YES. "The customer is always right" - until she isn't & the sales clerk can actually BE helpful. Back in around 1971 I was a sales clerk in a popular chain Women's clothing store. A sweet, white-haired, older woman came to the register with her selected items in hand & trustingly said "My granddaughter is about your age & it's her b8rthday. Don't you think she'd love these?" Madras was in style at the time & she hadva pair of perfectly lovely madras bermuda shorts that had white background with lime green & magenta plaid. YES, I'd love them! To go WITH the shorts, as can outfit, she'd selected a blouse with exactly matching magenta & lime green - iin a print with HUGE flowers! Ugh! Cringe! I politely suggested that both items were beautiful but that I would suggest a solid colored item as the complimentary clothing item AND offered to help her select itens if she would like my assistance. She ultimately settled on white shorts to go with the blouse AND a magenta blouse to go with the madras shorts & was delighted with her purchases. I got chewed out mercilessly by the store manager despite the fact that I'd doubled the initial sale AND saved the poor old woman the trouble - and embarassment! - of having to exchange unwanted itens.
Oh my. Sad. But I do remember the B Dalton book stores in the South Jersey-Philly areas as I grew up there. I had to look it up. Barnes and Noble operates a Dalton in Florida. Interesting.
YES. "The customer is always right" - until she isn't & the sales clerk can actually BE helpful. Back in around 1971 I was a sales clerk in a popular chain Women's clothing store. A sweet, white-haired, older woman came to the register with her selected items in hand & trustingly said "My granddaughter is about your age & it's her b8rthday. Don't you think she'd love these?" Madras was in style at the time & she hadva pair of perfectly lovely madras bermuda shorts that had white background with lime green & magenta plaid. YES, I'd love them! To go WITH the shorts, as can outfit, she'd selected a blouse with exactly matching magenta & lime green - iin a print with HUGE flowers! Ugh! Cringe! I politely suggested that both items were beautiful but that I would suggest a solid colored item as the complimentary clothing item AND offered to help her select itens if she would like my assistance. She ultimately settled on white shorts to go with the blouse AND a magenta blouse to go with the madras shorts & was delighted with her purchases. I got chewed out mercilessly by the store manager despite the fact that I'd doubled the initial sale AND saved the poor old woman the trouble - and embarassment! - of having to exchange unwanted itens.
Wow you went above and beyond! Good job!
Oh my. Sad. But I do remember the B Dalton book stores in the South Jersey-Philly areas as I grew up there. I had to look it up. Barnes and Noble operates a Dalton in Florida. Interesting.
I don't think there are too many B. Daltons left anymore!
Ick indeed. Sounds like working in a bookstore isn't always the pleasure I imagine it to be.
Any chain retail is going to be pretty awful!
Wow, okay, good to know. I don't feel so bad now about missing a chance to apply for a job at Ba--I mean, a chain bookstore!
I worked at Borders as well and they were pretty good, but then they went out of business! Used bookstores or Indies like Gibson's is the way to go!
Uf da! Sounds so sad! No one to sacrifice for? I'm drinking my coffee alone and it's not so lonely after all.
No kidding!