Example of Best Buy employees and a lesson learned

[Michael]

I was in the market for a internet home security system when I found out the one I was interested in was sold at Best Buy. I went by there last week and although they didn't have that particular system in stock, I decided to "put my hands on" a few other cameras they had to familiarize myself with them. Anyway, a salesman was helping another customer next to me and he was in the market for the same thing and he was asking some informed questions about the different cameras they had. This associate(I refuse to use the term "sales" associate) began answering him by picking up a box and reading word for word the bullet points printed on the box....not really answering his question. He then picked up another box(whichever was closest) and began reading it to him like some bedtime story.

I didn't say anything, but something occurred to me at that moment. No matter what you do in life, the way you approach that job determines your success. Now I didn't just learn that, it just opened my eyes to the concept in a different way. We have all seen bad employees with bad attitudes, but this guy wasn't necessarily a bad employee, nor did he have a bad attitude(that I could see). He genuinely wanted to help his customer, but just didn't know how. Maybe he wasn't normally in that area and he was covering for someone else and his forte was TV's or stereos. Maybe this was his area after all, and instead of spending his free time learning his product, he directed his attention to other intrests outside of work. After watching that little exchange I couldn't help but place myself in that customers' shoes standing there listening to a box being read to me like I'm an idiot. I left without listening to the whole exchange knowing that I wouldn't pick up any more info, but I doubt he made a sale.

On the other hand, I work at different car lots and there seems to be 2 common things with the top salesman. One, they know their product front and back. Two, they never stop selling. Even when it's dead out, they are on the phone trying to drum up a lead, or get some past customer to come in and take a look at the new models. In that same timeframe, the "rotating bunch"(as I call them..the 6 or 7 salesman that move from lot to lot never staying more than a year) are grouped around each other BS-ing and swapping stories, at best keeping one eye on the lot for any customers. Attitude is everything, it is the beginning of skill, it is the beginning of excellence, and you never will achieve true success at anything without a positive attitude to push yourself to be better and better.

Thanks Best Buy for driving that point home.

[Exolis]

I guess I can't blame him, places like that need a database where they have detailed product description and what not for the sales person to take them to and show them/explain. As with a place like Best buy with much variety, I personally don't expect anyone to be an expert at a particular thing.

This actually might be a similar problem with dealerships. In a recent visit, I took my mother to a Nissan dealership to test drive the new Rogue, while the sales guy knew quite a bit, there were some kinda big things he goofed up on, such as the transmission being used. Granted it was the first week they received the vehicles, but I would have hoped the sales team would have had some kind of training/study to know as much as possible when they get the car in or even for pre-orders.

Though with my experience working at a dealership as a porter, it was the sweet/fast talkers that got the highest sales, which very well could be directly related to the whole attitude thing. Which is why I don't typically like talking to sales people as they know more about how to sell then they do about the product itself.

[Rad Dad]

This is not an original saying with me. It is, I believe, attributed to the fellow who owned the Grand Central Station Cafe, NY, NY. It is so on target.

Business, as in life, is all about how you make people feel. It is that simple, and it is that hard." As a former successful business owner, I have to say that last sentence sure sums it up.

Dick

[DMCVegas]

What you do in life, as well as your attitude and determination absolutely determines your success. Years ago I wanted to learn networking, but didn't even have a NIC in my old PC at home. I ended up taking a job in a Call Center where I stayed late after work and got to play around on Windows NT clients that at the time were all set with admin privileges. A few late nights I stayed there past my shift and learned the basics of TCP/IP, cabling, file sharing, printer sharing, and the basics. Fast forward and I got a job learning telecommunications with a heavy focus on RF and started learning VOD systems, cable distribution, and more. But the problems I had was that after that first big gap between jobs, and then that second one after I became so versed in other technologies, I became stagnant with my education. In the long term, I've suffered for it, so I'm going back to expand my knowledge and skill sets.

You have to always be prepared to learn more and more, and even a little something else unrelated too.

[Kane]

Back in school I worked at Best Buy as an associate. I had other retail jobs during those years at places such as Sears and Staples. You are expecting a lot from a guy who most likely gets minimum wage and doesn't work on commission. Unless he is passionate about home security systems, he has no incentive to learn everything about them. Even when I worked in those places I would tell friends that 80% of the job is just reading off the box and making it sound like you knew it the whole time. Now how well you can hide that fact with a customer is a different story.

So while you can look down on that guy from your position, just try to realize that a minimum wage worker in retail is not even remotely close to a commission-based salesman at a car lot.

Plus, all of the information you could possibly want to know about a product is just a Google away. Why do you still expect a human to do that job for you?

[thirdmanj]

PUT THAT COFFEE DOWN...
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/18/edygeqa7.jpg

[Michael]

Back in school I worked at Best Buy as an associate. I had other retail jobs during those years at places such as Sears and Staples. You are expecting a lot from a guy who most likely gets minimum wage and doesn't work on commission. Unless he is passionate about home security systems, he has no incentive to learn everything about them. Even when I worked in those places I would tell friends that 80% of the job is just reading off the box and making it sound like you knew it the whole time. Now how well you can hide that fact with a customer is a different story.

So while you can look down on that guy from your position, just try to realize that a minimum wage worker in retail is not even remotely close to a commission-based salesman at a car lot.

Plus, all of the information you could possibly want to know about a product is just a Google away. Why do you still expect a human to do that job for you?

First, I wasn't looking down on anyone from any position. Second, your entire reply is a perfect example of what I was trying to communicate.

Would you like to hear a little story? I have worked retail myself when I was in school. It was a telemarketing catalog(I didn't call people, I took calls from people who wanted to order from catalogs). This was before the internets. Anyway, I got paid like .25 cents over minimum which was around $3.25 at the time. When I first started, there were times when things were dead, especially mornings. When my cube mates were chatting, I looked at this huge stack of different catalogs and began to familiarize myself with the products and locations. It was something I did to pass the time. Others brought in crosswords, knitting, I remember one guy even had a plastic model kit!

It didn't take me long to become very good at what I did. I was able to take a call, and because I was so well versed in the catalogs, (we had around 10 at any given time) I was able to take care of my customer and on to the next. We had these evaluations every few weeks in which recorded calls were played back to us and options discussed on how we could be better at our jobs. 3 calls were recorded and the evaluation was based on the worst call. After my second evaluation, I was promoted to a special troubleshooting department based on the fact that I knew things most others didn't. That meant a big raise and a much better working environment.

That was the second job I ever had(I left my first job in fast food to accept employment there). That little bit of real world attitude training set in motion a chain of events that would lead me to owning my own business...a successful business in which we just recently celebrated 10 years and are now 100% debt free.

Again, your response is a perfect example of the lack luster, excuse making, blame everyone and everything mentality that is missing from good employees..."Job doesn't pay enough, so why work any harder than necessary?" "Customers should know what they want before walking into the store. They should be the ones to use Google, I have coffee to drink here!".

Yup, you nailed it.

[thirdmanj]

Heh heh "lackluster".

Yup. You a boss. ;)

[Spittybug]

+1 Michael. Those that blame their performance on what they are being paid or on the nature of the job shall always be at the mercy of those of us that don't accept such crap.

[thirdmanj]

:rolleyes:
Waiting on the inevitable essay from Robert.

Of course Nightflyer might beat him to the punch with his EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE!!

[NightFlyer]

:rolleyes:
Of course Nightflyer might beat him to the punch with his EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE!!

Sorry to disappoint you, but Michael summed things up just fine. Besides, if I expressed how I truly felt on the subject, I'd end up being put on time-out for making alleged political comments, as past empirical evidence clearly shows.... :p

[opethmike]

Sorry to disappoint you, but Michael summed things up just fine. Besides, if I expressed how I truly felt on the subject, I'd end up being put on time-out for making alleged political comments, as past empirical evidence clearly shows.... :p

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/222/836/1324784063001.jpg

[DMCVegas]

:rolleyes:
Waiting on the inevitable essay from Robert.

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/010/390/pC8jf5t4eWCDKcMu.jpg



Plus, all of the information you could possibly want to know about a product is just a Google away. Why do you still expect a human to do that job for you?

Because some people need help, and others probably don't know all the things you can do with a product. But most of all it benefits your personal development by expanding your education and skillets.

After we moved back to Texas, I needed a job and got hired on at an Apple Store as a Genius along with 2 other people that were outside candidates that had different experiences with Networking, Gaming, and Servers. Apple was the best company I've ever worked for, and one of the big reasons for that (aside from actually learning to love helping and interacting with people again, because for me it was almost like therapy) was because they encouraged employees and customers to learn and be creative about the products in the store. It taught me a lot that I wanted to learn about UNIX and abstract networking systems and scenarios, and I got to bring outside knowledge to the table. It was important to not just know what the specs said on the side of the box, but the differences between products and how they could be used. As a result I got LOTS of leeway to spend extra time with customers because I could move product since I could explain things to people. But more importantly I got people things that they didn't even know that they needed. I'd have some people walk out of the store with not just a new computers, but rather sometimes and/or a new WiFi network, or even a complete VOD system with an Apple TV and Mac Mini server running Handbrake to archive and protect their old DVDs, and display new content. Sometimes it was just showing some guy how to download an App to their iPhone so they could Telnet into their switches at work. It was endless.

Now I've moved into IT, and I've faced similar problems that will continue to prepare me for the future. Exceeded the length of Cat5 cable, and no 120V outlet to run a repeater? Easy: Install an Intellijack to run as a PoE Ethernet Repeater. We can also use those same devices to run VLANs to create multiple Ethernet ports for different devices off the same line. It saves cash on wiring installation & Hardware purchases by doing more with less. And if I ever hope to be an IT manager one day, it's budgetary skills gained from real world experience like that I'll be needing. But in the past, possessing that knowledge that others did not have is what always got me to excel in my job and promotions. Of course too I honestly owe a huge debt to where I'm at now thanks to my DeLorean believe it or not, but it's that drive to learn for yourself that benefits you.

[thirdmanj]

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/010/390/pC8jf5t4eWCDKcMu.jpg




Because some people need help, and others probably don't know all the things you can do with a product. But most of all it benefits your personal development by expanding your education and skillets.

After we moved back to Texas, I needed a job and got hired on at an Apple Store as a Genius along with 2 other people that were outside candidates that had different experiences with Networking, Gaming, and Servers. Apple was the best company I've ever worked for, and one of the big reasons for that (aside from actually learning to love helping and interacting with people again, because for me it was almost like therapy) was because they encouraged employees and customers to learn and be creative about the products in the store. It taught me a lot that I wanted to learn about UNIX and abstract networking systems and scenarios, and I got to bring outside knowledge to the table. It was important to not just know what the specs said on the side of the box, but the differences between products and how they could be used. As a result I got LOTS of leeway to spend extra time with customers because I could move product since I could explain things to people. But more importantly I got people things that they didn't even know that they needed. I'd have some people walk out of the store with not just a new computers, but rather sometimes and/or a new WiFi network, or even a complete VOD system with an Apple TV and Mac Mini server running Handbrake to archive and protect their old DVDs, and display new content. Sometimes it was just showing some guy how to download an App to their iPhone so they could Telnet into their switches at work. It was endless.

Now I've moved into IT, and I've faced similar problems that will continue to prepare me for the future. Exceeded the length of Cat5 cable, and no 120V outlet to run a repeater? Easy: Install an Intellijack to run as a PoE Ethernet Repeater. We can also use those same devices to run VLANs to create multiple Ethernet ports for different devices off the same line. It saves cash on wiring installation & Hardware purchases by doing more with less. And if I ever hope to be an IT manager one day, it's budgetary skills gained from real world experience like that I'll be needing. But in the past, possessing that knowledge that others did not have is what always got me to excel in my job and promotions. Of course too I honestly owe a huge debt to where I'm at now thanks to my DeLorean believe it or not, but it's that drive to learn for yourself that benefits you.
P.S. I love you.

[DMCVegas]

P.S. I love you.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a143/dodong27/Gif/HanSolo.gif

[DeLorean03]

Besides, if I expressed how I truly felt on the subject, I'd end up being put on time-out for making alleged political comments, as past empirical evidence clearly shows.... :p

Probably not anymore.

[thirdmanj]

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a143/dodong27/Gif/HanSolo.gif

OMG I want to have your puppies.

[thirdmanj]

...empirical evidence ...

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/19/6yjeseda.jpg

[opethmike]

Anybody want a peanut?

[DMCVegas]

Anybody want a peanut?

Depends. Where'd you get it from? 'Cause I don't want no damn, "space peanuts"...

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/jXGV-MT-TmU/maxresdefault.jpg

[opethmike]

Better than space herpes!

23956

[DMCVegas]

Better than space herpes!

23956

I've not seen that movie in years. Man I feel old...

http://www.nerdspan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/IcePiratesTimeDliation2.jpg

[Notifier]

I worked for Radio Shack back in the mid 90's for a couple of years. It was just a job I had while in college to pay the bills. But I always had a passion for electronics, so I enjoyed myself. Back then, RS was big on training. You would be certified in certain areas; computers, telephones, security, audio, etc. I want to say there were about a dozen areas and it was encouraged to become certified in all of them. For someone who didn't know about a particular subject, they were pretty good on giving you the basics. They were big on "Sell, sell, sell" but made it a point to understand the product you were selling. Today, I don't see that. From what I understand the big push in these stores is cell phones. I was in there a while ago to pick up some double sided foam tape (less then $5 purchase) and I got the sales pitch for the "free" phone. Another example, a couple years ago I walked into a RS to buy a replacement plug for my car antenna cable. I asked for a "motorola type car antenna plug" - the guy took me over the the cell phone accessories and said, "We have some Motorola stuff here".

Another problem I can see, especially when it comes to electronics today, is that so much stuff becomes obsolete within months of being released. I bought a flat screen TV once, liked it so much I decided to buy a second one. Figured I would go the same exact model just smaller screen size. I made the mistake of waiting six months. Suddenly, it was no longer available. And the features my old one had weren't available on the newer model. It almost makes it impossible to keep up with products that constantly change.

So I would say the problems in these types of stores (your Best Buys, Radio Shacks, etc) are 1.) lack of training, 2.) a company that pushes the sale, and 3.) this constantly changing environment of consumer electronics. You are almost better going to your mom and pop type of stores. You may pay a little more, and your in store selections would be limited, but if it's that personalized service you are looking for, that would probably be your best bet!

[NightFlyer]

1984 was one of the best years ever for motion picture!

[Michael]

1984 was one of the best years ever for motion picture!

Clever, I see what you did there
http://imgain.com/images/comp1ab.gif