Do you want more or fewer customers?

Go through any checkout line at your favorite retail store and you’ll find that each employee is different. Some cashiers say “Hi, how are you?” and others hardly say a word. Here are some customer service tips based on my own shopping experiences.

1) Greet your customer.

I hate being ignored when I walk into a place of business. Whenever I walk into a store and the employees stare at me blankly, I’m tempted to do something just to prompt some sort of reaction to my presence. This doesn’t mean I’m seeking attention wherever I go, it merely means that if I’m going to spend money at your store, you’d better darn well acknowledge me just out of common courtesy.

2) Offer assistance and ask if you can help with anything.

Some employers require that you offer assistance to every customer you see. I think this is a great rule of thumb. Even if the customer doesn’t need something at the moment you ask, they are more likely to come looking for you later if they need a hand rather than leave the store in a frustrated manner. When I am lost in a store and cannot find an employee to help me, what do I do? Leave and spend my money elsewhere. Don’t let your customers walk out of the store frustrated…they might not come back!

3) Make eye contact and speak clearly.

I recall needing help finding a new computer keyboard in an electronics store not long ago. I found the first employee wandering about, and asked him where I could find the item. He hardly looked at me when he pointed me in the right direction. Ideally, he should’ve looked me square in the eye with a smile, and escorted me to the product. Granted, I found the item just fine with the point of a finger; however, I consider it to be excellent service when an employee takes me directly to the product and finds out what my needs are. I have gotten lost and confused during past shopping trips simply because an employee was too lazy to show me where something was.

4) Don’t yell at your customer even if they make you mad.

Oddly enough, at the very same store where the employee wouldn’t make eye contact, I had seen another employee yelling at a customer just weeks earlier. A man had walked in to make a return and wasn’t understanding a certain store policy, and the girl behind the counter audibly lost her patience. The other employee assisting me glanced at her co-worker nervously and whispered something about bad behavior not being allowed. I was shocked and ready to walk out of the store, even though it had not happened to me personally.

5) Have integrity and don’t be the “class clown” at work.

Everyone likes to laugh and have a good time, but there are limits. When I was young and new to the working world, my co-workers and I many times got loud and silly. There was no professionalism about our goofy behavior, and I often times think back and recall how passers-by would glance at us with eyebrows raised. I learned my lesson. Don’t get overly loud and obnoxious, it just makes a bad impression and can harm your sales.

6) Appreciate your customer. Say hi and thank you, and mean it.

When I finish a transaction at any store, I like to be appreciated. If the bag containing my purchase is tossed in my direction with ignorance as soon as I pay, it gives me the impression that I just spent my money and you want me to leave ASAP. Here’s a tip: hand the bag directly to the customer. It’s good etiquette and saves the customer having to gather everything in a rush. I also like it when a cashier asks if I want the receipt in the bag.

7) Make it a happy environment.

I understand that not everyone loves their job. Even though it’s great when people pursue their dream job, I know it doesn’t always work out that way. So if you don’t love what you do, at least act like it for the sake of the customer (or get a new job!). A miserable attitude never makes anyone feel better. If you want a customer to spend money you have to be HAPPY!

In conclusion, these are just a few ways you can increase sales and step your game up. Raise the bar high and then watch your customers keep coming back for more.

Ever since I went shopping with Bit and Katie earlier this year, I have longed to have my own glasses. We stopped into Sears during our shopping trip and tried on several pairs…yes, me too, because it’s no fun to watch friends shop and just stand back and do nothing. My vision is fine but I just thought the glasses were so cute. So, I was at the Dollar Tree today and on a whim picked these up (note: I had to pop the lenses out, but they still have the same overall look haha!).

If you know me at all, you know that I’m a pretty straight-laced kinda gal. I like excitement, but I always abide by the rules. Well, I found out yesterday while shopping that I do have a slightly naughty side. 

I was at Kohl’s, looking to use up over $30 in gift cards that I’d gotten for Christmas. After 15 minutes of browsing, I had looked and looked for something nice to catch my eye, but every top I tried on just wasn’t working for me. Sure, they were cute enough, but nothing that I felt would make a statement. 

As I began walking down the aisle in front of the jewelry counter, I happened to look up and spot the cutest  sweater. It was brick red, long, with buttons along the collar. I instantly made my way over to the wall, expecting more sweaters in the same style to be down at eye level. Well, no such luck; they were all hanging high. I looked around for a way to get one down since they were so obviously out of my reach. 

My eyes stopped on a long reaching hook nearby. Perfect! I breezed over and was about to grab it when I saw the sign:

For Employee Use Only: Please ask for assistance in reaching high merchandise

Darn it all!! Well, I wasn’t about to give up yet, so I took it upon myself to try to locate an employee. After five minutes of searching the department, I decided to come back in a few minutes after trying some other clothes on instead. I found a belt I liked along with some leggings, but I didn’t really like the tops I’d found. They just weren’t worth the money for me, I wandered back to the red sweater (which also happened to be on sale).

Once again, my eyes scanned the perimeter, not finding any employees in the immediate vicinity. The girls at the nearby cash registers were busy with backed up lines to be of any help. I apparently wasn’t going to get assistance any time soon. 

With a quick movement, I dashed over to the long hook, grabbed it in both hands, and lifted it high to get the sweater. What harm could be done? I worked in retail and was quite familiar with the procedure. 

I got the first sweater down and was ready to ditch the hook and run. But what do you know, it was an extra large and NOT my size. That meant I had to try again. (GRRRRR!!) I hung the XL on a rack near my waist; maybe I’d save someone else all the trouble I was currently going through by leaving it down where it could be reached. I lifted my arms with the hook again, this time luckily grabbing a medium. 

Woo hoo!! The devilish deed was done!! I put the hook back, avoiding eye contact with anyone around me. I felt the gaze of a nearby shopper following my movement and I held in a giggle. Oops. If anyone asked, I just didn’t see the sign. I could always pretend to be on my cell phone if anyone dared to confront me… 

So the moral of the story is this: If Plan A doesn’t work, there’s always a Plan B! (even if you have to break a little rule…)

And yes, I did buy the sweater.