The retail chain Nordstrom has long been synonymous with superior customer service and often sets the bar for other retail stores. Nordstrom’s treatment of customers is so advanced, in fact, that its competitors often hold training sessions for their own salespeople based on Nordstrom’s system. As a frequent buyer I have learned to only frequent stores which treat the customer with the utmost respect and courtesy. Personally, I cannot stand overly aggressive, incompetent, or manipulative salespeople. I prefer sales representatives who are friendly, knowledgeable, and easygoing. So Nordstrom is definitely a favorite stomping ground of mine.
On a Nordstrom shopping expedition a few years ago, I found myself browsing at the Laura Mercier makeup counter. I didn’t particularly need any makeup at the time, but I seem to always find myself gravitating toward things that are pink and sparkly, of which Laura Mercier has an abundance. While I was perusing the makeup, a saleswoman named Dee offered to give me a free makeover. She explained that it was a slow day; she just loved giving makeovers and promised that I was not obligated to purchase anything. So I happily obliged.
Dee spent the next hour and a half applying makeup to my face, teaching me current makeup techniques, and sharing juicy celebrity gossip. At no point did I ever feel like she was pushing me to buy her products or that she felt obligated to talk with me. She was simply a woman who loved her sales job. And I ended up spending over $350 that day.
From that point on I became a loyal customer of Dee’s, and I have yet to stray beyond the Laura Mercier counter to shop elsewhere. It would almost feel blasphemous to buy makeup from anyone else.
Last year I got a phone call from Dee, who told me that she would be leaving my local Nordstrom store. She had been recruited by Laura Mercier to work in a new sales job and would be traveling all over the country, selling products to Laura Mercier customers far and wide. I can’t say I was at all surprised that Dee was promoted so quickly. Dee turned her day sales job at the local makeup counter into a lucrative new sales career with a large corporation, simply because she loved her job.
No matter what sales job you hold, or even if you are just dreaming of a career in sales right now, learn from Dee. Whether you are a makeup counter salesperson or the head of an entire sales team, customer service should never be forgotten. People, on the whole, are very loyal. If they receive good service, they will come back — hopefully again and again. And the most important thing to remember: love your sales job. Emotions and attitudes are often contagious, and if you love coming to work every day, your customers will most likely love to be buying from you.
