Customers expect us to know if other shops in the area sell certain items

[Auburngal]

When at work, when a customer asks where is x or do we sell x. If we know that we don’t sell x either from experience or looking at the shelves where you expect to find the product.

If we don’t sell the item in question, customer asks “do you know if (name of shop in the area) sells it?” When we say we don’t know, a few customers have flipped. We don’t know the inventory of each shop. Unless we buy the product or seen it in that shop, we haven’t got a clue.

So why do customers presume that we know what other shops in the area sell?

The one I had yesterday was something pet related. I don’t have pets so I don’t go down the pet aisle of section

Why? Because she doesn't like customers being rude or flipping ou6
Do you work with the public and think it's fine for them to have a go at you for something that isn't your fault

I am a great customer. Polite and friendly and grateful. If I have good service I find the manager to compliment the staff member. Or I email head office. Shops and restaurants.

But sadly some retail staff, like everyone are becoming a bit ruder and less helpful. Attitudes like yours are also increasing.

I sometimes wonder how some staff got through the interview process. So rude and deliberately unhelpful with no personal skills. Not all customers are rude and ungrateful so stop treating us like we all are.

Have some fun with it and say yes they do sell blah blah. Then snigger to yourself at the thought of them having a wasted trip.

I'm going to give a specific example. I needed some new glass for a very large picture frame because it had broken. I went to the usual (local, family run) shop I get pictures framed at and asked if they could do it or if it was too big. They didn't do frames that large but told me another smaller local business that did. I keep going back to the first shop precisely because of their excellent service, and because they helped me with an unusual request. And it kept the work local rather than having to go to a big chain. The smaller shop doesn't have a website (just checked) so I wouldn't have found it without the help of the larger shop. Google just suggests national chains because they can afford to pay for adverts.

Aren’t you hilarious 🙄

I absolutely agree @fieldsofbutterflies. But it's a balance and will depend entirely on the type of business you're in. Mine is a swim school, I am determined to keep my prices affordable because I want every child to have the opportunity to swim. And that means I have made the business decision that I am not going to invest any time on non-sales. if I advertise 'I have space on Stage 1' on Facebook, and I get 70 responses saying 'do you have space on 'x that isn't stage 1'' I cannot waste my time responding to them.

This thread has made me happy that there is still good customer service out there that if you we can't help you now you can't spend your money now with us we don't want to know you right now , but do come back when take your money from you .Even though we don't want to help you right now .Poor customer service .

If the shop doesn't sell that item how is the owner any worse off other than losing 2 seconds of their life to tell the customer either where they do know sells it or to say they don't know?

It's normal shopping behaviour ime both as a customer and a retail worker

Of course you can, you’re just choosing not to 🤷‍♀️

Also, if you’re genuinely getting 70 messages asking similar questions I would guess that maybe your advertising isn’t as effective as it needs to be.

Do you say in black and white that you don’t have space in any other class except X?

Are you 6?

Yes, exactly.

I’d also say that price comes into it too. If you sell jackets for £300 but your customer only has a budget of half that, then what’s the issue in recommending a company that they can afford instead?

What do you mean by ‘flip’? If they’re losing their temper/yelling/being violent then of course they’re being unreasoned. Or do you mean they’re a bit disgruntled?

I think this highlights the sheer decline in customer service over the years and how retail staff seem to be irritated by everyone and everything, essentially being in the wrong job. There is definitely an attitude within retail that staff are allowed to be huffy and puffy with everyone. 15+ years ago this would not have been acceptable.

I can guarantee you that none of the interview questions would have been ‘ how good is your knowledge on other stores products?’

Working in retail/services is a lot harder than you imagine. Sometimes I go to work and end the shift like the dementors have sucked all the life energy from me. You have no idea how much energy is required to always be ‘approachable’ , friendly and professional because it’s not a transactional energy swop. You give out all day and 9/10 it’s swallowed up and not returned because it’s expected - ‘cos we pay your wages’

I get treated much better than say my receptionist- because obviously she’s just a lowly receptionist- they act very different around me. Yet the don’t realise if she wasn’t on shift that day - they wouldn’t even be getting through the door.

Currently I’m really thinking about selling up because I am really getting ‘done’ with dealing with the public

So from the other side. The decline is a result of the increase in entitlement from the customer.

@Auburngal I'm thinking retail isn't the job for you...

A good shop assistant tries to be helpful. If you don't stock a certain product and they ask if you know anywhere that does then its basic politeness to spend 10 seconds thinking and make a suggestion of somewhere that might

Your attitude is going to come across to customers as rude and will cost the business money.

I can guarantee you that none of the interview questions would have been ‘ how good is your knowledge on other stores products?’

I was actually asked precisely that in my last retail interview @Hugosmaid 😂

This was outdoor clothing retail and we were expected to know our competitors and what the differences were - of course we were offered training too but if you turned up at interview knowing nothing, you wouldn’t stand a chance.

Most staff who don't know say something like, "if we do it'll be on aisle 5" rather than "I don't know" which suggests that you have no intention of helping at all. Is that where you're going wrong?

It is rude if they get annoyed with you for not knowing where else might have it, but not really rude to ask.

Ten minutes?! It takes more like ten seconds to say "sorry, no, but you could try (other store)"

You're being ridiculous. You'd have to put up your prices to utter an extra five words?

Asking is reasonable. Being disappointed at the response is too. Not the behaviour you describe.

It’s annoying but it’s not rude of them to ask if you know somewhere else that stocks the item. All you need to do is politely reply, I don’t know, sorry.

I once worked in a big retail department chain store where a customer wanted to return m&s trousers to me. (We weren’t m&s) when I pointed out that they muddled up the shops the customer then got really angry and told me to just give her the money back as we all sell the same stuff so I could sell the trousers to someone else 😂

That's not what anyone is suggesting, it couldn't possibly take that long to politely say that you don't sell something

I have to disagree. I actually think that customer service has improved. If I ask someone where an item is these days, I'm almost always be taken there rather than be waved on a direction or just told an aisle number. To the point that I often feel bad that I've taken them away from what they're doing, and apologise profusely.

Likewise sales staff will take the time to look things up, and yes, as I said earlier, I've regularly had other shops suggested.

In general I find sales staff much more friendly and helpful than they used to be. And it's not even tied to the 'quality' of the shop. The staff in my new Aldi are every bit as helpful as in my local Waitrose.

I don't think you can be expected to know what other shops sell but your personal issues are not the customers' problem.

Surely it's only reasonable to expect you to have some idea of what your competitors are doing/selling?

Another reason to shop on-line. It is simply a far more efficient way of buying stuff.