Let me know if this sounds familiar: You walk into a retail store and the “greeter” says hello with a big smile. Or when you are paying for your items the cashier asks you if you were able to find all of the items that you were looking for? I imagine a number of you are smiling and saying yes that has happened to me in fact probably yesterday.
It isn’t by luck that this happens. The greeter and the cashier are trained to do that. They have been instructed what to say, how to say it and frankly it can be very successful.
Recently I walked into Best Buy and Academy Sports in Grapevine, Texas. I went to Best Buy for one reason. I was looking for Letters from Iwo Jima directed and produced by Clint Eastwood. I was greeted as I entered the store by a big hello and smile and I went to the new release aisle. They didn’t have it yet and I walked out of the store empty handed. As I was walking out I passed by 4 people who saw that I was leaving the store with no products to purchase yet they never said anything to me.
Two minutes later I was greeted at the front door of Academy Sports with a big hello and a smile from another greeter. I was looking for a very specific pair of shorts. I couldn’t find what I was looking for but I did try on a few pairs but decided not to purchase anything. Again I walked past a number of sales clerks as I was leaving the store and no one said a word to me.
Isn’t that an opportunity to ask a potential customer a question or two? Perhaps, “I noticed you didn’t purchase anything today. Can I help you? Can I ask you what you were looking for?” I understand that the employees at these two retail stores aren’t trained to do this but if they were wouldn’t it have a positive direct impact on revenue? I believe it would.
- The question is why don’t they ask these questions?
- Why don’t store managers and executives think this is important?
I look forward to hearing your comments.
Years ago when I first heard the phrase “online research–faster, better, cheaper” it sounded really good at first. It made a lot of sense. It was clearly a different way to help clients convert their traditional phone work to online. Most data collection companies (including the ones I have worked for) in the past included it in their capabilities presentations and highlighted it as a point of differentiation. Most companies were successful at the beginning.
Most baseball fans think about their favorite team over the winter–probably over and over. Many discussions are about things like:
The Yankees are 2-10 in 1 run games! They never lost games like this in the past.
Joe Torre is a classy guy. His record is very impressive. Unfortunately in a good year he gets too much of the credit and in a bad year he takes too much of the fall.
