Unfortunately, this was the fifth shop I had visited on my outing and having already endured a fresh-faced General Pants employee asking if this weekend was going to be 鈥渁 big one鈥 (yes, Riley鈥檚 third birthday will probably be an all-nighter), I struggled to hide my frustration.
As with so many people, retail was my first introduction to the workforce. At 14, I landed a job at Lowes, the opportunity to sell school uniforms to the parents of my peers, a true privilege. From there, I would build a long and varied career that would also include successful stints at Rebel Sports, Best & Less, Australian Geographic and Borders bookshop, as well as one unsuccessful stint as a Christmas casual at kikki.K. My manager did not believe I was 鈥減assionate about stationery鈥.
No matter the job, the almost obsessive fixation on customer service remained the same. Endless managers pulling staff aside to remind us that the customer is always right! The customer is king! Treat the customer how you鈥檇 like to be treated!
Even as a teenager, I recall thinking there was a disconnect between what customers actually wanted and what the industry believed they wanted. In my experience, the majority of shoppers were self-sufficient browsers, and if your initial offer was rebuffed, then you could confidently leave them be.