This summer I have spent hours and hours at my favorite little mom and pop store. Smith and Davis Clothing in Fayetteville, Georgia has been my work place for almost four years now. This store, which has been in business for 51 years has gone from only selling jeans (which is what all the older customers tell me) to selling just about anything from running shoes to dog beds. This store truly has it all! Now this article isn't about how much I love the clothes we sell, or how I spend pretty much half of my paycheck there, or even how much I love that we now have 45-minute lunch breaks; this article is to share the wonderful things that the store has taught me in my short time here, and how it has impacted me greater than I could have ever imagined.
Starting out as a junior in high school I was really only there for one reason, to make money and save for whatever it is that a junior in high school was supposed to be saving for. I was placed in the shoe department and for someone like me who hates feet, you could see how this could be a bit of an issue! After training, I worked back in shoes for a while and eventually got the hang of it. You'd be surprised at how much those shoe employees know about feet and how to fit someone in the right shoe! While working back there, it wasn't the satisfaction of finding someone the perfect shoe they loved, it was the joy of being able to talk to customers and really figure out who they were as a person. In order to get the right fit, you have to ask the right questions, figure out what daily things they do, actually listen to what they say and really understand what they are wanting. My shoe department days were filled with happy customers and well, the not so nice and friendly ones. It was always my goal to change a grumpy customers attitude and have them leave with a smile on their face. This took patience. Something I had to learn and really work at.
After my time in the shoe department, I worked my way to Men's and Women's clothing. Here is where the fun really began. Well kinda, putting up all of a customers clothes that they left in the dressing room is not really my idea of fun (lol). Anyways, Men's and Women's gave me the opportunity to help someone find that perfect outfit, or the best gift for a birthday present, or even a little girls first day back to school outfit! Shopping is my favorite hobby so this was the perfect job for me! Here in this department I learned that everyone has a different style and just because you like something, doesn't mean that everyone else will too! Its all about perspective and if you are stuck in one mindset, you miss the bigger picture. Helping someone find an outfit hasn't been about me picking out my favorite things, its been about making sure the customer is getting exactly what they are looking for, and sometimes giving them a push in the right direction of their perfect shirt.
Next was the register. Now running register is not at all what it seems to be. At first I thought it would be the easiest job in the entire store. Scanning barcodes, taking money, and placing the items in a bag. Boy was I wrong. Out of all the departments I've worked, register by far has taught me the most. Here you have to not only run the register but you also have to answer the phone, greet everyone who walks in and out, attend to the customers that are shopping at the very front of the store, direct people to the right departments, check shoe sizes, take off all securities, make sure things are ringing up right, oh and did I mention you have to do all of this while asking the customer if they found everything all right? Now granted our whole job is to make sure that the customer has had the best experience as possible while in our store, but sometimes it is very difficult to keep a smile on your face the whole day. Not everyone is as friendly as you would like them to be, but this is where I've learned to think of others before I think of myself. Maybe the super sassy customer had a really bad day at work, or maybe they are having family issues. Regardless of how they come across, I always try to give them my best attitude and really show them that I do care if they had a good experience in our store, and that I really do hope they have a wonderful evening. Customer service is what this small story strives on and I hope that at least one customer has walked away from my register thinking, "Wow, that girl really put a smile on my face", because that is truly all I strive to do while on the clock.
Smith and Davis hasn't gotten to where it is by keeping up with the new trends and updating the space of the store, it has achieved its greatness by instilling what true customer service means to each of their employees. This store has taught me to put others first, listen to what everyone has to say, don't be stuck in your own opinion, really mean it when you say, "If you need anything let us know, we'll be happy to help", oh and also to always double count the money (lol and if you're like me, count it three times). Thankfully this place hasn't really seemed like a "job" to me over the 4 years I've been working here. Its been a learning experience and I can honestly say I wouldn't change it for the world! So thank you to my Smith and Davis family for teaching me the lessons I never knew I needed. You will forever hold a special place in my heart.
