Retail-ality: Tips for Customers to Get the Best Service from Retail Employees
One thing is true, as a consumer we must face many different types of stores and companies. The thing that most forget about is the workings of the other side of the spectrum. As a nation we have become rather accustomed to having our needs met by those on the other side of the counter. A mind set has been established that if money is being spend, those working at that establishment should bend over backwards to fulfill all of our requests. What has been forgotten in essence is that those who wait on you and take care of you at a store are people with lives, feelings and a way of thinking of their own as well. The ultimate truth to all of this is how one acts in any situation. Should you keep this in mind your experience will be much better than you would have ever expected.
First on the list, the customer is not always right, but those who work there are. In the work place such as retail the workers are more times than not right. Customers do not have to watch hours of training videos, read over piles of papers and adjust to the growing needs of consumers. In customer service, the employees soak in all that is around them in order to do their job in better fashion and not seem like the high school drop out that most customers make them out to be. Retail associates are under appreciated, yet have more knowledge about the goings on than is perceived. Should an associate not know what is going on, then guess what? They don’t know. Accept it and work with them. Attitude does not help the situation speed along any faster than it would, instead it hinders the process because now they have to find a way to fix the problem and keep you, the customer, happy.
Another thing to keep in mind is technical difficulties. In life, something is bound to break or malfunction. In these moments place your blame or anger at the product or piece of equipment that failed and less on the person using it. For example, when at the register look for signs, especially those directing you in what you should do. Should you fail to recognize these signs then it is your fault for any complications. If a card reader says “No debit, cash or credit only,” do not press debit and get frustrated when things do not go your way. The sign was there, just be smart enough to read it and adjust, that is what the employees have to do as well. If a process takes an hour than that is how long it takes.
Take one hour photo for example. The process takes less than an hour and corporations try to add in mishaps and other customers into the equation. Now should you walk up with four rolls of film, there is no way you can get them in an hour and it will take longer if they are short staffed and have a load of film already set up to go. Lastly, and this is the best way to have the best service, treat your retail associate like a person. Many times customers come in expecting great service and if the employees have a strong work ethic like most, you will get it. This boils down to treating people how you want to be treated. When customers spout attitude and impose their irrational will onto an associate, that associate will give you the bare minimum, or even less of that, in service. Now should you have a pleasing demeanor and relate to the employee, making their job easier, then they are more likely to go out of their way for you. Kind and nice customers get treated better. If you keep your nose high, you get bumped down on the importance level of what should be taken care of in life. At any time in life if you make someone feel like less of a person, they are less likely to help. Give people respect and they will go out of their way for you. Keep the attitude in check, attitude causes more problems than solves them.
What should you remember in dealing with any store or company? You cannot stop the corporate machine. Employees of that machine are tied down to those gears and can not alter anything without risking termination and then who would provide for them? You? Retail associates have a life too, not so unlike yours. Understand the realm or world you are walking into and be empathetic to those on the other side of the counter. These people are paid to assist you, not hold your hand or baby-sit you in doing what you should already have a grasp on. Patience and understanding not only help you get better service, but make life in general an easier place to go through.
