Do you like Having Sales people surround you in stores, Or would you rather look for stuff youself?

Question

Usually, when I go to a store, I already know what I want to buy or look at, And I probably know more about the item already than these people do. I hate being accosted but 14 people asking if they can help me, just let me be, I can find what I want by myself. And then, On the rare occasion, that I might have a question, There is no one to be found anywhere! what is up with that.
I dont mind if some one asks if im doing ok., I say yes, and they leave me alone, But when I go into a best buy or something, and you see all these salesmen hovering around like sharks, waiting for you, I just want to leave.

Answer 1

I do not like going to stores like Best Buy and Circuit City for that reason. There are too many sales people that have nothing else to do than bug you the customer. I do relize that is there job and they probably get comission off what you buy from their department. I don't mind to be asked maybe once if you need some help and that employee tells you his/her name and to come back to him/her if you need some help. That is nice and polite way to go about helping somebody. I usually will go back to that one person who treats me the way I want to be treated and should be treated. Too many employees for the store size. Sometimes 3 to 4 employees in one department and they surround you. How they treat you at these stores is somewhat overwelming.

Now if you go to Wal-mart or Target stores they are totally differnet stores. It is hard to find an employee there to help you when you need one it seems. Very annoying at times. Not enough employees for the huge stores I think.

The Stores need to compromise their size of store to how many employees they have to help customers.

Sam's CLub is a good store to shop. It seems to have just the right amount of people in the size of the store. Always willing to help not bother you though. Always around when you need them with walkies.

I have also worked in retail/ warehouse sales. Sales are important, but making the customer happy is more important.

When dealing with comission sales, employees think they need to be around the customer at all times to make a sale. That is the just the wrong way to deal with customers indeed.

When there is no comission like where I worked just say "hi" or "hello" to customers, they usually say hi and go on or tell you what they need or questions. There is no want to follow around, hover, bother the customer to make sales no matter what.

Treat people how you want to be treated is the best policy!

Answer 2

I agree completely, I DO NOT want a sales person "hovering".

It's either all or nothing it seems, if you don't want to be bothered & wish to browse or shop on your own, you have sales clerks all over you. But when you NEED 1! Forget it, there's not one to be found for a country mile!

Unfortunately many retail businesses incorporate "Commission Sales" "Sales Quotas" or "Sale Incentives" turning clerks into hunters & the customer into the prey-lol!

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Previously I worked in retail management & had the opportunity to train clerks, fortunately at the time I was working for a service-orientated department store. Here are some of the major points we tried to incorporate in training:

1) While you do have "sales incentives", you are here to SERVE the customer. You treat them the way you would want to be treated if the roles were reversed.

2) You are to genuinely greet a customer...each customer is an individual, therefore greet each one differently... an enthusiastic "Hi!", "Hello" or even a "Hey There" is much better than the same old repeated "Hello, how are you today?" line.

3) Be readily available to the customer but NEVER EVER: "hover", "stalk", "shadow" or "follow".

4) If a friend or relative is shopping, it is okay to casually greet & speak to that person, but do not get involved in a personal conversation. You are working.

5) a) The customer is your #1 priority, the customers are the ones who ultimately pay you your wages! b) Always be professional & do your job, if you can't answer a question find someone who can. c) Never complain or ***** in the presence of a customer.

6) Never chit-chat/gossip or other wise have a full blown conversation with other sales clerks on the sales floor, save this for your lunch hour or after hours.

7) Customers are not always right howver we must treat them with respect & if you can't handle a situation for any reason call management!!!
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Recently I've begun to wonder if clerks are receiving any training at all these days! This past week I've experienced: 1) A restaurant busboy's girlfriend following him around trying to have a personal intimate conversation with him. 2) A Grocery cashier & bagboy having a complete w/details conversation about the party they went to the night before while I was checking out & they were bagging my groceries. 3) A gasoline station clerk gabbing on the phone while the customerswere waidting in line to pay for their gas!-->These incidents remind me oh so well why I enjoy mail order catalogs & internet shopping! hahaha!


Best Wishes!

Answer 3

When I worked in a department store (no commission because that changes the rules) I always made a point of saying hi to customers--asking if they needed any help--and if not, moving along. That way, they know that I work there and if they need anyting, they know I'm there. That always worked for me. Usually when you see salespeople hovering, it is because they are on commission and they get a % of what they sell. That is the type of store I try to avoid--except on busy days because there are so many people milling aorund, the salespeople are usually busy and don't have time to swarm all over you once you hit the door. :)

Answer 4

I prefer being allowed to shop on my own, and if i have a question, to be able to find someone.

Problem with floor sales is, there's this concept of "plus selling" where if yu stick a sales clerk on someone's elbow, asking if they need help, it creates an opportunity to recommend stuff to purchase to meet the customer's request. Problem is, places like Best Buy use that as their entire strategy, making their employees the second-most-annoying people on the planet.

Technical support agents that can't speak English and/or are inadequately trained to support the product are the most annoying.

Answer 5

At some stores ,some people work for a Commision of what they sale. But I tell them I am just looking and will get them if needed They are there to help you, but some times I know what you mean. I f they don't go away I will and they will lose that sale. Pem

Answer 6

I wouldn't say that I like being "surrounded" by salespeople, but I definately like it better when they are visible. I hate being in a store looking for something specific or having a question to ask and you have to walk around looking for someone to help you with something that will only take 2 seconds of their time. It usually takes me longer to FIND someone to help me than it does for them to actually help me. Although I usually do fine looking on my own, knowing that a salesperson is near is reassuring.

Answer 7

I agree, I hate hovering salespeople. I like it when a salesperson greets you with a quick hello. That way I how they are aware I am there. Then leave me alone! If I need help, I will ask.

Answer 8

I hate that too!!
there's nothing more annoying than just stepping into a store and someone jumping right at you asking can "I help you find what your looking for" NO leave me alone and I will find it myself!!

Answer 9

I agree. If the sales people don't leave me alone and let me shop, I'll just leave their store. It's frustrating.

Answer 10

nope, can't stand sales people like that...you would think that these companys would figure that out....I know many work on commission, but that's just a bad way to do business...they should be available if you have questions, but not standing around making you uncomfortable