My do's and don'ts of retail

[Mike Taylor]

A lot of what you're seeing is in a direct response to the public's complaints about bad customer service and the unresponsiveness of the parent companies back in the mid-to-late nineties. So, how do you turn things around? Instead of allowing the crappy service to continue, why not try to make it as enjoyable as possible? Some companies are better at it than others, mind you.

The snag is that a lot of this is getting tied up "hard sells" on things the customers have no desire for. A case in point is the credit card offer. The last thing I want to deal with when I am checking out is being sold on something to drive me into debt. I already have one Discover card and one Visa. I don't need any more cards.

However, those pale in comparison to my dislike of "Preferred Customer" cards. Ask Winn-Dixie what happened when they tried to foist that on their customers. They got their asses summarily handed to them by Publix and Wal-Mart, who wisely decided to keep groceries as cheap as possible without the stupid card.

My "Do's" and "Don'ts" are fairly straightforward.

DO hire intelligent and motivated individuals who enjoy working with the public.
DO train employees with extensive knowledge of the product they are selling. I know this costs extra money, but customers appreciate an employee who knows their stuff and come back to the store because of it.

[Mike Taylor]

Here's a big DON'T.

DON'T INVEST IN HIGH-COST, LOW PROFIT MARGIN, SPECIALTY MERCHANDISE WHEN YOU ARE COMING OUT OF BANKRUPTCY! ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF A PART OF THE YEAR WHEN SALES ARE SLOW!

Remember Zany Brainy? That's the kind of stupidity that killed them and very nearly killed their "sister" store FAO Schwarz.

[friendofjimmyk]

Some of the other threads prompted these thoughts and insights that, well, probably aren't going to do anything... but it would be wonderful if a retail CEO or two payed attention.

1) I don't want a "retail shopping experience". I don't want to be made to feel wonderful about your store. I just want to get my stuff and give you my money. Do that with a minumum fuss, and I'll feel better about your store. So, unless you're a small specialty shop, I don't want to be greeted by every member of the staff. Honestly. It spooks me a little when total strangers try to act like my best friend. Specialty shops, sure; I'm probably not a regular and could use some help. If I'm looking around and a staff member is nearby, yes, that's the time to ask "Can I help you". But finding groceries? C'mon, it's not that hard to figure out where stuff is....

The first part about this post can be applied to restaurants as well, I don't want to hear about your drink specials or the 15 ways your bartender can make a damn margarita. Food specials, yeah, that's okay, but when I say "no." FOR PETE'S SAKE, I MEAN NO!!! STOP PUSHING YOUR CRAP!

And the other part - the following around the store crap is getting old. I, too, just want to get my stuff and leave. This has been incredibly annoying recently in Blockbuster! I will go and look at movies to rent and I'll take my time perusing the titles. I never really know what I want, I just want to look. WITHOUT FAIL - I have been asked, at times, by the same person - "can I help you find something?" No! I said "NO" a few minutes ago and I still mean, "NO!" (I don't get that mean, I just say "No, thank you - just looking" A MILLION TIMES) I have decided that the next time I am in Blockbuster and the same person asks me more than once if I need help I am going to bust out with "Yeah, you know that movie with that guy? The one that came out last year? You know, where there's an awesome car chase and in the end he captures the bad guys and gets the girl? Do you have THAT movie?"

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I hear your pain and can relate from the grocery store side of things:

1) I don't care to see off-the-wall merchandise when I'm shopping for my groceries being hawked upon me (unless I'm at Wallyworld.) Why would I want to get a DVD player at a grocery store? Why would I want to buy a ceiling fan or a lawn mower? If I want that kind of stuff, I'll go to WM and get that stuff. I mean, who wants that stuff mixed up in a buggy w/grocery items?

2) I happen to agree w/the Christmas music. It's pure torture hearing the same stuff over and over again from the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve.

3) As for the "shopping experience" I don't care for everything in my life to be an "experience." I just want to get my stuff, get checked out as quick as possible and pay and leave. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't care for a warm and fuzzy feeling in my bones (unless there's a DAMN good reason and shopping ain't it folks) Corporate suits claim to listen to their customers, but what they come up with tells me (as an employee and customer both) that they don't live in the "real world." Life isn't a Walgreen's commercial.

4) Those pesky credit card offers. I don't want credit cards (heck, I have a hard enough time w/a check card) and can't get a credit card right now if I wanted to. I cant' stand someone asking me all the time if I want to put my purchase on *store* card or try to tell me I can save X percent off if I open up a credit account. Same with add on merchandise. While I realize that the cashier/sales person is just doing their job, I'd like to kick the corporate moron in the butt for forcing their employees to pimp stuff on customers in this manner. I'm sure it makes the employee uncomfortable to do this and it makes us customers uncomfortable to have to hear it, so WHY is this supposed to be effective in boosting impulse sales?

[BunnyJas]

I hate being asked if I need help by every sales person in the store. If I need help, I WILL ASK FOR IT. I don't mind being asked once, but after three times within a short period I get to think I must look very suspicious or just too dumb to find things for myself.

If you think I look too young to be in your liquor store please ask to see my friggin' ID!! Don't just follow me everywhere and try to look "natural" whenever I turn around. It's very insulting to my intelligence and it makes you look like a moron.

For the last time, I will NOT give out my phone number or address during a transaction. I don't want your sales offers or coupons that I will most likely never use junking up my mailbox and I'm not interested in getting your catalog when I hardly ever come to your store. NO means NO, not please give me a sales pitch.

We were at "World Market" in Kalamazoo, MI. I love that store. I would have loved to get the name of their franchise service manager to inquire about the opportunities of opening up one of their store in "The Deep South" except they will never open up in a place that doesn't allow them to sell alcoholic beverages along with imported decorator stuff.

Hmm...I live in a small Texas town near Houston and we have this store liquor and all. I love it too, especially during Christmas time. Guess you must live in one of those "dry" towns.

[MadMike]

However, those pale in comparison to my dislike of "Preferred Customer" cards.

I'm with you on that one. Especially the ones that you have to pay for. I have one for the supermarket I go to, because it's free, and I go there at least once every other week, when I get paid. But just about anywhere else, I have no way of knowing how much or how little I'm going to use the thing, and if I pay money for it and then end up being to broke to do any kind of shopping for awhile, that's money down the drain.

Media Play used to be terrible with that. I remember one time I was checking out some games, and one of their salespeople started telling me all the wonderful things about their cards, and that it would pay for itself in a short time. I politely turned him down, and went to look at some DVDs, where I got the same thing from another salesperson. Somehow, I managed not to get hassled when I went to look at CDs, but then I got it again from the cashier when I went up front to pay.

I actually stopped going there for awhile because of that. They ended up going out of business almost a year ago, at least the one in my area, so it's quite possible that I wasn't the only customer they drove away with their pushy tactics.

[AFpheonix]

I suppose my definition of "wow factor" is to be efficient, neat, perhaps a little OCD about your job, and have good problem solving skills. I know I've been "wowed" at a few places just because service was quick and efficent. But then, I'm pretty easily pleased, and I think the majority of the public out there is, too.

[repsac]

I dunno. I loved some of the christmas music, but some of it was just...

Myself, I am a rather warped individual. Every single place I worked at around christmas, you would find me wearing this bright red Santa Claus hat. I start wearing it after thanksgiving and don't remove it save to wash and wash it, until the day after christmas.

One thing I also do though, is I do not acknowledge the fact I am wearing the hat. People look at me oddly, smile and say things like "Nice hat." or something smart usually, to which I reply "What hat?"

With the kids, however, I do have fun. Most often I get "Look it's santa!" which illicits any number of responses from me the top ones are: Nah, I'm an elf. I'm just big for my age. (Six eight). Shhhh. I'm spying on all the naughty boys/girls. Have you been naughty? Nah, I'm the Grinch. (Starts singing in deep baritone "you're a mean one, mr. Grinch)

Whatever the case, kids and parents seem to love it. I had one parent that comes to mind.

This little girl, maybe five or six comes up to me thinking I'm santa. I tell her the elf thing, and then with a smile add "But I know Santa really well." (the parents are watching me with this cute smiles) The little girl looks up at me and says. "I've been a good girl this year. I ates all my vegetables and never misbehaved. Would you tell Santa that?" of course I said yes. Then she said. "And would you tell him I want a dolly?" smiling I agreed and then she bounded off. I wandered over, told the parents and turned to leave. The guy tried to tip me thinking I worked at that store. I told him honestly that no, I was just shopping there, but didn't mind the kids.

And yes, they got her a dolly. I saw them later about to check out and there was one in the cart for her.

[zeoquean]

In the Wal-Mart I work at, they actually shut off the TV's with the advertising on them. I remember working one day and wondered why it was so quiet....I guess we've had so many complaints about that that they just finally shut it off.

[DesignFox]

This little girl, maybe five or six comes up to me thinking I'm santa. I tell her the elf thing, and then with a smile add "But I know Santa really well." (the parents are watching me with this cute smiles) The little girl looks up at me and says. "I've been a good girl this year. I ates all my vegetables and never misbehaved. Would you tell Santa that?" of course I said yes. Then she said. "And would you tell him I want a dolly?" smiling I agreed and then she bounded off. I wandered over, told the parents and turned to leave. The guy tried to tip me thinking I worked at that store. I told him honestly that no, I was just shopping there, but didn't mind the kids.

And yes, they got her a dolly. I saw them later about to check out and there was one in the cart for her.

That is so cute!
I miss the days when my dad used to play Santa. He had the suit, beard, glasses, hat and real boots! And a friend of his would play his elf- full beard, boots and costume as well. It started out as a small thing he would do for a few friends- but grew into a three night event (Dec. 22nd, 23rd, 24th). He used to save the letters kids wrote and bring them back the next year, and do all sorts of cute things to keep the kids believing in the magic of Christmas just a little longer. Heck, he had ME fooled for years! It was fun when I got older too, to help him pick out the little presents we would order from Oriental Trading and get all his gifts wrapped in little Christmas cups or bags. (the children's parents would leave the large presents on the doorstep for him to bring in in his Santa bag). It was so awesome!

[Becks]

2) I happen to agree w/the Christmas music. It's pure torture hearing the same stuff over and over again from the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve.

They stop it on Christmas Eve? Ours stays on until January 2nd, IF we're lucky.

[Misanthropical]

If you think I look too young to be in your liquor store please ask to see my friggin' ID!! Don't just follow me everywhere and try to look "natural" whenever I turn around. It's very insulting to my intelligence and it makes you look like a moron.

I'm 35 years old and still get this! Then the person runs at break neck speed to the check out to ask for my ID.

I have the opposite problem with salespeople. They will look right at me and walk away. I could be doing jumping jacks to try to get their attention and they will ignore me.

My husband says it's because I look so young that they assume that I won't buy anything.

[Mark Healey]

I've been trying to explain that to my department head for months that there is no need to impress the customer. They just want to get into the arena and that's it. I don't mind being offered help but sometimes the things described just creep me out.

I like it both ways, the store with helpful knowledgable staff and rock bottom prices. I also know that I can't get these in the same store. When I need to fix or build something I've never done before I go to the Ace hardware down the street. When I need to buy lots of stuff and know what I'm doing I go to Home Depot or Lowes.

The staff at my local Ace know what they are talking about and. more importantly, know when they don't know and will find someone who does. Sometimes when I come in the staff is standing around bullshitting. That means that there is someone free to help me when I walk in.

It must be a good place to work. Some of the staff have been there 10+ years.

Ace also seems to be a pretty good company to franchise with. They seem to give local owners enough freedom to cater to their local markets. I live in an area where most people live in old appartment buildings (50+ years is old by SoCal standards), so what gardening stuff they have is suitable for small patches and potted plants.

Here are my conclusions.

What the customer needs to know.

1) Service costs money. If you want the lowest price possible, expect the store to be staffed by surly teenagers and to wait in line.

What businessed need to know.

2) Good staff(ing) costs money.

a) If your place is somwhere people want to leave as soon as possible they aren't going to invest much in the job.

b) You're going to have to pay for some employee downtime if you want them ready for the cusotmers when they walk in.

c) You need employees who can exercize some judgement. Trying to cover everyting with a policy isn't going to work and will only hamstring your staff.