IamCJTurner
Bronze Contributor
*My apologies if I have allocated this thread to the wrong Category.*
So I went to a local computer hardware store the other day, to price up some items that I wanted to purchase. Being that I am a bit old skool, I like to go inside shops, look around and test out the sales staff.
Sales Guy - Let's call him Colin.
Colin: Hey, can I help you with anything.
Me: No, I am just looking thanks.
*Awkward silence as I looked him in the eye
After about 5 minutes of walking around the store, I saw something I liked and matched prices on my phone off the internet.
Me: Can you beat internet prices?
Colin: We can match them.
Me: No, I asked if you could BEAT them (In a joking manner)
Colin: That's not my decision
*Another awkward moment. 5 seconds silence whilst I waited for Colin to use an ounce of initiative and see if he could find out more info.
Nothing!
Me: Ok, let's just say I wanted to buy 7 of these machines, would you be able to provide a discount.
At this stage, I couldn't have thrown a bigger bait for him to bite
*Customer buying signal - ALERT ALERT*
Colin: I wouldn't be able to decide that, it's a head office decision. I can give you the number of you like, so you can call them.
Me: No, that's not how it works (In a joking way).
*Pulls out my business card and hands it to him
Me: Tell you what, why don't you ask the head office to reach out to me, so we can work something out.
This the most shocking part
Colin: We dont really have contact with them, it'd be best if you contact them directly.
*Hands me my F*cking business card back*
Me: Right ..... *Lost for words*. Ok, I'll give them a call.
I then walked out of the store.
So, let me get this right, I walked into the store, showed the intention to purchase some pretty expensive equipment - then they allow the customer to walk out the door, without even knowing my name? Good lord..
Apart from being a private equity bloodbath, this is the very same reason why businesses like Toys R Us go into liquidation.
The store in question was not even a big chain, more of a multiple independent, selling high ticket premium goods, so I would imagine there sales staff or going to be on-point.
I see this failure day in, day out.
KNOW WHO YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE.
I believe the failure of this, is the reason why retail businesses fail... and even for all businesses for that matter.
They are people just like you & Me..
Rant over.
As you were.
So I went to a local computer hardware store the other day, to price up some items that I wanted to purchase. Being that I am a bit old skool, I like to go inside shops, look around and test out the sales staff.
Sales Guy - Let's call him Colin.
Colin: Hey, can I help you with anything.
Me: No, I am just looking thanks.
*Awkward silence as I looked him in the eye
After about 5 minutes of walking around the store, I saw something I liked and matched prices on my phone off the internet.
Me: Can you beat internet prices?
Colin: We can match them.
Me: No, I asked if you could BEAT them (In a joking manner)
Colin: That's not my decision
*Another awkward moment. 5 seconds silence whilst I waited for Colin to use an ounce of initiative and see if he could find out more info.
Nothing!
Me: Ok, let's just say I wanted to buy 7 of these machines, would you be able to provide a discount.
At this stage, I couldn't have thrown a bigger bait for him to bite
*Customer buying signal - ALERT ALERT*
Colin: I wouldn't be able to decide that, it's a head office decision. I can give you the number of you like, so you can call them.
Me: No, that's not how it works (In a joking way).
*Pulls out my business card and hands it to him
Me: Tell you what, why don't you ask the head office to reach out to me, so we can work something out.
This the most shocking part
Colin: We dont really have contact with them, it'd be best if you contact them directly.
*Hands me my F*cking business card back*
Me: Right ..... *Lost for words*. Ok, I'll give them a call.
I then walked out of the store.
So, let me get this right, I walked into the store, showed the intention to purchase some pretty expensive equipment - then they allow the customer to walk out the door, without even knowing my name? Good lord..
Apart from being a private equity bloodbath, this is the very same reason why businesses like Toys R Us go into liquidation.
The store in question was not even a big chain, more of a multiple independent, selling high ticket premium goods, so I would imagine there sales staff or going to be on-point.
I see this failure day in, day out.
KNOW WHO YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE.
I believe the failure of this, is the reason why retail businesses fail... and even for all businesses for that matter.
They are people just like you & Me..
Rant over.
As you were.
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