My parents have owned an appliance business for 22 years. Since I was a kid I was always in the store growing up. But it wasn't until I was sixteen where I first encountered helping a customer.
Here are 6 things I learned from working at my parent's store:
1. Everyone has different attitude about shopping.
Since I was a sophomore in high school I have worked in my family business and have continued to during my summers when I live at home after college. Working with everyday people that come in needing help on their lunch break or after they get off work, you often time encounter one or the other: so not happy people or people who are so excited to purchase their items. Just like a bag of jelly beans, there are good kinds and not so good kinds. Often times those who come in frustrated or rude don't intentionally take it out on me but they do.
2. Explaining is KEY!
Working with appliances people half expect their appliances to last fifteen years and the truth in it all, it won't always run that long. Selling an appliance takes skill, let me tell you! A lot of the time new information has come out on appliances since the last time most people have bought a major appliance. I've learned that not everyone values the same things as others and that's okay, but you should cater to each customer. One customer might need a washer to clean for six people while others only have two people in their household. Explaining the differences in price point and in the quality of the item can be challenging because the better the quality the more money the item costs.
3. You must interact with others.
Along with selling merchandise, I have to interact with people such as greeting them. When people come into the store they are either in a bubbly happy mood or an "I don't want to be here mood". Either way, you have to roll with it as soon as they walk in. This has taught me to be on my toes and respond quickly and be ready for the customer to throw anything at you. Sometimes too literally!
4. Always offer to help.
Working with the general public has taught me a lot about being helpful to someone who knows little to nothing on something. Like a wife trying to find a tractor blade that her husband sent her into to town to look for. Or a mom who is buying her daughter and son-in-law their first dishwasher for their anniversary and wants to buy the best one we offer.
5. Treat others how you would want to be treated.
Since I work with the public, I always treat workers just as I would want to be treated when I shop. When I am out and about shopping for myself I always see how others treat me when I am a customer in another business. When a person who is working with the general public and at that time being I am their customer, I get very upset and frustrated when I am not greeted when I walk in or thanked after my purchase because I am their customer and deserve to be greeted and thanked just how I treat my customers.
6. Customer service must be first thing in mind
Working with the general public my main utmost goal is to have the customer leave the store and think to themselves "Wow, I will be coming back here because of the great customer service she gave me". This is something I strive to give each customer every day. When you are good to your customer they will be good back in shopping with you again. Whenever I see a customer that I have sold to before I am proud because I know they came back because of the customer service I gave.
Being a sales associate and someone who works with people every day, I have always thought everyone should be required to work with the general public for at least a month in your lifetime. Because that way you know how to treat others with respect when you are on the flip side of things for once. Don't forget that the sales associate is a human too and should be treated equally as the customer being helped.
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