Four Lessons Learned from Working in Retail

For the last few months, I’ve been working part-time at a retail job at a family-owned business.

About eight years ago, when I was deep into unconventional and short-term job adventures, I headed home for the holiday season, and worked at this same shop to save up some money.

These lessons can apply to any job in customer service. I’ve used them when waiting tables, working at farmers’ markets, and even in teaching.

1. SMILE AND SAY HELLO FIRST

On the bulletin board in the back of the store where I work now, there’s an article posted that says directly this point – smile and say hello to the customers when they arrive in the store. It makes them feel good, and noticed. (Although, surely, sometimes walking into a store and being greeted by every single salesperson gets a little monotonous – try to pay attention to who has already said hello, if you can.)

Make people feel good, and catch them first.

2. PRESENTATION IS IMPORTANT

When I traveled to Japan, I was in awe of how beautiful everything was presented. Boxes of chocolates were wrapped in beautiful layers of paper. Food dishes were laid on a plate just so.

While there, I was a little in shock by waste of all of this packaging, just to make things beautiful. But but after coming back to America, I realized how little we seem to appreciate beauty in presentation here.

At my job, we wrap boxes just so – every gift looks beautiful.

3. PHRASE QUESTIONS POSITIVELY

In college I spent a summer working on an organic farm. I spent three days a week planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables.

As time went on, the owners asked me to work the farmers’ market, and one of their first lessons to me still stands out:

When a customer seems nearly finished, ask them: Would you like anything else?

By putting a positive spin on the question (instead of asking, “Are you all set?”), they usually look around, making sure they’re looked at all the merchandise.

This applies to all retail work, and restaurant work. Think about how you phrase the questions to make a customer’s experience more positive, and to make sure they’re gotten everything they need.

4. IF YOU DON’T KNOW AN ANSWER, ASK

In the store, people ask me questions I don’t know the answer to. All the time.

Instead of saying I don’t know, or making something up (that’d be really bad!), I check with a manager or one of the owners.

Customers trust you more when you actually investigate the answer, rather than just brushing them off.

Show that you care.

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