Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1922-01-27

II
am4ha, Jan. 2a=Ta the EditaI
nf the Bees AMER seeing the Gar
teeh on The trent pace ~ Y0ul
morning issue January 81 1889.
an moved 90 ask II che artist sysi
stadiea beth sides ~ the department
store saisspsrsoR's life
May times during the past year
hais read articles written By per,
s4hs tmany % whom feel aFs
hfslualredl who attempt 10 Tl4sl
ana flaleuls Department store sales,
ladies' ahh salesmen, tn Practieails
/, every Instance the empiays is held
up % Fldieule and criticism ana
depicted as an arrogant ignorant
and ihsolent person,
Il For more than IS years I have
been connected with nFms iB the
retail business, almost 10 OF thsss
years with one rFm IN Omaha, F0f
several years I worked as salesman
IN blankets and demssiies. dfaperies
ana linens, have waited upon tens
or thousands Of Omaha men and
women In my present work /
come ~ contact with both the sales
people and customers and I am safe
~ saying that more than f0ur-nfths
or SO per cent ~ the discaurte0us
/ remarks or lmpolite actions COME
from the patrons and not the em-
/ pinye.
/ Demands most unreasonable are
made or the saleapenpie times with
/ out number, Many times merohan-
/ disc is returned for credit on refund
when the customer should he haaFt-
liy ashamed 10 even ask Tor an al.
insAnee and when their demands
are. not az once aeeseded 10 there Is
nothing too strong for them 10 sRV
IN condemnation 81 the firm and lis
employees.
There never was \ bigger lie ut
tered than that displayed az one
time over the desk of department
managers and general salesmen OF
large eastern concern. This lie
was ia the form OF a plaeard read
Ing THE customer h always right"
From my experience. I believe the
customer u oftener wrong than
right.
last week 7 viewed two returns
or merchandise from customers 20
ono Of our Omaha department
stores, one was n dress altered 20
measure, returned not because IL
was not a good value. no complaint
that IL did not III. no fault 10 find
with the service OF the store. but
after having been out OF stock three
weeks returned as not wanted be-
cause another woman In the same
town had similar model
The other return was two party
dresses, light airy fabrics. delicate
colors. exquisite styles, both up-to-
date models; as IN the first case no
particular complaint except they
80 ha a
had been worn and the marks OF
Precipitation very visible under the
arms. Were these two customers
righty / am not saying how the
department store settled these two
eases. as 1t was up TO me 10 make
adjustment.
At one time when 7 was selling
draperies ] was reported TO the head |
OF the house as impertinent because |
refused TO show every curtain in |
the stock for the customer TO try
and pick one out to match some she |
had at home which were purchased |
two years before. This after I had
volunteered to send TO her home |
and get one of her curtains for !
sample. Was / impertinent and
was the customer right?
All sales persons pay, whether /
they work on commission or
salary. is computed from a
percentage standpoint and only
those who make good stay long in
the work. This being the case, does
it stand to reason that when a sales
persons salary comes from sales
they will deliberately snub or in
suit prospective customer?
The salespeople are not in the de-
partment store from choice. Most
of them, as well as we department
are there because eve
need the money" and the only way
we can get the money is by doing
our work right.
The management of all depart
ment stores wish to Know of any
on incivility on the part
OF their employees yet they also wish
the public to exercise at least rea
sonable amount of tolerance on rush 4
days and special sales. Salesper-
sons are human and as a rule. be-
Iieve, they develop a greater control
Of their temper and keep their
heads better than almost any other
class, of workers, but take it from
me when you have worked hard all
day, doing your best to sell goods,
been sweet and pleasant all the time
and at half past five someone steps
up to your counter and has you
show all the underwear your have
IN stock and finally when the bell
rings and your goods are all torn
up and spread over your display
space the customer calmly informs
you she doesn't care for underwear,
she will come back tomorrow after
wall paper, you sure feel like saying
DEPARTMENT MANAGER.