Your Husband Called and Said You Can Buy Anything You Want!

About two years ago, I ventured into a furniture store looking for a new sofa.  When my conversation came to a close with the salesperson, he handed me all of the information on the options I had chosen.  However, in that stack of papers there was a little yellow card that read "Your husband called and said you can buy anything you want."  I found it ironic that he automatically knew that my reasoning for not making a purchase that day was because I needed to discuss the options with my husband.  I'm sure he gets this block to closing a sale fairly often, just like I do in the jewelry business.  Nevertheless, I thought the little saying was clever and funny.... and if only it were true!

Last summer I was casually shopping with a friend when we strolled into Real Deals.  As I made my way to the back of the store, I saw this wonderful green sign resting so peacefully in the corner that read "Your husband called and said you can buy anything you want."  I was so excited that I bought the sign and took it directly to the store even though I had the day off.  All of my coworkers loved it and we placed it directly in our most expensive section of the store, the bridal case.  The sign has served as a great conversation starter and a lot of laughs for customers.  It has even been copied by another jewelry store down the hall that placed little cards with the saying through out their cases.  I guess imitation really is a source of flattery!

Run it's a Salesperson!

I'm not sure when salespeople got such a negative stigma in the consumer world, but some say it arose alongside the implementation of the used car salesmen.  I have learned to laugh about the things people do just to avoid even talking to a salesperson but sometimes it can be a little detrimental to a salesperson's ego.  There are three types of customers that really make my job interesting...

The Antelope
Imagine an antelope meandering through a field.  So peaceful, so beautiful, so much potential.  But as the hunter suddenly approaches, the antelope spooks and runs away.  Believe it or not, this is exactly what some customers do.  They curiously look in our cases, taking special caution to stay on the outskirts of the store, some not even stepping foot on the carpet.  The exact instant that one of our salespeople even takes half of a step in their direction, they bolt down the hall and try their best not to make eye contact!


The People with a Three Word Vocabulary
This category of customers only seem to know three little words... I'm just looking.  A good salesperson never asks "Can I help you?" because the response will always be those dreadful three words.  Instead, we ask how their day is going, is the sun still shining outside, or we even compliment jewelry that they are currently wearing.  Any person with the slightest intelligence realizes that the proper response to any of these topics is not "I'm just looking."  And yet, this is still the response we get 90% of the time.

The Just So You Know's
The last group of customers that seems to have an immense fear of salespeople is the Just So You Know's.  These are the people that will only step foot in your store, engage in a conversation, or try on a piece of jewelry  if the sales associate knows that they are not buying anything.  Sales presentations usually sound a little something like this:
   
     Salesperson:  "That ring would look wonderful with your outfit, would you like to try it on?"
     Customer:  "Oh yes, I would love to... but just so you know, I'm not going to buy it!"

It's so funny to me that customers think we have this immense power and persuasion over whether or not they will buy something.  We really don't care if you aren't going to buy it, but we are trying to give you the best experience possible while you are in our store.  So slow down and just enjoy it without being rude!

The Challenge
I would like to challenge anyone that reads this post!  Next time you walk into a retail establishment and you are looking for a specific item, let someone help you instead of protecting yourself behind the "I'm just looking front."  Also, listen to what salespeople say or ask.  More often than not, you look like a complete dumb ass when a salesperson asks where you got your handbag and you answer with "I'm just looking."

The People of GVM

The way the we dress is often a great expression of one's self.  It is also often an expression of our current mood.  For instance, when a teenage girl comes into the store with tiny shorts and a tank top, we assume she must be really hot so she wears little clothing in order to keep herself cool.  If a college students comes in wearing sweatpants we assume he must be feeling ill and needs to go back to bed.  If we see a person wearing a business suit and a bluetooth in their ear, they must be feeling rushed and strapped for time.  But more often than not, this clothing or the way people present themselves in public, doesn't have anything to do with their true selves.  Nevertheless, it is human nature to make quick assumptions that are often a little less appropriate and more judgmental than the examples I listed above. 

The most prominent example for a jewelry store located in Montana is the dirty rancher that looks like he only has one change of clothes.  However, a good salesperson will not prejudge any customer because usually the dirty ranchers are the ones with all the money to spend.  All sales tactics aside, sometimes the only thing that gets me through the day is to gaze upon the center court of the mall.  It is here that there is usually one person that falls into the category I like to call, The People of the Gallatin Valley Mall.

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While the typical GVM customer is a little less extreme than those pictured above, they do add extreme enjoyment to my days... Happy Viewing!!

The Credit Account Full of Boobs

After watching Babies, I found myself thinking about one particularly funny experience at work.  One sunny Wednesday afternoon, a mother and her two children decided to purchase a new necklace.  She already had a credit account with us, but we needed an update on her address, phone number, and work information.  Nevertheless, as children usually do, her littlest one started demanding dinner just as she sat down to complete the update form.  So the customer proceeded to whip out her breast and start feeding her baby.  The sales associate that was helping her hadn't been the company for a very long time and immediately her face turned bright red.  My coworker has nothing against breast feeding, in fact she actually prefers it, but when you have a fully exposed boob two feet in front of your face, it's hard not to be a little embarrassed.

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I too prefer breast feeding to bottles and have nothing against women breast feeding in public.  However, there are some people that don't wish to partake in dinner time so I feel it is only polite if the mom first asks if  her actions will offend the person she is working with.  I'm glad that Babies, didn't cut out or sensor any of the feeding scenes.  It really showed how natural breast feeding is and how much it helps mother and child bond.