GOVENDER’S HOUSE OF SPICE : GOING THE EXTRA CUSTOMER SERVICE MILE

#SMED 11

Over the weekend I visited Govender’s House of Spice, the local Spice Shop at Belhar Shopping Centre, with the aim of purchasing Breyani Mix. As so often happened in the past, the owner, who is also the customer service assistant, provided additional information relating to current spices and those ones which blend in best with other spices. Needless to say, my initial purchase which was R8.00, doubled by 100% with the purchase of a fresh bunch of Dhania - which as most housewives know, adds that extra aroma and flavour to curries.

Although the amount spent might not be significant, what is important is the service. When one enters the shop, you are always greeted by a welcoming assistant who is extremely knowledgeable and makes the customer feel as if they are the only person in the shop - such is his level of customer service and attention to shopping detail. Whilst I understand fully that he is trying to move stock items, what always impresses me, is the underlying message customers get on entering, shopping and exiting Govender’s House of Spice : ‘The Customer is King!’

I forgot to mention – it is not Mother’s Day or Women’s Day – yet sweets are beautifully displayed in a bowel and customers are politely offered one whilst paying for items purchased.

There are countless examples of companies going the extra customer service mile. On the other hand, there are the same number, or more, falling into the ‘I don’t give a damn about Customer Service’ category. To name a few examples of staff :
- Chewing gum

- Having conversations amongst themselves

- Not having any product knowledge to offer alternatives

- Not making customers aware of specials on offer

None of the above fortunately applies when purchasing spices at the afore-mentioned shop. The objective of the blog not to complain, but to draw attention to and highlight the exemplary customer service one often experiences at smaller shops, where owners take the lead, are found on the shop floor and make customers feel that they are the most important shopper on the shop floor.

Keep up the good work in keeping customers happy, smiling, and returning - not only to purchase spices, but also to tap into the wealth of knowledge freely shared with customers. As a loyal customer I will continue shopping for spices and hopefully in a small way, contribute to its profit margins.

In conclusion, I believe Govender’s House of Spice exemplifies the following quotation by Grace Machel, ‘There is no room for satisfaction. You have to give the best (customer service) contribution you can.’