This creature reminds me of the ideal staff person in retail, there, ready and willing to help, but not insisting on helping when you really want to be left alone. It is a delicate balance between being available and being intrusive. The customer should always be welcomed, and help should be offered. The standard answer of "thanks, just looking" may mean "leave me alone" or it may mean "I am trying to figure out what I want." If the staff person follows or continues to ask, the risk is being intrusive, if the staff person ignores the customer who is "just looking" they miss the clues that you may be able to help the customer find or understand product for sale, and miss a sale. Doing this right is a skill that takes time and training to develop. Successful retailers, need to take the time to train good staff and then pay them to stay.
Have you ever worked retail?
while attending college, yes. HELL ON EARTH!
ReplyDeletein my current job, I still deal with customers, but my company is a niche market, so the caliber of customer is higher.
Just out of college I did a little retail stint. Not easy work.
ReplyDeleteThe link is tenuous but I once worked in fashion for a Greek guy in Bond Street. He was completely unhinged and so were his clothes. I spent all day taking calls from people who told me the arm or leg just dropped of their garment. He actually fired me.
ReplyDeleteJP
no and I am glad or it.
ReplyDelete