Customer service is critical to success regardless of the industry a business is involved in. It is especially important in the retail industry, as customer service is often the defining mark between companies selling similar products.

As a sunglasses retailer, you operate in an incredibly competitive business. The fact that you can buy cheap wholesale sunglasses from us isn't going to be enough to carry your business for the long term. You have to take what you enjoy about doing business with us and find a way to replicate that with your own customers.

To that end, we have put together a series of five customer service questions you can ask everyone who visits your store. Their answers will tell you a lot about what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.

1. Why did you choose to buy from us?

We appreciate you buying wholesale sunglasses from us. Likewise, you appreciate customers who purchase from you. But find out why. Ask them what made them choose your products over your competitors. Ask them if there's something about your store that sealed the deal.

The idea behind this question is to reveal your company's strengths. Then you want to emphasize those strengths. As an added bonus, some customers might also volunteer information about your weaknesses. That is good in that it helps you see where you need improvement.

2. What attracted you to our store?

In addition to knowing why customers choose to purchase from you, it is helpful to know why they visited your business to begin with. Some people visit every retail outlet they can find before making a purchase. Others walk in on impulse. Still others visit on referral from someone else.

Know this: most first-time customers do not visit your shop based solely on the brands of designer sunglasses you sell. Other shops sell them, too.

3. Did our staff meet your needs?

Another good question to ask is whether or not staff met the customer's needs. If you're a sole proprietor and your only employee, this question may be awkward. Then again, it might be the most important question you ask. Being both owner and sales associate can be a tough balancing act. Any feedback your customers provide could really help you improve your game.

4. What can we do better next time?

One of the points of asking customer service questions is to figure out what you can do to make subsequent visits better. As tough as this question might be, it is a necessary one. Be sincere when you ask it. Accept the feedback with a smile and a sincere 'thank you'.

You may find that some customers are reluctant to answer this question. When that happens, the chances are good that their overall experience wasn't as positive as it should have been. There are things they definitely did not like, but they don't want to mention them for fear of offending you. Take this as a sign that something probably went wrong with that customer.

5. Will you refer us to others?

Finally, the greatest complement in business is a referral. Likewise, word-of-mouth is still the best type of advertising. This suggests that you ask your customers whether or not they will refer your business to others. If you get an enthusiastic yes, that's a good sign that you're doing a lot of things right. Any other answer requires a bit of reflection.

Are you ready to find out what your customers think of your business? If so, you now have five questions you can use to get the ball rolling.