Customers Always Come First!

While not a very high powered shopper during the traditional gift purchasing season, there are those occasions where I do wander out.

In the past two days, I had opportunity to visit two well-known electronics chains, one each in Bridgewater and Hillsborough NJ. While I think it is not proper to name them, I will tell you one salesperson did all he could to give me excellent customer service along with the best buy possible while the other shouted across the store as if he was trapped in a shack listening to a radio.

The positive experience came when I asked questions about a low-priced electronic component that certainly would not result in a huge commission. Not only did he answer everything I asked very professionally, this individual found a cart for me to use to carry the item out of the store and explained their extended service contract in such a way that I signed up and will definitely patronize them again.

In contrast, the second person listened to the first three or four words of my question before cutting me off and saying I was at the wrong type of store. Undaunted (and determined to make him do his job!), I continues with my question. He actually realized they might carry what I needed, craned his neck around the side of the counter without using any other parts of his body, and decided they discontinued the item without checking on the computer.

Whether you sell retail goods, medical devices, insurance, automobiles, or anything else at all, customers have a ton of choices at hand and will go to the places who treat them right. I will not be stunned when sales figures come in after the end of 2011 and certain companies trounce the results of others.

If you are a sales professional of any sort looking to success, make sure you remember the oldest rule in the business, the customer ALWAYS comes first!