Stalking as a Customer Service Technique

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of going shopping with my daughter. We were in one of the large department stores looking at candles, when we were approached by a sales clerk. As is typical (but probably not terribly effective), she asked if she could help us “find anything.” We told her we were just browsing. She made a comment about the candles we were looking at, which can be a good lead-in to a sale, but rather than point out the great things about that particular brand of candles, she told us that she didn’t burn “real” candles, because she had a cat and was afraid he might set his fur on fire! I confess that I had never thought of that, but I do own a cat (perhaps my cat is more intelligent than hers?), and being on a caffeine high, I made a flip comment about my cat. She laughed, and I assured her I was only kidding.

Kierra and I wandered on, only to have her talk to us again in another department, trying to get us to open a credit card (10% off today if you open an account!). She continued to "chat us up" throughout various departments until we finally left. We couldn’t look at what we wanted to look at, because she was so intent on talking to us (and no, I don’t think she was concerned that we might shoplift).

I have had other, similar experiences. Sales clerks are so intent on “helping” me pick out clothes to try on, that they end up driving me out of their store in exasperation. This has occurred even after I have told the clerk that I want to look around on my own, and assured the clerk that I will find her/him if I have any questions. I’m sure that some clerks think I’m rude, but I have found that the best way to be able to leisurely shop and look at what I want to look at is to be brief and not make eye contact when they greet me.

The pinnacle of this “stalking” occurs on the lower level of the Jordan Creek Town Center, at a kiosk selling hand lotion. The sales people stand on either side of the kiosk (no escaping them) with a tube of lotion, asking customers if they want to try some. If they customer says no, they follow up with, “Can I ask you something?” I fell for this the first time, only to learn that they wanted to ask me if my nails were “real” and if they could show me their amazing buffing stone! It’s so bad that I often avoid the lower level of that particular wing – I’m sure the other retailers would not be happy to hear that the kiosk’s sales tactics are driving away their potential customers!

Ann Taylor (the women’s clothing store), on the other hand, does a nice job of training sales clerks to recognize which customers want help and which don’t. They teach them how to greet customers (so they are acknowledged) without stalking them, and how to be helpful yet unobtrusive.

Do your associates know the difference? Do they know how to treat different customers? Or are they so intent on being friendly and helpful that they are driving your customers away?