Are you a Good Customer?

How to be a Good Customer: Getting the Best Deal and Best Customer Service No Matter Where

If you’re trying to be a frugal or have high demands (or expectations) these tips should help you get what you want with the lowest amount of hassle and lowest amount of cost. As a customer you need to remember you do not have the final say. "The customer is always right" is moot so drop any ideas that you have about overtaking an associate to get what you want and simply do the following:

1.)    If you’re mad, stay in. — If you’re in a bad mood, simple, stay in for the day. Do not go shopping where everyone else is in leisure, happy moods.  Do not walk into a retail store and begin demanding things of the associates. Naturally, they are going to be more reserved around you and the “friendly atmosphere” has disappeared the second you walked through that door. Ultimately, you have just ruined your chances at getting exactly what you want.

2.)    The employees will help you as much as you help them- Associates have a reset button every time a new customer approaches them. If you offer up information and are engaging in the conversation in a pleasant manner, the relationship will go smoothly because you have gained each others trust. If you say brief vague statements, and repeat yourself a lot they’re not going to know exactly what you want. They can provide options and ask questions, but by that point you have overwhelmed yourself

3.)    If you don't have something nice to say don't say anything at all- Try not to go straight into attitude mode when they do not have your size, or the price was mismarked, or something cannot be performed directly for you.  Employees will do everything they can until you give them a reason not to. Smiling and being patient will get you more results because the associate will want to help you genuinely, the minute your smile goes upside down and an attitude pops out, your needs no longer exist. The employee will fake it to make it until you give up and get out the door.

4.)    Do not terrorize the store- Customers like a presentable store. Typically retail associates have to set-up the store at least once every two hours because of a rush of people or touchy customers. What did your mother teach you? Leave something better than how you found it. If shoes are all facing vertical, do not put it back horizontally, or if the carts are arranged by size put it back where it is supposed to go. Pay attention to your surroundings. That makes the employee’s job more efficient to help YOU and it keeps other customers from complaining of how messy the store is. 

5.) Discounts- Let’s talk savvy, shall we? You're finally ringing up your purchases and you ask if there are any discounts or sales that aren't already displayed. This is where your behavior comes into play. The associate has more power over the cash register than you. They might actually have a couple of coupon codes that they could share with you or not share with you depending on your actions. Sure you can ask for a manager and make a scene but 9 times out of 10 the manager will side with the employee and you'll get the lovely line of "There's nothing we can do" so take it or leave it, hunny. 

6.) Reaching your demands- An employee is there to do their job, most of them don't forget that. If a customer inquires about something they're going to do their best to find the answer. What the customer needs to remember is that there is only so much they can do. Associates cannot make the gates to heaven open on minimum wage, plus its not in their job description. Try not to get prissy with them because as humans we tend to remember the bad situations over the good ones and you might get the same treatment you did last time.

It needs to be remembered that as a customer do not try to sabotage an associate because they can sabotage you right back and still appear as a "customer service first" environment.