Shopping for a shirt

Looking for a pink shirt: My shopping experience

My wife and I recently received an invitation to a birthday party. It was my cousin's birthday and she was going to celebrate in style with a themed party. The theme? Pink! Now, I'm not a huge fan of themed parties, but I also didn't want to be a party pooper and show up in a dark blue shirt. Since my wardrobe isn't filled with pink shirts, I had no choice but to find a suitable shirt. My requirements? Long sleeves, a good fit, and a reasonable price.

Now, I'm a shopper who usually does some comparative research and visits multiple stores. This provides a good insight into what's available, but it also gives me a variety of experiences in sales techniques and hospitality. And as you can imagine: the variety is enormous.

What most of you will recognize is the question asked by most shop assistants:

“Are you looking for something special or would you like to have a look around?”

Naturally, everyone then chooses the easiest answer: "I'd like to browse." After a quick scan for a suitable shirt, I quickly fled the store, where the two shop assistants (who were mostly busy exchanging chit-chat) gave me a friendly "See you later." I had a similar experience at two other stores, as this is the general pattern in most clothing stores and other retail establishments.

A positive exception occurred at a men's fashion store where a friendly middle-aged woman approached me when she saw me darting around the store. She said:

"It looks like you're looking for something special. How can I help you?"

I was pleasantly surprised, as I hadn't heard anything like that before. I explained the reason for my search, and we quickly became engaged in an animated conversation. She offered me several options, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. She replied with a smile: "That's a shame, but who knows, we might be able to help you on your next visit."

Finally, I found a shirt in a store where a friendly young lady was able to offer me the shirt and the attention I was looking for.

Looking back on my shopping experience, I ask myself: where will I go first next time? It's the store that remains top-of-mind. It's not the store where I bought the shirt, but the store where the experience made the biggest impression. And that was with the friendly woman who pleasantly surprised me with her attention and communication. But what makes the difference? It's primarily the feeling you're left with. Let's not forget:

“People forget what you said, they forget what you did, but they never forget how you made them feel.”

Curious about the hospitality standards in your store or showroom? A Hospitality Scan offers valuable insight. Want to learn more? Feel free to contact us.