November 2021 - 34

FARM MARKET & AGRITOURISM
Why did the customers
stop coming to markets?
BRIAN MOYER
Penn State Extension
bfm3@psu.edu
service is all about solving problems.
We can't possibly know all the problems
our customers are facing, but we can
focus on what we can control, and that is
providing good customer service.
In an article in Forbes magazine,
Over the pandemic, many markets saw
an increase in new customers coming to
their markets. As time went on, some of
these new customers stopped coming and
they resumed their old shopping habits.
We had these customers for a year or
longer. Why did they stop coming? Maybe
a better question is why did they come to
our market in the first place?
There are many reasons why consumers
changed where they shopped during the
pandemic. Fears of not having access to
food due to disruptions in the supply chain
had consumers looking to purchase from a
direct source. The market felt safer to shop
at than a large store. Online ordering with
curbside pickup was pursued. All these
reasons - either real or perceived - meant
your market was solving a problem for
these consumers.
So, what problems are your customers
facing today? After all, good customer
customer service expert Shep Hyken
writes, " We interviewed more than
1,000 consumers in our 2020 Achieving
Customer Amazement Study and asked
about their willingness to switch brands
or companies for better customer service.
The response was a resounding 'yes' to
switching, in that 96% of customers will
leave you for bad service. That's almost
everyone! "
Hyken also wrote: " The customer
decides if you meet and/or exceed their
expectations. And, that means they decide
if you fail, as well. You may think you
deliver great service, but in the end, the
customer is the judge and jury. "
A Harvard Business Review article
stated, " We buy from a company because
it delivers quality products, great value, or
a compelling brand. We leave one, more
often than not, because it fails to deliver on
customer service. "
If you want to improve your customer
retention, both articles suggest that you
make it easy. Easy for the customer and
easy for the employee. Identify and remove
any barriers that make it harder for the
customer to get service and make it easier
for employees to provide service.
Start with the simplest steps. Does every
customer get greeted when they come to
the market? A " hello, " a smile and a " thank
you " go a long way. Ask, " did you find
everything you wanted? "
Some customers may not have seen an
item they were looking for, and will assume
you either don't carry it or it's sold out.
This also gives staff a chance for customer
interaction.
Throughout the pandemic, the
consumer witnessed empty store shelves,
leaving them with the feeling that things
were out of their control.
Most of the population is removed from
farming, so if the consumer has access to
someone involved in agriculture, it can
give them a sense of control at a time when
things feel out of control.
So, be nice. Say " hello " and " thank
you, " and smile. It just might keep your
customers coming back. VGN
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November 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2021
