As you have gotten older, has the quality of service at stores and other businesses become more important to you when choosing where you go to spend your money?
When I was a young guy, I didn’t really give a rat’s butt about how people treated me when I went into a store. In fact, I wanted them to leave me the hell alone. I thought it was creepy- having someone call me “sir” and ask a bunch of questions about what I was looking for, etc. I remember snickering at my mother for saying something like “I am not going to that store, the service there is just dreadful, lets drive across town to this store, they treat you right.” I just cared about how close the store was, what products they had, and how cheap it was.
Fast forward 20 or 25 years. Something weird has been happening to me over the past few weeks. I actually have started to notice good service. In fact, I am starting to like having people wait on me and it is having some influence on my spending habits.
Example, I went to an actual men’s store away from the Mall. You know, where they sell suits and stuff for work and stuff for guys over 40. First of all, all of the salesguys are adult men, men with kids in college, mortgages, and a Camry car payment. How do I know this stuff about them? They have a little living room with a plasma with ESPN on it where the salesmen and the shoeshine guy hang out with the customers while we all wait for stuff. When you go in, they ask you your name and help you out, calling you Mr. Oh and Sir. The guy even waits outside of the dressing room when you try on stuff and doesn’t move until you come out. If the pants are too long, he calls a tailor in, he measures you, and tells you that he can fix the hem, free of charge by the of the day. “Would you like us to press these for you today, Mr. Oh?” he asks. “We will call you when they are done Mr. Oh.” The experience was pretty freaking cool and not even that much more expensive. You are going to spend about $60 to $70 on a pair of pants that you need for work anyway, why not be treated nicely? I have been back twice since then.
I have had other positive experiences at an office supply place and an auto parts store where the employees (all over 40 year old males, coincidently) were professional as hell. What is happening to me? Has this happened to you?
I think it happens. When I was younger (even though I’m not very old, so about 16) I would go to whatever store was the closest. Now, I will drive to the grocery in the suburb of my city because it has better service and the same prices. I’m only 20, but I will go out of my way for people who act respectful towards customers.
I think it’s happened to me.
Given the choice, I certainly will take my money where my business seems appreciated.
For 50ish me, the time and money I’ve got left to me should not feel wasted.
I’ll only go so far with this, though.
My husband drives 45 minutes each way to get his hair cut–I won’t do that.
My idea of service doesn’t include being asked my name, but I have been choosing one store over another because of their different service since I was 18. Two bookstores, both specializing in Comic Books, Fantasy, SciFi and related paraphernalia, very close to each other: in one they looked at those of us buying US comic books and Fan/SciFi in English like we didn’t shower; in the other they recommended stuff you might like and if they didn’t have a particular book you were looking for, they’d tell you which other stores in town might - I’ve even seen them phone another store to ask “hey guys, do you happen to have XYZ?”
I appreciate it more now but it depends on the situation. It a 7-11 I couldn’t care less if the clerk just grunts at me. If it is a store where it would be important to have helpful employees it means a great deal to me.
I don’t like overly solicitous attention from employees, never have, never will. But I do like to patronize places where the store is clean, the lines aren’t long, the employees seem well-treated, customer service is courteous, and so on. This is partly my age, but it’s also due to being better off than I was, say, in grad school, when low prices were a big priority.
I’ve recently gotten back into retail sales on a part-time, 2nd job basis. It’s a fairly high end store - Chico’s - and I try to give the same service I like to get when I’m shopping in a comparable (Talbots, etc.) store:
I greet customers with a “Good Evening” no matter what. If they seem receptive, I’ll make a generic comment about the weather or something.
If they seem confused about our sizing (we use a 0-1-2-3 sizing), I’ll asked if they’ve shopped with us before and then explain the sizing.
I’ll then leave them to browse for a few minutes (3?4?5?) and then ask if they need assistance with something specific. If not - I leave them be.
If they want a dressing room, I open one for them & stand outside nearby in case they need another size. I give them my name.
I don’t like salespeople who hover & I don’t like to be pressured. We do get a bonus based on sales, but I hate to be bullshitted and I won’t do it to make a sale. I’ll tell you that you need a different size or that the color doesn’t do you as much justice as perhaps this shade might. I’m direct, but not rude.
I’m 52 and this has happened to me over the past ten years or so. In my case, I think that there are two reasons for this. Maybe these apply to others as well. First, over the past few years, my income has actually exceeded my needs for the first time in my life. Paying off my mortgage was the primary cause for this. The extra income has put me in the position of being much more selective about where I buy. I still shop at places like Wal-mart and Lowes, in cases where service has no impact at all on my shopping experience, but I now have some freedom to choose to spend a little more if it seems worth it to me. I also find myself in the position of already having nearly everything I need. My life is pretty settled. When I buy something, it’s usually because I want to, not because I need to. For purchases like this, I tend to shop where I will have the best experience, not at the closest or cheapest place.
Not so much for shopping. I’d still rather be left the hell alone. But for traveling I’m far less willing to put up with Spartan accommodations like hostels and friends’ couches. I want a room where we can come and go as we please, and with full meals (breakfast, in particular) available on the premises.
I don’t care if they use my name or call me hey you. My shopping priorities haven’t changed a bit, if they have what I want for a price I want to pay they get my business.
The only thing I expect that you could call customer service is that someone is reasonably available to tell me where stuff is if I can’t find it myself.
My main example for a place I would rather not go back to is Shoe Pavilion. I hate shopping for shoes anyway because I wear a size 6 1/2 in mens and they are nearly impossible to find. SP will have like 5 sales people standing around chatting but I can never get any help in finding the 2 or 3 pairs of 6 1/2’s they have in the entire store. I don’t expect or even want them hanging all over me but at least be available to help me find something that fits!
What creeps me out is the chi-chi stores where the saleswoman will join you in the changing room and evaluate what you’re trying on. Please let me make the judgment on my own. I don’t know if rich and or older people expect this but it’s too much!
I definitely don’t want a salesperson IN the changing room with me. Yikes. If one offered, I’d decline; if she just barged in I’d ask her to leave. But having someone to run back & forth to fetch a different size, color, style, etc., as was standard when I was a young 'un, makes a huge difference to me. It’s the reason I always go to Nordstrom’s first if I want something nice.
Several years ago I was shopping for a nice set little diamond “stud” earrings for my daughter on a significant birthday. I was casually dressed. Some jewelry stores wouldn’t even glance my way. Others were condescending and snooty. A few were genuinely helpful, respectful and friendly. Guess who got my money?
My theory is that if a company won’t be respectful and helpful when you have not yet bought anything, how good will they be later if something is wrong? This is especially true in buying expensive appliances, electronics, etc.
Personally, my standard is the same as it’s always been, though I like to think I’m still young (29). If I’m in a store, I’m there to buy something, and I want that to be as easy as possible. Service can help, here: There are some stores where, if they don’t have something in stock, they’ll send you to another (competing) store that does. That helps me get what I’m looking for. Some stores, if you give them a vague description of what you need, they’ll show you the various items they have matching that description, and ask you more specific questions to get a better feel for what you’re looking for. That helps me get what I need, too. Sometimes, they’ll even suggest an alternate solution, using a completely different item, or even no item at all (thus costing them a sale, in the short term). That helps me a lot, too (enough that in the long run, they probably still profit from that decision).
I bought like that for investments when I was in Miami. Visited 25 banks in 2 days (lots of banks around U of Miami); only in one of them did I find someone who took me seriously. Of course he got my business - which wasn’t particularly big at the time, but some of the others told me they “didn’t have any CDs or other investments for people with 1K”… when I could see the big poster saying “CDs from $100!” right behind them.
You know, a graduate student who manages to save 1K while living on a TAs salary and taking yearly trips to Spain has the potential to become a loooooot of money.
I’m 21, and so far I only care about good service in three places: clothing stores, electronics/computer stores and in restaurants. Coincidentally (or not so), those are all places that I have experience working at or know someone well who works there, so I know what I expect from them.
I really like having someone get me a dressing room, bring me a new size, ask if I need anything else for the outfit, and just generally pay attention to me in clothing stores. I worked clothing retail for so long that it’s just nice to be pampered and to reward good service with a smile and my business.
With electronics and the like, I just need you to be available for questions, and to not be condescending to me if I need to ask them. (I will pointedly find a new salesperson in the same store or leave if I feel like someone is talking down to me based on my gender, age, clothing, etc.)
In restaurants, just try to come by a couple of times and see if I need anything else after I’ve ordered. That’s all I need to be happy. Well, and to a certain waiter in Texas, don’t call me “Girl” after every sentence and stare at my chest. Thanks.
I don’t think any of those expectations are high, and I’m usually not disappointed. But I try to be a good customer too, and I think that helps.
My thoughts on this are at least partially in line with those of Crotalus in that I’ve reached that point where things are easier financially and my expectations on what duties I want to perform and what I’d like a salesperson or store owner to perform in the execution of a sale have changed accordingly, at least with regard to any non-necessary, pamper yourself purchases. The last several cars have been this way; find me what I want and I’ll pay a reasonable premium. Same with vacations, entertainment systems, etc. I hadn’t really thought about this much, other than when I go to a neighborhood liquor store and definately pay more than getting the same thing at a big, regional superstore. But I like the neighborhood owner, he recognizes me, assists personally, I know he’s sending the premium I pay to family in Beirut, etc. I’m purchasing something more than just the physical item and yes, those intangables do sometimes factor into my decision.
Well, baring things like grabbing milk at Macs, I’ll only shop in stores where the service is good.
If it’s a higher end item then the service better be really good. I’ll shop at Holt Renfrew because the sales women there know my size without asking (as in, they can sess me up just by looking and know which size by which designer is going to work), have some sense of style themselves, and will suggest other things that I might like.
Ditto goes if I’m buying cosmetics - the sales woman better really know what she’s talking about, and if she says ingredient X does Y she better be able to explain the hows and the whys - even if it’s bullshit, she better have the bullshit down pat or I ain’t buying.
I don’t buy a lot of electronics, but when I do the sales person can’t talk down to me, because that pisses me off – I may not be super techno-weenie-electro guru, but I can read and if I’m buying something it means that I’ve asked around a little and probably read something – if you talk to me like I’m brain damaged, I won’t buy anything from you.
People who know me know that I’m the easiest person in the world to sell to - show me something, offer a benefit, ask for the sale and you’ve pretty much closed the deal. People who can’t do that don’t get my business.
Last year for Christmas my SO got me a really pretty white gold and sapphire bracelet. I adore it and only wish I could wear it more often, because it’s too nice for everyday. He mentioned that the salespeople had been pretty rude to him. I expect that’s because when he isn’t dressed for work he tends to wear the same clothes he’s been wearing since college. He sure doesn’t LOOK like a lawyer dressed like that. I bet if they’d known he’s a lawyer they’d have been all over him. That really annoys me.
I work retail, and I try to be around if you need my help, and I am more than happy to either help you find something or leave you be as you want. I hate being bothered by staff in stores when I’m looking around.
