No. And when I worked with customers I’d tell them so. If they argued I would tell them that is fine. They may not be right but they are the one who decides the transaction. If they want to buy a thing after I said otherwise- do so, but either I won’t take it back, or I’ll hit them with a HUGE stocking fee. Because I am right. I’m a professional- that is why I am here. You came to me for a service, to fix a problem. If you knew what you needed to fix it- you wouldn’t be talking to me. On this one subject at least- I know more about it than you. It’s not an insult. It’s my job to. My career is based on knowing more about this than you. So if you want me to use that knowledge and experience to help you, I will do so. If you want to tell me what you want and pay me to do it, I will do that too- but you’re going to pay and I’m not giving your money back when you are wrong and I was right, because “the customer gets what they asked for and paid for.” That’s the slogan.
I presently don’t. But I used to. I’ve done wholesale, retail, and internal sales, long before that I’ve done “clerk” type retail service, and I’ve had several support type jobs in my life. There is seldom of ever a good reason why a customer should have a better knowledge of your product, supply chain, or location than you do. This is doubly so in any technical field like machines, chemicals, electronics, etc. In a consumer goods retail situation, you should still have basic product knowledge of whatever lines you carry. But the rules are simple.
1. You aren’t a customer if you aren’t buying. Give me money. That is why I am here, not because I love this so much I’d do it for free. The owner opened business for money, I took the job for money, we sell things. So any “customer” speech you want to give me: if you don’t buy from me you aren’t my customer. Take your “Amazon blah blah” to Amazon.
2. Provided you meet #1, you’re a customer. I value you. Just like all my other customers. You are not the only one. I value ALL of you. That means the person behind you in lines time is as valuable to me as yours, and I won’t waste his any more than I would waste yours. You came here for something. We will accomplish that together if it’s in the scope of our power. I will get the information I need to do my job. You’re paying money to have someone solve a problem for you. That’s what retail is. Why did you come to me if that isn’t what you wanted?
3. I might not actually want YOU as a customer. I’m here for money. That’s what businesses are. You’re here to solve a problem. You likely aren’t very concerned with wether I am happy with the transaction- just that your problem is solved to your satisfaction. But this IS a business deal. I’m not a truck stop skank that will do anything for a dollar or your approval. The way I make money is by helping people solve problems. You don’t have to be nice, polite, anything else. But the moment that your presence costs me more money than it makes me- you are not making me money you are costing me money, so why would I want to do business with you?
Those are the three main rules. There are more. But one can be polite, professional, and direct. You have the money, I have what you want. You can likely get what you want somewhere else, I can likely get money from someone else. One of us is a professional at doing this, one of us isn’t. You don’t go to someone else to get something if you could more easily provide it yourself. So the retail professional is in the position of authority IF they make sure to politely assert and hold that authority. You are not a robot or a dog or a child. You’re a professional at work. If you act like the first 3, many will treat you like the first 3. Act like the last one, many will treat you like the last one. Some won’t. That’s life.
Any professional- even a CEO occasionally encounters people who may treat them poorly and may be in a position to do so without reprisal. Anyone can take a bad situation and make it worse, a skilled professional takes a bad situation and gets the closest to optimal outcome from it. Part of helping people is... helping people. That means not being tied up by bullshit. You want to vent? Pay a shrink. That is their profession and what they offer. I offer whatever it is the company sells. I will help you get what you need and on your way, so I can help the next person. If you want to help someone tomorrow- you must be in business tomorrow. You stay in business by being mindful of your profits.
You also help customers that way. Most Everything we do in life has a purpose. However most of the time people bump around as though they don’t even comprehend the purpose of why they are doing what they are doing. A business transaction is as straightforward as it gets. Two people making a naturally beneficial exchange. Make it clear what the customer is gettin and what they are giving in return, and both parties make their expectations and it’s up to the other to fill those to their best abilities. If those conditions are not met- there is no deal. Why would you make a deal you didn’t want to make? That is an expectation of the customer. At some point in the transaction they have a personal responsibility for their actions.
The “price wars” have seen many sectors whoring themselves out. Who can give the lowest price? By and large that has not worked out well. A customer who shops on price will simply buy from whoever has the lowest price. There is no loyalty- and service isn’t a factor. IKEA is a perfect example. Long lines, huge phone waits, DIY everything. Cheap prices on cheap shit. Costco, etc. They know you’ll be back because you are shopping there. You’re a price whore yourself you see. You’ll degrade yourself to great ends for those extra dollars, and so they know they don’t have to cater to you- just offer you $1 cinnamon buns and a $15 desk.
But by and large many retail workers are not skilled professionals. They don’t know their product and business well much of the time. Many don’t care about the job at all or the customer beyond the basic guidelines or scripts set out to them for dealing with customers. Most do not have any support from their management because their management are just pimps. They don’t care what you the worker on the street suffer through to get them their money, so long as you do it. Many retail workers are young, inexperienced, or unskilled. Coupled with a lack of support, this makes them less likely to assert authority, and if they do- more likely to do so unprofessionally in a way that might get them in trouble. But it can be done.
2. Provided you meet #1, you’re a customer. I value you. Just like all my other customers. You are not the only one. I value ALL of you. That means the person behind you in lines time is as valuable to me as yours, and I won’t waste his any more than I would waste yours. You came here for something. We will accomplish that together if it’s in the scope of our power. I will get the information I need to do my job. You’re paying money to have someone solve a problem for you. That’s what retail is. Why did you come to me if that isn’t what you wanted?