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Customer Service
Once a store operator has been selected, you
will have a continuing responsibility for improv-
ing customer servicethe relationship between the
store operator and the customers. The success of
a ships store in meeting its purpose and object-
ives is dependent to a great degree on the face-
to-face relationships between the store operator
and the customers. Desirable merchandise and
attractive displays are important; however,
customer satisfaction can be assured only by a
conscientious, responsive store operator. You, as
a supervisor, must impress upon your operator
just how important a retail store operators job
is to the general morale of shipboard personnel.
The first thing that a customer notices and uses
in forming an impression of a retail store operator
is the operators personal appearance. (The ap-
pearance of the store itself will be discussed later).
It is important for the store operator to project
a correct and neat personal appearance. A ships
store operator who wears a Navy uniform proudly
and takes pride in personal appearance is
indicating to the customer that this operator has
pride in the job. Thus, you should try to instill
this pride in the store operator by personal
example and constructive criticism.
The second thing that is important to customer
service is the attitude of the store operator toward
the job and the customers. In most cases, the store
operators billet is strongly desired by Ships
Servicemen in the division. So, a poor attitude
toward the job will usually not be a problem.
However, as a leading Ships Serviceman, you
should encourage the store operator to do more
than just an adequate job. You should persuade
the operator to continue to improve the store by
working on visual merchandising and to pass
along requests of the crew.
You will discover that most problems occur
in the area of the store operators attitude toward
the customer. Too often, the operator may be
smug and conceited with the job or the busy
schedule. You should inform the operator that
such an attitude only shows lack of concern for
the customer. Displaying a negative attitude
and using offensive language undermines the
customers confidence in the store operators
ability to be of assistance.
Also, you should encourage the store operator
to be responsive to the customers needs even
though the needs may at times appear to be unim-
portant. For example, a customer may consider
a question about the possibility of returning a
newly purchased watch for a refund to be
important because the customer has saved up the
money to pay for it and now the watch doesnt
work. The operator should not ridicule such a
request by saying, Everybody knows all sales are
final! The customer obviously thought the
problem was important enough to bring it to the
attention of the operator. A courteous explana-
tion of how the customer might be able to
exchange the watch should be offered.
In summary, you should encourage the store
operator to be as responsive and helpful to the
customer as the operator would personally desire
to be treated. A more detailed discussion of the
importance of effective customer services is
presented in the Navy Customer Service Manual,
NAVEDTRA 10119-B.
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
The basic purpose of any ships store is to give
maximum service to patrons. Effective displays
are essential to the rendering of maximum service.
Effective displays ensure that all personnel aboard
are afforded the utmost shopping convenience
with a minimum of effort and time. Effective
displays also allow the merchandise to be
presented in an attractive and pleasant setting.
Displays have the task of informing, educating,
and impressing the patrons of the quality, price,
and use of the items. Displays let patrons know
what is available and help them to make good
selections.
A secondary purpose of good displays is to
sell merchandise and to produce the profits that
will be turned over to the ships recreation fund.
If properly used, an attractive store front can sell
merchandise 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Per-
sonnel engaged in their duties and coming and
going to meals, movies, and living compartments
may pass the retail store several times each day.
The displays in the store should be able to turn
this traffic into shoppers, and shoppers into
buyers. Imagine the loss in sales you would have
if the store front amounted to nothing more than
a rusty expanded metal screen covering a dirty,
poorly lighted display of cigarettes and
toothpaste.
Principles
To be effective, displays must meet certain
requirements. You, as the senior Ships Service-
man, should help and encourage the ships store
operator to attain these requirements. The
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