Dear Everyone,
I’ve had many experiences that have brought me to writing this post and please be considerate of my opinions, beliefs and experiences, as they are my own.
To start off, I’d like to say that I’ve had so many people through both as a cashier myself and as a seller (selling stuff through online selling platforms) that customers seem to lack proper and full communication. For example things like:
- Assuming I know what they want by reading their minds: by saying yes I have brought my own reusable bags… assuming I know that in between those lines are: “please bag my items as you scan them through.”
- Asking where I’m located when the answer to that & pickup locations are specified in the ad details and also mentions I offer shipping & deliver in person. As shown below: ⬇️
- When people ask me where I’m located and when I do, they see how far I am from them and don’t think to ask if I deliver to people outside of my town…
There is no stupid question except for the question that is not asked.
Hint: you should always ask: as my college professor and my mom tell me this: for I’ve felt I was bugging my business teacher for putting my hand up to have a question or two answered by him so much; they are there to help you and it’s encouraged to ask all questions until you have all the answers so you can succeed at school and other places and scenarios.
- If you don’t understand what I mean by something, ask me to clarify or rephrase for you. I’ve done this for my history exam in high school: I didn’t get what it was asking the way it was worded so I had my teacher rephrase it: basically the question was asking: “what are the 3 main causes of World War II?” Which I still remember to this day:
- Treaty Of Versailles
- Policy Of Appeasement
- Failure of League Of Nations
- If you want something and it may appear to some point that you’ll have to work and make time to arrange to have yourself, a friend or family member pickup or choose the shipping option or deliver in person, if your schedule for one day or the week is too busy to squeeze in. Never assume that it would be too much; ask first; ask what the seller’s availability is for them to meet you at one of the pickup locations in their town, and when they are able to drop off or meet in their (you: the customer) town.
- My mom always says this quote to me and why I I believe we all seem to do a lot of this: it’s a bad habit:
Assume: making an ass out of you and me; breaking it down.
These are just some I can think of. But I’ll mention more later here or in another post. Communication is something that is so crucially and vitally important in any situation and moment.
My parents instilled in me that if I want something, to write it on the grocery list, communicate to them what I want for lunch or what I need at Walmart or Superstore. And even if I want them to help me with something, I have to communicate that to them; I can’t just expect them to assume from reading my mind because no one can read anyone’s mind. If we don’t communicate, nothing will happen and we don’t get what we want nor get what we expect someone to do for us.
True communication goes beyond talking and listening; it is about understanding. ~ Gerald Campbell
Same goes for customers: if they want the cashier to bag their items as they scan them through the register; the customer must communicate that to the cashier. Even if Walmart (an example of a grocery store) is known for being a company that has their cashiers bag their customers items (without the communication/request) customers should have no excuse for not communicating something so simple and easy.
If we want something done for ourselves, we must communicate that request or order. How can we expect a waitress to know our usual or what we want from what we are thinking in our minds if we don’t tell them? Even if we are a regular and the waitress has memorized your order, there’s no excuse.
The most important thing in communication is hearing what is not said. ~ Peter Drucker
If you want something that you are looking for in a store of any kind: food, clothes, jewelry, electronics gadgets, etc; most people know to give important details to help the associate in the store to find what the customer is looking for. And as a seller with 4 years experience, I have had so many people who don’t do that via messaging chats through selling/buying online platforms.
Why wouldn’t you do the same as you do in store in person, online? What is the hold up? What’s the issue, problem, or psychological problem that has caused this to happen to frequently?
Emotional awareness is necessary so you can properly convey your thoughts and feelings to the other person. ~ Jason Goldberg
