Rant - On Customers (1 Viewer)

[Adil M]

I got a part-time job at an electronics place, b/c hell I like electronics. I was way over-qualified for the job, but didn't care, but after two months I'm straight pissed all the time. I can understand other Sales people trying to steal your sales (sort of), but why the hell does a customer come ask for my help and I spend literally 2-4 hours helping them and then they come back later or the next day and buy the #@$! product from another salesguy while I'm in the store sometimes!!! Then they have the balls to come to me and ask me some more questions about their newfound equipment that I just lost a hundred in commission on. This has happened multiple times and I've explained to them I work on commission. Are people really that inconsiderate? On top of that I always rec'd outside of and inside of the store. It's shit like this that makes sales people turn into "sales people." It's easier to ignore and lie and you'll amke a lot more money too boot.

I feel like just yelling and ranting on the customer and then I don't and I want to tell the next customer to go "F" himself b/c I'm in a bad mood, but I don't. This is my outlet thank you for listening.

Moral of the story - Have some consideration for sales people too, you know the so-called morons?

 

[Philip_G]

I'm guessing the average consumer doesn't realize you're paid on comission, they probably just have no clue man

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

I would just come out and say, "If you liked my service, I would appreciate that you buy from me as we get paid on commission." I am sure most of your customers then would go out of their way to buy from you.

 

[Adil M]

You get my card when you leave and a comment that I work on commission or that I'm paid on commission. I'm not dumb it's just some people see you as a freaking uniform despite talking you all day and calling you two times. They know my name, a difficult one, and they still ignore and decide to buy from the first guy they see in the store.

I'm just not sure if it's appropriate for me to inform the customer that I don't appreciate that level of treatment. A level-headed person "might" appreciate me spelling it out for them.

Take this thread as a rant b/c normally I get along great w/ the customers and have gotten rave reviews from many, it's just those bad apples combined w/ "all the other crap." I'm glad I'm not going to work in sales forever, b/c I don't have the temper or the "ethics" for mainstream sales.

* I used to think I had perfect control of my emotions, but frustration will get to you real quick.

 

[Philip_G]

well in that case they're just clueless or rude
I don't have the patience for sales.. I'd kill someone..

 

[Denward]

As a customer (and I've never been in retail sales), I'll give you my point of view. I think of myself as buying from the store, not a particular salesman. If I talk to a salesman one day and go back the next, if he's with another customer, I'm not going to wait around if I already know what I want to buy. Remember, the customer is king and you can't expect him to inconvenience himself because you're on commission. A better solution would be to establish a policy among all the sales staff that you always always always ask if the customer has worked with another sales rep before, explain that everyone works on commission so that it's not fair to buy from sales guy B when sales guy A has spent all this time, yada, yada, yada. This type of cooperation should be part of a commitment to an ethical workplace. If the sales guys can't ethically cooperate among themselves, then I have a hard time believing they have ethics when dishing out information to the customers.

 

[AllanN]

Go watch "Clerks" you will feel better.

 

[Jay H]

As a customer here myself, if I know a salesperson is on commission, and for some reason have to deal with somebody else (like if I came back and he/she wasn't there), then I would tell the person who actually closed the sale that my original salesperson was so-and-so. I guess at that point it would be up to the honesty of that salesperson.

However, I've never really had anybody actually come forth and say that, but usually will assume such thing if the person gives me a card or asks for me to put his name down on the sale. Then I can get the hint that it may be a commissioned sale.

But of couse, I would imagine that most of us here on the HTF are good for their word so maybe we're not the best "general public" to ask opinions for...

Jay

 

[Brian Mansure]

Personally I try to seek out and buy items, whatever it may be, from a sales person whom I believe to be knowledgeable and courteous. However if I know exactly what I want to buy then I grab it and have it rung up by the next available cashier/sales staff.

I beleive Denward hit the nail on the head so to speak.

Most consumers go to stores to purchase what they want or need and really don't consider much else.

Sorry you've had that ocassional "bad apple" but I guess it's pretty much a reality these days.

I hope things get better for you even if it is a part time gig.

Good Luck,

Brian

 

[Iain Lambert]

Fortunately, most of the shops where I buy things from that work like this have a policy of the counter staff asking if any of the sales people helped them; this way you can ensure that its the person who helps who gets the bonus, not just the one who was running up the till at the time. Do you work all areas of the store at once, or is it a big store Adil? Only I might want a DVD from the software section as well as my speakers when I come back - this sort of thing is bound to cause problems like yours.

 

[Jefferson]

Ah, the nightmare of retail. I used to work for a small specialty bookstore in New York. Most of my time was spent as a librarian, rather than a bookseller, as people would pick my brain asking for recommendations, booklists, teaching materials, with no intention of buying anything from us, or thanking me and saying, "I'm going to get these at Barnes and Noble".

 

[Adil M]

I completely believe it's a "consideration" issue. And no, big NO, the customer is not always right. You and I have met many irrational people in our lives and they always seem to spring up when spending money. As for the "how it should work in the workplace" well I agree, but it doesn't and management doesn't care how it goes out the door as long as it does. It's a fairly large store and I work the Audio-Video section. Shoot it's the Infamous Circuit City, but I swear it's just for the electronics not the money .
I have had people come in w/ ebay printouts asking if we'll match it and I glanced at the printout and noticed the sale hadn't even ended. I'm one of the few guys who will tell people that our current selection of HTIB isn't worth shit.
I've put together individual piece systems for less then the HTIB prices which put all the HTIB systems to shame although the Onkyo ones aren't that bad.

 

[DennisHP]

I've always believed in stopping the problem where it starts and not downstream somewhere. In this case the problem seems to start with your stores management. If they don't care enought to stop other salespeople from stealing "your" customers, why should I as a comsumer, care?

 

[Ted Lee]

i've worked on commision at both cc & gg. i can tell you the problem you're having is with your team. they're snaking your sales...you need to address that issue.
you're doing the right thing by letting the customer know that you're on commision, etc. but you can't hold the customer to it...they're there for themselves. they could give a hoot who rings up the item.
your co-workers should have enough decency to ask if someone else helped them and then credit (or split) the commision. if they don't they're basically screwing you!
if you don't fight for this, you're going to get walked on all the time. such is the nature of commissions...which is exactly why (if i can help it) i'll never do it again.

 

[Bill Catherall]

You can always try to offer some kind of incentive to get the customer to come back to you and you only. Some kind of special deal they can only get through you because only you offered it to them. If the customer trys to get the deal through another salesman on staff it won't work unless you are not present to help them.
So when the customer approaches "Joe Salesguy" and says "Adil offered me a deal" then he can get you and you can close the sale.

 

[MikeAlletto]

I don't do that to people. If I leave and come back I'll always try and find the person who was helping me first. Even if its at a store that doesn't work on commission. Now if I come back and the guy isn't there, but they say he'll be there later or the next day well then I'm sorry...too bad.

 

[Dave Poehlman]

Then they have the balls to come to me and ask me some more questions about their newfound equipment that I just lost a hundred in commission on.

That was you? Sorry man.

 

[DaveF]

Adil - for what it's worth, I'd try and buy from you if you'd helped me out in choosing the items. But, if I came back to buy the product, and you weren't there, I'd likely buy from the next guy (unless it was a really expensive item or you'd given me a huge amount of help).

...Circuit City

I didn't know that CC salespeople worked on commission. Even though you told people that you work on commission, it might not really sink in. I'd bet that that most people think of CC like any other retail store: non-commission, and it doesn't matter who they buy from.

 

[Leila Dougan]

As a customer, I consider commisions a tip. Basically, you, the salesperson, help me out and spend time with me, I will see to it you get your commission. You blatenly ignore me or are otherwise rude or unhelpful, I see to it you don't get your commission.

I once bought an expensive item and when I was there to purchase it, the orginal salesman who really took time to help me was not there. I actually came back the next day to speak with him and made sure he got credit for the sale.

On the flipside, I went to purchase a pair of shoes one day and the salesguy did not even speak one word to me. I asked for the shoes and when he got them he practically threw them at me. He disappeared and I never saw him again. When I was done trying them on and decided to purchase them, I made for damn sure that guy did not get the commission.

 

[Denward]

Adil, I never said the customer is always right. I said the customer is king because he's in total control of the situation because he has the money. Any business/salesman will be more successful if they adapt to customer behavior. Expecting the customer to change his behavior to benefit the business/salesman is a recipe for failure.