May I Help You?

Here is something I dislike about retail sales people,  even the ones who are not walking around watching your every move. I like helpful sales people when I need help, but lots of times I am just making up my mind.  I have shopped, looked around and now I am weighing my options.  I am trying to get all the details sorted out so that this purchase will serve my needs and requirements.  This is an internal process and it is not aided by a person who works for the store.

Cherry Blossom's at Balboa Lake Park. It has
nothing to do with this Blog.  

The sales person is not really on my side. They want to make the sale.  I get it. If their product meets my requirements then I will buy it. If not... I don't want to hear their pitch.  They will obviously know more about the product than me.  They have been trained to counter all the objections that a novice like myself would come up with, but they are not me and they are not buying... they are selling.  So, leave me the F alone until I ask a question. Answer that question and then bugger off.

But just lurking around is not the most annoying thing.  After you have made up your mind, consulted your budget, looked at all the possibilities, decided on a product and begin the process of buying... that's when it happens.  It starts with "do you want to purchase the extended warranty?"  

Selling warranties is a profit margin for the store and the salesperson. If they can get another fifty to a hundred dollars from you that is a good thing for them. The problem is, to convince a customer they need the extended warranty it is necessary to explain all the problems your brand new purchase may encounter. Once you have arrived at a decision they question your judgement at the moment of purchase.

Let me at least have the thrill of a new purchase for the trip home.  Don't rain on my parade by telling me all the things that can go wrong with my new toy the minute I start to buy it.  Wait for the new to wear off before you sabotage my momentary happiness. 

What if before you could leave the hospital with your new child, the hospital staff tried the same technique.  "Who you like to buy some term life insurance on this new baby? Babies are fragile and very expensive to fix.  Did you know that babies develop learning disabilities  within several months of birth?  I just think it would be a good way to protect your investment." 

Perhaps this is why Internet shopping is increasing in popularity.  It is so much easier to click "no" to a computer prompt than it is to say "no" to a sales person who has a financial interest in selling something to you.

There was one exception to the "May I help you." dance.  At OHS as I was walking around the store looking for Sandi, the sales guy said, "Can I help you find something?" I said, "Yes, I'm looking for my wife."

He immediately got on his radio and said, "Code 20 on aisle 10" - I laughed very hard. That is the way to keep my business.  I always come to back to where I had a good time and laughed.
As you were,

Jay