While on a mission to find a new pair of boots I stopped at Coldwater Creek yesterday. I knew that they sell footwear in their catalog and hoped to find some in the local store.
Upon walking in I glanced around searching for a shoe display but saw none. A sales associate approached and said: Do you have any questions? To which I replied: I think they're already answered. I've seen shoes in your catalog and hoped to find some here, but I don't see any. Do you carry shoes?
Well I don't know what shoes you're referring to, but we have some.
How about boots?
All that's left are riding boots. We don't have any of the short ones.
Does anyone else see what's wrong here? Obviously I didn't film this little episode and therefore can't share the visuals. But I can tell you that I left at that point because I was annoyed for a variety of reasons.
First of all, at no time during this conversation or her "greeting" me did this person offer a smile. Second, it was Sunday and I was dressed in my Sunday casuals. Jeans, sweater, a nice, very expensive coat. Yet somehow I was made to feel like a leper who had crashed a beautiful skin convention. Or maybe someone who might be planning to do a bit of shoplifting.
But it was her comment about the boots that really ticked me off. I don't know what made her jump to the conclusion that I was looking for short boots. In fact, my search was focused on tall ones. And the way she chose to deliver this bit of info was definitely not geared toward making a sale. Here's what she should have said (with a smile): We don't have a lot left right now, but let me show you what's in stock. I would have looked at them, maybe found what I was searching for, and bought them. As it is, I doubt I'll ever set foot in there again. Partly because of her snippy attitude and partly because I don't care to be "labeled".
Customer service can be a touchy thing. You don't want to overdo it and hover over someone, making a pain in the neck of yourself. But you should know how to properly greet ALL the people coming into your store. You should make them feel welcome and gently guide them toward a purchase. Because that is why they decided to visit you. They want to buy something and you want to sell something. And I'm guessing that all you salespeople in the big, corporate-owned stores work at least partly on commission.
I own a little store and I'm happy to say that I treat my customers a lot better than that. I make all of them welcome and what's more, I know that their visits are what pays my bills. So I'm always glad to see them. Perhaps the only person who didn't get his full measure of friendliness in my shop was the guy who robbed me two years ago, but that's another story for another time.
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