To improve customer service in your store, define the specific actions you expect from sales staff: understand the customer’s needs and budget, check product specifications, current price, and availability, explain important limitations, and give the customer room to make an unhurried choice. Put these actions in your work guidelines and practise them using sample conversations.
Below are seven mistakes a manager can spot during customer service, along with practical ways to correct them. Use the suggested lines as a starting point: sales staff should take the customer’s answers, verified product information, and the store’s actual capabilities into account.
1. The salesperson guesses the customer’s budget from their appearance
This mistake shows up in actions: the salesperson immediately takes someone to the cheapest shelf, fails to show the product they asked for, or starts with expensive models even though the customer has not named a budget. A person’s clothes, age, or accessories do not tell a salesperson how much they plan to spend on a particular purchase.
What to do. Ask what the product is for and what price range feels comfortable. If the customer does not want to name a budget, offer several suitable products in different price ranges and state their prices up front. Do not require them to explain their financial circumstances.
Sample conversation: “What conditions are you choosing the shoes for? If you’re comfortable sharing, tell me the price range you’d like me to stay within. If you haven’t decided yet, I can show you a few options and explain the price differences.”
Once the customer gives you a limit, first check the options within that range. If no model meets all their requirements, explain exactly which features they would need to reconsider. You can ask whether they might increase their budget, but do not press again if they say no.
2. The salesperson pushes the most expensive product
A sign of this mistake is when the salesperson returns to the most expensive model after the customer has named a different budget, or calls it “the best” without explaining how its advantages suit the customer’s particular use. This makes it hard for the customer to understand what the extra cost covers.
What to do. Select two or three models that meet the main request. Compare them using the criteria the customer mentioned: size, material, compatibility, included items, or another required feature. Before explaining, check the specifications in the documentation for those exact models.
Sample conversation: “Both models meet your capacity requirement. The more expensive one has an extra feature, which we’ve just verified in the manual. Do you plan to use it? If you don’t need it, we can take a closer look at the less expensive model.”
If you want to show a product above the agreed budget, ask first: “There’s another option with the feature you need, but it costs more than the amount you mentioned. Would you like to see it for comparison?” If the customer declines, continue looking within the agreed range.
3. The salesperson starts the pitch before understanding the customer’s needs
You can spot this mistake when the salesperson lists features without asking what the product is for, interrupts the customer, or suggests a solution before they have finished explaining. It is easy to miss an important requirement in this kind of conversation: the needed size, compatibility with existing equipment, or a limit on where the product can be installed.
What to do. Start with an open-ended question, then ask only follow-up questions that affect the choice. Before showing products, briefly repeat what you heard so the customer can correct anything you got wrong.
Sample conversation: “Could you tell me what you’re choosing the backpack for? What do you usually carry with you?” After the customer answers: “So you need a backpack for your daily commute, with room for a laptop, within your budget. Could you tell me your laptop’s dimensions so we can check the compartment?”
Then explain the features in relation to the need the customer described. If they want to browse the range on their own, give them the space to do so and tell them where to find you if they want you to check the size, price, or specifications.
4. The salesperson hides limitations or answers without checking
This mistake happens when a salesperson fails to mention a missing accessory, visible damage, or usage limitation, or confidently answers a compatibility question without confirmation. The customer needs this information before deciding whether to buy.
What to do. Check the exact model and what is included, inspect the product, and confirm the current price. Tell the customer plainly about any known limitations and explain their practical effect. If you do not have enough information, say what needs to be checked and suggest a next step.
Sample conversation: “This package does not include a power adapter. Let’s check the adapter requirements in the manual and see whether your adapter is compatible. If you need to buy one separately, I’ll tell you its price so you can consider the full cost.”
If you have no reliable confirmation, a suitable answer is: “I can’t confirm that specification yet. I can check with the staff member responsible and get back to you using the method we agree on.” Do not substitute “it should work” or “it usually works” for a proper check.
5. The salesperson offers a discount automatically
This observable mistake occurs when the salesperson cuts the price immediately after a pause or the words “I’ll think about it,” without asking what remains unresolved. A discount will not change the product’s size, included items, or features.
What to do. Ask one neutral question: “Is there anything you’d like me to clarify before you decide?” If the customer mentions the price, check whether lower-priced options are available and what discount terms apply. If the issue is a product feature, return to finding a suitable product. The customer may also prefer not to explain their pause.
Illustrative numerical example. A product costs UAH 2,000, and the customer’s budget is UAH 1,600. A 10% discount reduces the price by UAH 200, to UAH 1,800. That is still UAH 200 above the budget, so the salesperson should check for suitable options priced up to UAH 1,600.
Sample conversation: “Under the current terms, the discounted price would be UAH 1,800. You mentioned a limit of UAH 1,600, so I can check for another model in that range. Are the same features still essential for you?”
Offer a discount only after checking that it can be applied and confirming the final amount. If a promotion requires an additional purchase or another condition, explain it before completing the sale.
6. The salesperson refuses to check stock
The mistake is saying “we don’t have it” just because the product is not visible on the shelf, or promising it is available based on an unchecked record. The customer needs an answer about a specific model, size, colour, and pickup location.
What to do. Identify the product by article number or other exact details, check the recorded stock balance, and, if needed, check its actual storage location. If the product is listed at another store, confirm its availability and whether it can be collected with the staff member responsible before asking the customer to travel there.
Sample conversation: “This size isn’t on the shelf. I’ll check the stock by article number. If it’s listed at another store, I’ll confirm it’s physically there and whether it can be held. Then I can tell you what pickup options are confirmed.”
If checking will take time, agree on a convenient way to get back to the customer. With their consent, record only the details needed for that purpose: article number, size, contact details, and the agreement about how to follow up. As a working rule, do not add comments about appearance, assumptions about income, or details about personal circumstances. After the request is handled, follow the store’s established procedure for keeping and deleting those records.
7. The salesperson takes every refusal as a personal failure
This mistake shows up in repeated attempts to continue the sale after a clear refusal, arguing with the customer, or the salesperson making a sweeping judgment about their own ability. Reviewing performance calls for specific observations: what the customer asked, what the salesperson checked, and what answer the salesperson received.
What to do. End the conversation calmly. One optional question about the reason is appropriate if the customer is willing to continue talking. Do not demand an explanation or assign a reason the customer did not give.
Sample conversation: “Thanks for taking a look. If you’re comfortable sharing, is there anything about the product that’s still unclear? If you’ve made up your mind, I won’t keep you.”
After the conversation, record a work-related fact without personal judgments: “the required size is unavailable,” “the customer named a lower budget,” or “the customer did not give a reason.” If the salesperson failed to check a specification or forgot to clarify a need, identify one action to take in the next consultation.
Set a boundary if the customer behaves aggressively. For example: “I’m happy to check the product and explain the terms, but please speak without insulting me. If the insults continue, I’ll end the consultation and call the manager.” If there are threats or a safety risk, the employee should end the conversation and follow the store’s agreed safety procedure.
How managers can practise these actions with sales staff
Agree with the team on short training observations during normal work and exercises based on typical customer requests. Assess what the employee did and said. An anonymized description of the situation is enough for a review; do not collect private conversations or unnecessary information about customers.
- Choose one skill, such as checking availability before promising to hold a product.
- Describe a specific incident: “The customer asked for a size, and you answered based on the display without checking stock.”
- Ask what got in the way of checking. If the employee lacks access to the data or a clear process for checking, arrange it.
- Practise the complete response and the necessary check using a training request.
- During the next observation, check that specific agreed action and discuss the result with the employee.
Do not make a purchase or positive review a required outcome of every consultation. For training, check whether the salesperson heard the request, verified the information, explained the terms, and respected the customer’s decision. If price or stock discrepancies keep recurring, assign someone to correct the data and check that the work is done.
How to check product stock, sizes, and prices in Torgsoft
To check a product in Torgsoft, you can use the form “Склад → Стан складу” (Warehouse → Stock status). According to the official guide, it shows goods received into stock, their quantities, sizes, and selling prices; a photo appears if one has been added. The “Усі склади” (All warehouses) toggle lets you view products across warehouses, while the “Вибрати склади” (Select warehouses) button lets you choose the inventory centers to display. Before answering the customer, check the relevant item and warehouse, and also check the “Стан на дату” (Status as of date) filter, since it shows the quantity as of the selected date. As a working practice, the store should assign people to record receipts, sales, returns, and transfers promptly. If the stock records seem questionable, check the product physically or contact an employee at the relevant store before promising that it can be collected.
In the “Реалізація” (Sale) form, you can add a product by barcode or article number. If several products match a code you enter, the program prompts you to select the right one; you can enable photo display through the “Вид” (View) menu, as described in the sales guide. Use these features to confirm the selected item before completing the sale. Separately, verify specifications against the documentation for the specific product and agree on the final price with the customer. A stock record needs confirmation of actual availability, especially when the customer plans to travel to another store: first get confirmation from the responsible employee, then tell the customer the pickup terms.
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