The Glenwood post., 1911-02-18
COURTESY A BUSINESS ASSET
Individual Treatment Of Customers .
Decisive Factor In Building Up
Moro Trade.

People like to be shown attention
it's human nature. Outwardly you may
look grim and solemn as you step
into the barber shop and the boy rush
es up to take your hat and
coat. yet inwardly you feel mighty
we'll pleased at the Difference and at
tention shown you. This boy is serv-
ing the patrons of his establishment,
and he goes about it with very COM
mendable spirit, the kind of spirit that
should be instilled into the salesmen
and clerks Of every store if that store
is to reap its full measure of sue
cess.
Courtesy toward customer is the
first great essential, and following 1t
with hot-heeled insistency are truthful
ness, willingness, and a thorough ap-
probation of what one has to sell.
The need of absolute truthfulness on
tho part of the salesman is SO impor-
tant that over-emphasis of this need
full virtue is scarcely possible. Oft
times in the head of sales argument as
sertions are made which the customer
knows are exaggerated or untrue In
stantly he puts himself on guard, and
not only is the sale lost, but perhaps
. good customer as well. More's the
pity of 1t when the realization of 1t
comes afterward how many arguments
might have been advanced which were
absolutely true and which could not
have failed to win the customer over
Even where the salesman is weak in
his arguments, the spirit of candor, of
earnestness and honesty with which
he makes his statements are often suf-
flcient in themselves to gain the GUS
toner's confidence and effect a sale.
How 1any of US In our own shop
ping experiences have left a store i'm
pressed only by the pitiful lack of in
terest in our needs shown by the sales
men and clerks. Perhaps we were
over-exacting in our demands, but isn't
that privilege every customer has
isn't that what we ourselves hire
clerks for-to please and satisfy our
customers? Willingness on the part of
salesman is a most necessary requi-
site-willingness to spread out on tbs
counter every article in the store II
the customer will only wait-and do it
cheerfully and with utmost interest In
the whole Observation-Disclosures to
make suggestions, to answer questions,
and to help the customer choose. Such
willingness quickly establishes the
salesman In the customers good
graces, and smooths the way to a SALE
Yet the clerk may be courteous,
truthful and willing, and still show an
inexcusable lack of information about
the articles he has to sell. People
like to be told something about what
they are buying, why it's better than
something else, and what the sales
man thinks about 1t himself They
are willing to accept the salesmans
opinion as authoritative, they want
positive, unqualified statements, and 1t
is the salesman's ability to supply
them that makes the proper impress
sion.
1t is usually the individual treatment
Of customers. the treatment given
them by statesmen and clerks that i'm
presses them most forcibly, yet the
store as whole should not be lax in
catering to its patrons wants. 1t
should take care to make its deliver
les promptly, even to make a rush
delivery when the customer particu-
larly requests 1t. 1t should be willing
at all times to accept and exchange
any article returned in proper condi-
ton, and to give its full equivalent
in cash or in satisfactory merchandise
1t should do its best in every way pos
sible to impress upon Its customers
that they can always expect fair and
satisfactory treatment-in short, that
they. can do better at that store than
anywhere else In town.
The treatment of customers Is a sub
ject which is engrossing every thought
full business man and merchant How
can he show them the little extra at
tentions which mean so much in estab-
fishing character for store-how can
he tell just how far to extend these
courtesies to make telling impress
sion and still maintain the dignity and
standing of his establishment? The
answer lies entirely with the sales
man, the clerk who comes in person
al contact with each and every Gus
toner. Have him radiate courtesy
truthfulness and willingness, and those
qualities will become inseparably asso-
ciated with the store as a whole.