Monday
Jul182011
All In A Day's Work: Part 1
Monday, July 18, 2011 at 9:55PM
After weeks of searching for a summer job, and a few "you're too qualified" rejections, I finally found myself a part time job. It's only weekend work, Saturday 9-5.30 and Sunday 11-4, but it tides me over for the time being.
It's in a store which I'd only ever been to once before, yet now find myself wishing I had visited more often, given some of the current bargains on offer! And based on my affinity for buying clothes in the sale, it really is a wonder I hadn't been to the store before.
The shop in question is called Slater's Menswear. It's primary focus is suits, wedding/formal wear, and smart dress. However it has quite a reasonable casual menswear section, and has now introduced a women's section. I spend my weekends helping people find jackets, trousers, suits and the occasional pair of shoes for weddings, special meetings, funerals, holidays and everyday work.
Slater's prides itself on the outstanding customer service it offers; that means that we greet customers as soon as the walk in the shop and help them in every way possible. We engage them in conversation, find out what they are looking for, and then help them find everything they need. We pick out suits for them, comment on what looks best, what's practical etc, and then take measurements to adjust their suits to the correct size. Each customer spends almost their entire time in store with their personal assistant, which makes them feel extremely valued, and likely to return.
Some customers are easy to please; recently we've had a lot of 16yr olds coming in looking for prom suits, and students looking for a suit for graduation. I show them a few modern fit suits, they try them on, sort out adjustments, and we're done. Shiny suits have been a winner for prom! Other customers are more specific, looking for a certain colour, or a certain type of material. Some know more about the style and designs of suits than I do, and are a little harder to please, but we usual find them a suit in the end.
And then there are the really difficult customers...those who don't really know what they want, or can't make a decision to save their life. We try on numerous different suits, we narrow it down, decide on one, and then we're not sure. Or, they really like a suit, think it looks great, then change their mind because their wife or partner or girlfriend don't like it. Or, they just can't buy something on their own! We almost always find something they like and agree on in the end though, given the huge choice available.
And then there are people like my Grandad...super awkward customers! Not in their personality, but in their shape and size! Of course, everyone is a different size, which is why Slater's has a free alteration service, but some people are just "too unique"! Super wide shoulders, and a skinny waist. Short torso, long arms and long legs! And yet, we still succeed in serving these customers.
Even better, should you put on a few extra pounds over Christmas, or find that special diet, the free alterations are for the life of the suit...so all you have to is bring it back and get re-measured!
I've always been a fan of great customer service...it really makes all the difference in any shopping or eating or entertainment experience. Slater's is a great example to follow. I was lucky enough to get a tip from a generous customer who appreciated my help last weekend, and its always great to shake a customer's hand and see them walk away with a smile on their face, knowing they have a great new addition to their wardrobe!
Thankfully, I don't have to measure anyone's inside leg!
It's in a store which I'd only ever been to once before, yet now find myself wishing I had visited more often, given some of the current bargains on offer! And based on my affinity for buying clothes in the sale, it really is a wonder I hadn't been to the store before.
The shop in question is called Slater's Menswear. It's primary focus is suits, wedding/formal wear, and smart dress. However it has quite a reasonable casual menswear section, and has now introduced a women's section. I spend my weekends helping people find jackets, trousers, suits and the occasional pair of shoes for weddings, special meetings, funerals, holidays and everyday work.
Slater's prides itself on the outstanding customer service it offers; that means that we greet customers as soon as the walk in the shop and help them in every way possible. We engage them in conversation, find out what they are looking for, and then help them find everything they need. We pick out suits for them, comment on what looks best, what's practical etc, and then take measurements to adjust their suits to the correct size. Each customer spends almost their entire time in store with their personal assistant, which makes them feel extremely valued, and likely to return.
Some customers are easy to please; recently we've had a lot of 16yr olds coming in looking for prom suits, and students looking for a suit for graduation. I show them a few modern fit suits, they try them on, sort out adjustments, and we're done. Shiny suits have been a winner for prom! Other customers are more specific, looking for a certain colour, or a certain type of material. Some know more about the style and designs of suits than I do, and are a little harder to please, but we usual find them a suit in the end.
And then there are the really difficult customers...those who don't really know what they want, or can't make a decision to save their life. We try on numerous different suits, we narrow it down, decide on one, and then we're not sure. Or, they really like a suit, think it looks great, then change their mind because their wife or partner or girlfriend don't like it. Or, they just can't buy something on their own! We almost always find something they like and agree on in the end though, given the huge choice available.
And then there are people like my Grandad...super awkward customers! Not in their personality, but in their shape and size! Of course, everyone is a different size, which is why Slater's has a free alteration service, but some people are just "too unique"! Super wide shoulders, and a skinny waist. Short torso, long arms and long legs! And yet, we still succeed in serving these customers.
Even better, should you put on a few extra pounds over Christmas, or find that special diet, the free alterations are for the life of the suit...so all you have to is bring it back and get re-measured!
I've always been a fan of great customer service...it really makes all the difference in any shopping or eating or entertainment experience. Slater's is a great example to follow. I was lucky enough to get a tip from a generous customer who appreciated my help last weekend, and its always great to shake a customer's hand and see them walk away with a smile on their face, knowing they have a great new addition to their wardrobe!
Thankfully, I don't have to measure anyone's inside leg!
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