider of our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to do so.” Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

11. Customer Service Customers are the backbone of the business organizations irrespective of whether it is a fashion boutique, or Bank, or cloth shop, or grocery shop They posses the power to make or break any organisation irrespective of its nature and size You forget your customers and you are out of your business. So, it is necessary to take adequate care of them and at the same time increase their number. Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

12. Introduction Customer service needs professional skills that transcend the inevitable potential for friction that exists between people. Customer-serving employees need Ability to Service. Intemperate customer behaviour is not to be seen as a fault in the customer, it should be viewed as a sign that something is wrong with us and our product/service offering. Customer is King. Rules, services and service charges should be displayed in a prominent place Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

13. Customer Service Due to changing needs of the customers, their changing expectations and changing technology, there is a need for change in the approach of the service providers towards customer service. No organization can exist without consumers KYC: Know Your Customer KYI: Know Your Industry Complaints from the customers are the guide for our improvement. Customer service is our real Capital. Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

14. KYC: Know Your Customer His/her name and His/her contact details like Phone number and Email id. This will help in digital marketing His/her family details. Your aim should be to convert the family into customers His/her likes and dislikes His/her professions/Occupation/Business His/her Income/Budget His/her past dealings and experiences with you His/her Life Style Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

15. KYI: Know Your Industry What is the total size of the business? Who are the major players in the industry? What is the Market share of major players? What is your Market share? Doesn’t matter even if it is 0.001% What are the popular brands? Who are your immediate competitors? What is the future scope of the industry? Where do you see yourself after 5 years? Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

16. Major brands in Cloth LOUIS VUITTON GUCCI HERMES. PRADA. CHANEL. RALPH LAUREN. BURBERRY. HOUSE OF VERSACE. FENDI. ARMANI. Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

17. Who is a Customer? A person who is purchasing a product from you is a Customer. This is the traditional definition. A representative of customer is also a customer. Any person entering the premises of the organisation is a potential customer. A casual visitor to the premises for a casual enquiry or window shopping. A consumer is one who consumes goods and services available in the market. Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

18. Definition of consumer as per the Consumer Protection Act 1986 "Consumer" means any person who- buys any goods or services for a consideration which has been paid or promised or partly paid and partly promised, or under any system of deferred payment and includes any user of such goods when such use is made with the approval of such person, but does not include a person who obtains such goods for resale or for any commercial purpose; Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

19. Customer Vs. Consumer The terms customer and consumer are often used interchangeably. In the broader sense both have the same meaning. In technical sense there is a difference between the customer and consumer. An individual who purchases goods and services from the market is called a customer. A consumer is one who consumes goods and services. We have to satisfy both the customer and consumer Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

20. Customer’s Needs Reasonable Price Quality product Quick Service Accurate measurement Courtesy Proper Guidance Proper/Correct Information After Sale Service Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

21. Need for Customer service To retain the existing customers To attract new customers through the satisfied customers. It is a free and effective advertisement A satisfied customer is the best advertisement but a dissatisfied customer is the worst advertisement A lost customer is lost for ever If you don’t take care of your customer, the customer has the choice of other designers Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

22. Factors affecting Customer Service Demands and Needs of Customers, Expectation from Service Provider Job knowledge of Staff Attitude of staff towards service Motivation to staff Systems and Procedures Customer grievance procedure Philosophy of the top management. Staff Accountability regarding customer service. Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

23. Consumer Behaviour Consumer Behaviour refers to the mental and emotional process and the physical activities of the people who purchase and use goods and services to satisfy particular needs and wants. Every fashion designer should study the subject of Consumer Behaviour and the factors affecting the behaviour. This will help the fashion designer to understand the psychology of different customers and to serve them appropriately Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

24. Factors affecting Consumer Behaviour Type Examples Demographic Age, Gender, Education, Income, Occupation Psychographic Self Concept, Self Esteem, Interests, Opinions, Values, Lifestyle, Learning, Memory Psychological Influence Personality, Self-image, Risk involvement, Attitude, Beliefs, Motivation, Brand image Social Influence Culture, Subculture, Social class, Reference group, Family Geographic Climate, Local needs, Rural, Urban Metro Marketplace behavior Recognizing needs, response to marketing & communication, price and product acceptance Consumption relations Situation, usage rate, satisfaction, loyalty Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

25. Customer Expectation Service < Expectation : Dissatisfaction Service = Expectation : Satisfaction Service > Expectation : Delight Customer expectation is like a shadow. You cannot overtake your shadow. Service cannot exceed the expectation. If you reach his expectation, he will increase his expectation. Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

26. Customer Expectation Value for Money Fitness for use Conformance to Standards Proper instructions regarding usage of product Eg . Instruction for washing and dry cleaning Proper guidance in selecting a product Service with smile Service with personal touch After sale Service Repairs or replacements in case of defaults Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

27. 3 Situations in Customer Service Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

28. Reasons for dissatisfaction Delay in service and decision making Rude Behaviour Inaccuracy and deficiency in service Faulty decisions and advice to customers Undisciplined staff Emphasis on letter of law and not spirit of law Lack of flexibility in rules. Excessive service charges Apathy and insensitivity towards customers. Uninformed, incompetent and untrained staff. Not attending the phone calls/Emails/SMSes Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

29. Traits expected of a fashion designer Customer service orientation Extrovert/Social/Talkative Looking from customer’s point of view Ability and willingness to understand your customers and their behaviour Listening Skills Negotiation Skills Communication Skills Accepting that “Loko Bhinn Ruchihi” Knowledge about consumer psychology Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

30. Traits expected of a fashion designer Passion for Fashion Creativity Imitation/Improvement/Innovation in products/services Customer Relationship Management Belief in “Variety is the spice of life” Customer Data Base Management Updatation about new developments in fashion industry Attractive and pleasing personality Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

31. Traits expected of a fashion designer Appropriate dress sense and body language Ability to attract and retain the customers Ability to use social media for networking An eye for minute details. Ability to identify and evaluate the competition Willingness to learn new things every day Basic knowledge about personal selling and promotion Willingness to accept reasonable profit Concern for long term relations with customers Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

32. Be creative to attract the customers Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

33. Prof.Shantilal Hajeri I visited the New York show room of International brand “Zara” during June 2019

34. Employees’ approach towards Customer Service Customer Service should be a way of life Employees should develop an art of listening Employees should be trained to be polite and courteous. No customer should remain unattended. You should be prompt to ask him how can you serve him/her before he asks you Employees should have thorough knowledge about the product or service Employees should not give false information to customers Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

35. The Rights of Consumers (a) The right to be protected against marketing of goods which are hazardous to life and property; (b) The right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods to protect the consumer against unfair trade practices; (c) The right to be assured, wherever possible, access to an authority of goods at competitive prices; Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

36. The Rights of Consumers (d) The right to be heard and to be assured that consumers interests will receive due consideration at appropriate forums; (e) The right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices or unscrupulous exploitation of consumers; and (f) The right to consumer education. Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

37. Definition of Defect “Defect" means any fault, imperfection or shortcoming in the quality, quantity, potency, purity or standard which is required to be maintained by or under any law for the time being in force or under any contract, express or implied or as is claimed by the trader in any manner whatsoever in relation to any goods; Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

38. Definition of Deficiency “Deficiency" means any fault, imperfection, shortcoming or inadequacy in the quality, nature and manner of performance which is required to be maintained by or under any law for the time being in force or has been undertaken to be performed by a person in pursuance of a contract or otherwise in relation to any service Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

39. Service to Society Service to customers is the service to society. Identify the needs or wants of society. Develop products to satisfy these needs or wants. Marketing is seen from the point of views of its final result that is from the customer’s point of views. A satisfied customer is the biggest and cheapest advertisement. It is called as Mouth Publicity Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

40. Feed back Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

41. Survey You should conduct Survey to know the feedback of the customers You can design a questionnaire with several statements and give options as under A = Strongly Agree B = Agree C = Neither Agree Nor disagree D = Disagree E = Strongly Disagree Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

42. Out come of a Customer Service Survey Very Good: 28% Good: 59% Not Good: 13% On the whole 77% are satisfied with service. Reasons for poor service : Work Pressure : 47.5% Job Security: 25% Lack of Work Ethics : 15% Customer Behaviour: 5.7% Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

43. Improving Customer Service Training and Motivation to Staff Computerisation Delegation of Authority Customer surveys to know the feedback Customer Education Communication with Customer Looking at problem from Customer point of view. Customer grievance procedure through customer service cells. Data Bank about customers to send them messages about new products Greeting the customers on birthdays and anniversaries Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

44. Redressal of Customers’ Complaints Complaints should be treated as a part of genuine feedback. Welcome the complaints. Provide a complaint box, email id or phone number to lodge the complaints Acknowledge the complaint, indicate the time for solving Offer regrets for the inconvenience Don’t argue with the complaining customers Avoid confrontation even if you are right Offer to rectify the defect/replace the part/replace the whole product Be ready to refund the price and take back the goods Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

45. LEGAL PROTECTION TO CUSTOMERS Consumer protection act Right to information act Civil Courts Criminal action in case of offences Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

46. Definition of unfair trade practice “Unfair trade practice" means a trade practice which, for the purpose of promoting the sale, use or supply of any goods or for the provision of any service, adopts any unfair method or unfair or deceptive practice;- Falsely represents that The goods/ services are of a particular standard, quality, quantity, grade, composition, style or model; The old goods as new goods The goods or services have sponsorship, approval, characteristics, uses or benefits There is any warranty of the performance Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

47. Definition of unfair trade practice False publication of any advertisement False offering of gifts, prizes or other items Selling substandard goods with health hazards or risks to the user Hoarding or destruction of goods especially during the shortage (Masks during corona) Manufacture of spurious goods Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

48. QUOTES IF YOU BUILD A GREAT EXPERIENCE, CUSTOMERS TELL EACH OTHER ABOUT THAT. WORD OF MOUTH IS VERY POWERFUL. Jeff Bezos Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong. Donald Porter HAPPY STAFF MAKES CUSTOMERS HAPPY. “Don Silvensky ” Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

49. QUOTES Customer service is awareness of needs, problems, fears and aspirations. Anonymous Our greatest asset is the customer. Treat each customer as if they are the only one! Laurice Leito . It takes less effort to keep an old customer satisfied than to get a new customer interested. Robert Half Prof.Shantilal Hajeri

50. Prof.Shantilal Hajeri