Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 26, 1992 TAG: 9201280083
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: D2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
BUSINESSES, LOOK TO CUSTOMER SERVICE
AFTER ALL the receipts were in and retailers said sales were bad, I gave much thought to things I had observed and a television interview by the owner of Nieman-Marcus department stores.I observed during an appliance sale in November that salespeople are not really interested in selling you anything or waiting on you. I took off from work with cash in my pocketbook to buy a clothes dryer advertised on sale. I saw the dryer in the store, then waited and waited and watched the salesmen gathering around one young saleswoman on the other side of the room.
I could not get anyone to wait on me after 30 minutes, and I was not the only customer waiting for service. Finally I went to the manager's office, which was full of other people, and asked to speak to him. I said: Don't advertise sales anymore unless your salespeople are willing to wait on the customers. He was stunned, needless to say.
Later I went back to buy a present for my grandson, again advertised on sale, and the young man who waited on me tried to talk me out of it. He said, if you don't know what the boy likes, I wouldn't buy it; I would bring him in. He did not try to sell me a higher-priced item. He just talked down the sale. This granny bought the radio and left. Salespeople, let's get real.
Now, Mr. Marcus of the huge department stores was interviewed about the bad news about sales. His observation was exactly like mine, and he is a pro. He had gone into New York City to buy his wife a cashmere sweater. He went to five different places and found the salespeople uninformed as to the stock, whether any more were ordered, etc.
On talking to the management, he found they too lacked information, and he did not make his purchase. His observation was that because of the fear put in retailers about the recession, they did not restock anything they sold out of. Therefore, when gift-buying time did come around, there was no stock.
I had retail education in high school and for years worked in retail. I work in a marketing office in a large local concern. I will tell you customer service is the answer. Standing behind a counter and watching a customer struggle to find what they want is not the answer, and suggestive selling still works.
There is always something that can go with something else: clothes, games, car accessories and many other items. Perhaps the businesses should look at their customer service and realize it is a very vital part of selling. Things can get a whole lot better in our country.
JOAN K. SHANNON
ROANOKE