Retain Customers and Build Loyalty for your Fish and Chip Shop

Before we recently moved our offices to High Wycombe , I used to go into a couple of local shops to buy lunch. Although neither were fish and chip shops, the principle remains the same when it comes to how to retain customers and build loyalty.

Shop 1

• They did not know my name
• Did not remember what my favourite meal was
• The person serving seemed to be unhappy working there
• The place looked a bit untidy
• No real communication other than what I would like and how much it was
• Change of staff

Shop 2

• Overtime, they got to know my name
• “Would you like your usual” conversation
• They were proud to work there and took pride in their job
• The take away restaurant seems fresh and clean
• The same team of people always seemed to be working there

The phrase is “customers vote with their feet.” That is why shop 2 was thriving and shop 1 empty. Now there is one interesting and important point here, both the take away shops had lovely owners, it was their staff that were either great or poor at customer service.

So, how do you retain customers and build loyalty?

Recruitment

First impressions count. When that potential employee walks into your fish and chip shop, are they smiling? Do they confidently communicate their name and the fact they are coming for an interview? Or do they turn up late, look untidy and grunt?

Can they add up, can you trust them with the money, will they be the sort of person that dishes out free meals to all their mates?

It’s often better to say no to them and “thank you for making to effort to meet us, here is a free meal voucher as a thank you” than employ the wrong person. (At least when they tell their friends and parents they did not get the job, they will say about the voucher.)

Recruit someone that either sounds the part or a person you can train in customer service.

Training

No one expects an 18 year old to be training and experienced in how to handle customers.

• Write a training program, what about giving them a certificate at certain stages of their training
• Teach them in your school of customer service
• Test their knowledge
• Show them personally how you provide the most amazing customer service
• Tell them your plans and tips on how to remember people’s names

Feedback and Incentives

• Give your employee feedback from about what customers have been saying
• Give them a bonus for great customer service

Make sure the basics are in place

• Smile and provide a warm welcome to customers
• Open conversations “How are you today,” not “Are you OK today.”
• Closing statement, “thank you, we hope to see you soon.”
• Make sure they look tidy and understand the importance of personal and shop hygiene

Familiarity

Human nature dictates we will go back to the same place we are familiar with, assuming the previous experience we have is positive. This is the basics to customer retention in a fish and chip shop.

For more details, please call a member of our team on 01494 611 456, or email us on [email protected].