----------------------------------------------------------------------------- < The Secret 2 Success in Retail > ---------------------------- First and foremost one should know that it is always about the customer and not the UPT (units per transaction; in other words, how many items 1 sells 2 a customer in 1 sale) or the total dollar sales number! You achieve better results by working at focusing on helping and satisfying the customers. If the customer leaves happy then you've accomplished your job and done your job correctly. Possibly then the next time that they come into the store they might want to buy more. Maybe even what ever there is to offer them; unfortunately the reverse can also be true. If a customer leaves a store feeling that they did not receive the type of assistance that they were looking for and did not have a good shopping experience then they might want to go to another store for what they need even if they can get what they need better where they are at. With this in mind, one has to remember to first start by being friendly, nice and social, like as if you're the host of the party. Mingle with as many customers as you can. Just a little bit goes a long way; try to introduce yourself by greeting them. When you get a chance go on to inform them of what's going on ~ For example, what new inventory there is and what the promotions are for the day. If you don't educate the customer with what you have to offer them then they won't know what help they need to ask for. Sort of like when you go into a restaurant, if the people at the restaurant don't let the customers know what they have to offer, then the customers won't know what is special about the place & don't know what to ask for; unless of course a menu is brought to them. But depending upon the attitude and the quality of the help will determine the success of the service and will result in the amount that is purchased & the tip. You could say that the UPT is like the tip of the meal and the sales dollar amount of the sales is equal to the dollar amount of the meal. After they've had some time to walk around and get all comfy with the place, bring out the dessert tray and try and see if you can entice them with something lovely & decedent!! Next on the list of things to remember when working with customers, is that it's important to understand that being proactive in ones sales is what makes for more successful sales! I can't emphasize enough how important it is to be knowable about the products that one is selling. It is the key to success! just like in the restaurant business; every employee in the restaurant or retail store should be educated on the products. In retail, the employees need to know how each product looks & feels on. They should also take some time to think about how it could be fashioned. For example, some shoe's may not look exciting on display and might not shout out to you, buy me but when you put them on they may not only be comfortable but also look amazing! That's a 'real' find and you definitely want to pass that type of information on to your customers to experiment with. Always keep in mind that different pumps, flats, boots & sandals etch may fit differently. If you know how they fit, then the customers are going to want you to help them because you have some added knowledge that they don't. Try not to just stand around and wait for the customer to ask you if you can help them, instead be there to assist them. Inform them of what special products are being offered. If you find that a customer is looking at a particular item, lets say a shoe for instance and you know that it either fits a little big/small or wide/narrow etc , you need to go over to that customer and let them know that information. Then do your best to try to help them find the right fit. Sometimes, finding the right fit might take trying on or suggesting a few different shoes before the customer finds what they are looking for and what they need; but once the customer does you can be assured that they will surely be a faithful customer. They might even what to buy 2 of the same kind of shoe in perhaps a different color if they like it so much! As we all know, as much as you want to, you can only wear a pretty shoe for so long. if it is not also comfortable to wear as it looks, then it will stay in the closet 4ever and not be worn on your foot; also, remember to keep in mind what is comfortable for one person is not always gonna be the same for someone else; because we are all different in our own special unique ways!! Lastly, but surely not least important, one should be able to feel a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment by following through with the job and working to satisfy the customers needs - ! When you connect with the customers and take time to be a friend to them by listening and finding out about their needs, you will be better able to serve them. Gaining more information about your customers can help you direct them to the right products. Helpful information includes: What type of life style do they have? and what type of clothes & shoes do they need -? work clothes/shoes? going out clothes/shoes -? and what type of clothes/shoe does that mean to the customer; casual or formal stuff, flats, pumps, wedges etc ? conservative or trendy? are they a special needs customer - ? When trending shoes does that mean that they either have a wide or narrow foot/calf -? etc. do they have any foot injuries that we need to know about -? etc Connecting with the customer shows that we as a company really care about them and are truly there to serve them !! Afterwards, sharing these types of experiences with other employees will only help the company as a whole. IF we don't try to help the customers & try to help their needs then we don't have any experiences to share or to work with to build upon and we don't have customers that want to be loyal ones to us! Happy, Loyal customers want to come back and buy MORE !! Hope this is helpful ~ lot's of luck & success to everyone -!! Remember to be happy and enjoy the process. Don't get hung up with the metrics. If you do, you won't be able to focus on fulfilling the customers needs and end up with successful results. That's because NOt all successes can be measured in dollar amounts, but are just as valuable if not more - --------------------------------------------------------------------------