A Small Gesture of Customer Service

Shopping inside a store larger than a cafe can be a time drain. In the land of abundance our stores, whether it’s for hardware, electronics, or groceries, is overwhelming at times — especially if you’re looking a specific item. Today though, I noticed one brand that teaches their employees to do something different. It’s a small detail that goes a long way.

Whole Foods, known for their organic food and high priced produced, has taught their employees to help the customer in a very deliberate and helpful way. If you ask an employee, regardless if they’re busy, where something is they will drop everything and walk you to it. They will walk you to the specific aisle, to the specific shelf, and place the item in your hand. It’s a small detail but it’s an incredibly effective behavior. It’s better than an employee scratching their head and pointing to the other end of the megastore with a look on their face that says, “Good luck.” I know someone who works at Home Depot and he sends everyone to Aisle 8.

Think about what this does psychologically to the customer. When a clerk walks to the other end of the store with you, finds your specific item, and placing it in your hands, what is the likelihood of you buying it now?

“Listen more than you talk. Nobody learned anything by hearing themselves speak.” — Richard Branson

This can work digitally by making a search function that is hyperspecific. At the end of the day, it’s about listening to the customer. Not selling. But listening. After all, if they’re asking you questions, they’re closer to buying than you think.

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