A Chinese proverb says, “Use your smile to change the world; don't let the world change your smile.” We can say that a smile is the shortest distance between two people. With a smile, we can share warmth and happiness with others in a universal way. This simple action can also raise the spirits of those who are burdened, and even change the world into a better and more hopeful place.
What does a smile mean to you, BossQ?
For Mr. Marno, a smile is the basic way he uses to run his daily business. What is really noticeable about Mr. Marno is his very cheerful nature and sincerity in serving the buyers who come to his shop.
The owner of Sesawijaya Shop, who is familiarly called Pak Marno, is located in Taman Yasmin Housing Complex, Bogor. Mr. Marno has been in this shop business for eighteen years. Through his simple shop, he provides various customer needs, ranging from vegetables, soft drinks, snacks, toiletries, pet food, and many more. This shop also provides payment facilities for electricity, BPJS, and even plane tickets. This variety of products makes it easier for customers to meet their individual needs which are also very diverse.
Previously, Toko Sesawijaya had received sponsorship from PT Sampoerna, but Mr Marno did not smoke and had committed not to sell cigarettes as the beneficiary. With a heavy heart, he refused this valuable offer. Mr. Marno upholds his responsibility to provide the best service for consumers, even though sometimes he has to make tough decisions like this. Even so, sustenance from God is never exchanged. Until now, he has never lost a customer. It is proven that Mr. Marno's sincerity and excellent service are able to meet the needs and expectations of buyers.
In the short time the Qasir team spent with Mr. Marno, there were many lessons that could be learned in starting a business and living life as a trader. One of them is the ability to think positively. Having an independent business is often hit by various challenges, so it is important to have a person's ability to be optimistic and hope for the best results in various circumstances. Mr. Marno's enthusiasm and perseverance in running his shop without giving up is also worthy of emulation. This is what has enabled the Sesawijaya Store to survive and be successful until now.
Principles of Excellent Service in Running a Store
Mr Marno's journey can be said to be clear evidence of service excellence, or more easily understood as a form of excellent service. There are many ways to define excellent service, but one understanding is the best form of service that can meet customer expectations and needs. This means that the service provider tries to provide maximum effort in dealing with other parties concerned.
Even though the retail business is closely related to the products offered, service is an element that is no less important for a business to be successful. If so, how can we as business actors provide the best service for customers?
Are you familiar with the 6A concept? Citing several sources, excellent service has several elements, including attitude, ability, attention, action, responsibility, and appearance. The attitude of the front guard in business will certainly determine the company's image and the willingness of customers to return to transact at that place of business. By being friendly and professional, consumers will more easily feel trusted and comfortable. This is what we might find in Pak Marno. The second element, ability, shows the importance of business actors and their employees to always hone themselves, for example by learning how to communicate effectively, manage product stock in the store, and make complete financial reports. The next element emphasizes the importance of business actors showing full concern for customers' interests, including listening to criticism and suggestions given. So, it is important for the attitudes, abilities and attention that we have to be expressed in real efforts and actions, so that they can be felt in real ways by customers. Every effort to provide the best service needs to be supported by a standardized appearance, both physically and in appearance. Finally, business actors need to take actions that prioritize consumer interests and try to minimize dissatisfaction with services.
In his blog, retail expert Bob Phibbs also provides a number of basic principles in customer service (customer service) in the retail sector. One of them is a focus on relationships. Business people in this industry need to understand how to approach and build relationships with buyers who are actually strangers. Rather than just focusing on sales targets, business actors focus their efforts on the experience of buyers who are present in the store. These skills are what differentiates the quality of service in business. Indeed, the types of businesses in the retail industry vary in the types of products offered, segments, and scale of business, but this basic principle is one that is simple and can be applied in MSMEs.
When an entrepreneur's focus is on customers and not on himself, he will make his best efforts to always improve business services to satisfy consumers. The more satisfied consumers are, the greater the opportunity to maintain customer loyalty and attract a wider market. That way, the greater the opportunity to become a more successful shop.
This is also what Mr. Marno continues to do at the Sesawijaya Shop.
One Step Ahead to a Successful Store
The Sesawijaya Store provides a variety of daily necessities (consumer goods). The various products present in this shop are taken from a number of distributors. One of them is PT. Tigaraksa Satria, a multinational company that produces consumer goods in Jakarta.
Previously, Mr. Marno was used to ordering goods through a salesman. When the salesman visited the shop, Mr. Marno ordered the necessary items. Entrepreneurs and grocery store owners are certainly familiar with the processes that are important for maintaining stable product stock conditions. There's nothing wrong with a process like this, but when there's a more efficient means of doing it, why not give it a try?
Since Mr. Marno switched to the Qasir application, the process of ordering goods from distributors has felt much easier. No need to bother waiting for the salesman to arrive, he can immediately choose the product he needs and place an order. Through this application, it is easier for him to find out product prices and their changes. As Mr. Marno said, "The Qasir application is very easy to use, free and simple."
It is clear that Mr. Marno prioritizes service quality in running the Sesawijaya Shop. Apart from his cheerfulness, sincerity and friendliness in serving the customers who come, Mr Marno also dares to take opportunities to increase efficiency in his business. Even though Mr. Marno's service is not perfect, he wants to provide the best for consumers. This is proof of excellent attention and responsibility in providing services in business. With a more efficient system, product stock management no longer requires a long process and a lot of effort. Now, Mr. Marno and the Sesawijaya Shop employees can allocate their energy to other tasks that require more attention. Mr. Marno also has more time to directly welcome customers who attend, monitor business conditions, and organize strategies and plans for his shop in the days to come.
As one of the nation's economic drivers, we hope that Mr. Marno can be increasingly successful and become a trader who adapts to the times. How about you, BossQ? Do you also want to have a business with excellent service? You can try the Qasir application which provides practical convenience and is free! Immediately download the application via the Google Play application on your Android gadget and experience the benefits for yourself!
Come on, BossQ, become a more skilled entrepreneur and start using Qasir, so that more customers will come and profits will flow even more!