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Can I help you? Why retail customers always say No

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Re: Can I help you? Why retail customers always say No

#81

Post by kephra »

The problem I have with the "Can I help you?" question comes from the standpoint of an old German UseNet and IRC user.

Here we have the special word "Metafrage". A Metaquestion is a question that can be answered by Yes/No, provides no information what the other wants or needs, and any yes or no answer wont tell him anything. Its often just a polite noise, that becomes impolite, if used to often, e.g. in terms of moms just calling "Can you help me?" hurrying away without telling what kind of help she needs, assuming or better say commanding a "yes" as answer.

Its like joining an IRC channel with: "Can someone help me?" Most often nobody would answer, same to "Is someone here?". So a salesdroid starting conversation with a "Can I help you?" is a helpless newbie compared to someone who joined IRC first time by webchat.

Re: Can I help you? Why retail customers always say No

#82

Post by gwillen »

shaggyfrog wrote: post #42

I worked computer retail for a bit over 3 years and I think the best opening line was always "hello" or "good morning/afternoon/evening", with a by "welcome to [store]". The best follow-up was to not only look busy but be busy. Stocking shelves or merchandising was always effective. People who want help but are shy about it always seem willing to spontaneously talk with employees who are busy doing something... it's…

> The best follow-up was to not only look busy but be busy. Stocking shelves or merchandising was always effective. People who want help but are shy about it always seem willing to spontaneously talk with employees who are busy doing something... it's a strange concept.

Retail employees don't generally stand around idle -- they always look like they're either doing something, or going somewhere. It's easier to interrupt 'doing something', because at least you know what they're doing.

Re: Can I help you? Why retail customers always say No

#83

Post by trhtrsh »

city41 wrote: post #71
jff wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've considered just answering with "fuck off" whenever somebody comes up to me unasked, but I'm just not rude enough.

They're just doing their job though. Even when telemarketing was common I never felt that was an appropriate response.

You just pre-Godwin'ed the thread.

No one is required to take a job as a professional harasser. And if you really have sympathy for the employees, then consider that the more victims fight back, the fewer people would join the profession, and wages would increase, hurting the evil owners.

Re: Can I help you? Why retail customers always say No

#84

Post by trhtrsh »

darxius wrote: post #9

This is one of the reasons online shopping is so successful. I have never enjoyed being asked questions by employees when I enter a store. I go in with something in mind (or just to browse to kill time) and get out with or without my product.

If only....

http://www.opencart.com/index.php?route=extension/extension&...

Re: Can I help you? Why retail customers always say No

#85

Post by dwc »

jordan0day wrote: post #77
dwc wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't normally want any assistance, except when I do, and then I do. The generic phrases "Can I help you?" or "Can I help you find something?" are perfectly fine, contrary to the article. These are standard prompts to which I give standard replies. Much, much worse is "Are you after pants or tops today?" which is the worst kind of sleazeball sales opener. Now I'm on guard, preparing to either fend off a hard sell o…

"which is the worst kind of sleazeball sales opener." This, exactly. In the US, car dealers have a pretty poor reputation, because people generally believe that the salespeople are especially trained to trick/beguile/confuse shoppers, in order to maximize the dealers profit. In turn, I think many people dread buying a car from a dealer. Do you really want people to view your operation in the same light as a car deale…

Exactly.

"Can I help you?" "Nope. Just looking..." "OK. Just let me know if you need any assistance."

Perfect. I have help if I need it. If I was initially too shy to ask, the door was opened for me. No pressure.

Of course we're talking typical retail, set up for self service. This model doesn't always apply, and you shouldn't blindly apply it.

Re: Can I help you? Why retail customers always say No

#86

Post by mpyne »

trhtrsh wrote: post #83
city41 wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're just doing their job though. Even when telemarketing was common I never felt that was an appropriate response.

You just pre-Godwin'ed the thread. No one is required to take a job as a professional harasser. And if you really have sympathy for the employees, then consider that the more victims fight back, the fewer people would join the profession, and wages would increase, hurting the evil owners.

Man, I'm not exactly a bleeding-heart type but even I would find that behavior on the part of the customer rude.

You know a better way to "hurt the evil owners"? Just don't go to that store at all. But asking a customer a question is not a crime (unlike your Nuremberg analogy), these "victims" chose to walk into the store (unlike Nuremberg again), and being needlessly rude is needless, not required.

Re: Can I help you? Why retail customers always say No

#87

Post by snogglethorpe »

rlpb wrote: post #3

"People wouldn’t (especially men) enter a store just for the sake of it, they want help." I prefer to engage with others as little when I enter a store. I want to find the stuff I want, pay for it, and get out. I'm even willing to spend twice as much time (or more) looking for what I want than I would have if I have go engage with a store assistant. I'm not exactly socially awkward, either. I just hate shopping. I fi…

I actually like shopping, but I hate most salespeople that do this for a simple reason: 99% of them are clueless, don't have particularly good taste, and are are far more interested in goading me into a quick sale than actually helping me.

"May I help you?" is annoying enough, but "Are you looking for pants or tops today?" is a huge red flag, because it's no less generic in fact, and sounds like a cynical attempt to weasel around a customer's instinctive reaction ("No thank you") to the first question, and make it harder for them to quickly disengage.

There are clueful, tasteful, and truly helpful salespeople out there, but in my experience, they almost always have the tact and judgment to read body language and just let you browse until it's clear you really want assistance. If they do say something they're careful to use a light touch, and make it easy for the customer to quickly demur; they certainly don't use linguistic tricks like the article advocates in order to trap the customer into "engagement."

Re: Can I help you? Why retail customers always say No

#88

Post by nhyun »

snogglethorpe wrote: post #87
rlpb wrote: post #3

"People wouldn’t (especially men) enter a store just for the sake of it, they want help." I prefer to engage with others as little when I enter a store. I want to find the stuff I want, pay for it, and get out. I'm even willing to spend twice as much time (or more) looking for what I want than I would have if I have go engage with a store assistant. I'm not exactly socially awkward, either. I just hate shopping. I fi…

I actually like shopping, but I hate most salespeople that do this for a simple reason: 99% of them are clueless, don't have particularly good taste, and are are far more interested in goading me into a quick sale than actually helping me. "May I help you?" is annoying enough, but "Are you looking for pants or tops today?" is a huge red flag, because it's no less generic in fact, and sounds like a cynical attempt to…

The only salesperson that sticks out in my memory as being truly helpful worked in a store that sold sunglasses. I had been standing there for a few minutes trying on different pairs of aviator style sunglasses when she spotted me, stared at my face for a couple seconds, went and grabbed a pair out of a case, and asked me to try them on.

They looked awesome.

They cost more than I had planned on spending, but I bought them. No pressure from the salesperson.

Re: Can I help you? Why retail customers always say No

#89

Post by jff »

kmtrowbr wrote: post #23

For me it started with waiters: a good waiter can really help you figure out what to order, or what to drink. Instead of staring at the menu for 5 minutes (while your dear friend, or wife, or parent) is right there with you, just glance at it, get a few ideas, and then ask the waiter: "I'm pretty hungry. The chicken looks good, is it ?" Or with wine: "I love jammy Zinfandels: berry berry all the way! Do you have anyt…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErRHJlE4PGI
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