CHAPTER VII

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUSTOMERS

VARIETY AMONG PEOPLE

Just as there are no two people exactly alike in physical appearance, just as there are no two sunsets, trees or no two blades of grass exactly alike, there are no two people of like personality and mental development. Variety is a law of nature. One of the greatest wonders of all creation is that such a range of variety is possible year after year and century after century, without duplication. Glancing at a field of daisies or a bouquet of violets the first impression might be that they are all alike, but we find, of course, that each one is different in the length of its stem, the size of its petals and color shadings. As the saying goes, “Variety is the spice of life.” It is variety that prevents life from becoming monotonous, by presenting things of everyday life in changed forms and relationships. Among people the variety of nature and disposition is the one thing that sets the art of salesmanship apart from monotonous, machine-like operations and establishes it as an occupation calling for brains and skill.

Someone may say, “How I wish all customers were like Mrs. Brown or Mrs. Smith, who always know what they want, who buy without any fuss and are out of the store again in less time than another customer takes to decide on the color or style!” That sounds as though it might be an ideal condition except for the fact that it would put selling on a plane of service with that offered by the slot machine. The salesman would become a mere human shoe-handling machine. The sale to Mrs. Brown is a pleasure to the salesman simply because it is one of a variety; all of which have been different in some respects and most of them calling for a higher degree of personal salesmanship. There are some manufacturing companies today that have built up such a steady demand for their goods that the salesman supplying the retailer is often required simply to look over the dealer’s shelves to see what is needed to make up the complete stock, make out his order for the required goods and have it signed by the retailer. Fine business for the wholesaler and the dealer! But the salesman runs the risk of becoming a mere stock-keeper; and his pay is regulated accordingly.

HUMAN NATURE

An understanding of human nature is of especial importance to people who sell. Every shoe salesman has recognized the fact that there is among customers a variety of personality or dispositions. One person is continually in a hurry; another person, although he may have just as much to do, is never rushed. One person is happy as a matter of habit; another will appear to be weighted with the cares of the world—and so it goes, each one contributing to build up variety in human nature.

The study of human nature is known also as character reading and as psychology. The purpose of this study is to bring about a clearer understanding of the laws governing the operation of the human mind. There is a relationship between a person’s disposition and his physical appearance as shown by the features of his face, the shape of his head and such like. The science of analyzing these signs is known as character reading or character analysis. People who make a special study of these things are sometimes able to show remarkable results in reading and understanding people at first sight. Everybody acquires the habit, more or less, of “sizing-up” a person who is met for the first time. To the salesman the ability to do this is a special advantage in that it enables him at once to understand a customer and to govern his effort to sell accordingly.

Without knowing anything about the details of character reading as they relate to a study of the proportions and relationship of a person’s nose, chin, mouth, and so forth, most of us learn to understand people simply through the impression they make upon us as we meet them. A person’s general manner of approach, the expression and tone of voice, come to mean a great deal to us in an effort to understand those with whom we come in contact. A broad suggestion on this point is that the salesman should confine at least his first effort at reading human nature to that of taking a genuine interest in each customer. He should base his effort to serve upon _personal impressions_ rather than upon any attempt at analyzing the customer according to a series of rules. Only after having made a special study of psychology or character reading would he be in a position to get results from these sources. Without belittling any of these things it is safe to say that a goodly share of success in all retail selling is based upon the policy of considering each customer, first of all as a fellow human being, and of backing this up with a genuine effort to serve him well.

TUNING-UP TO THE CUSTOMER

Everyone has had the experience at some time or other of listening to amateur musicians who attempted to produce in harmony without first having tuned-up to the proper key. Although their efforts and interest may have been every bit as sincere, although the motions may have been the same and notes of music the same as those played by an artist, the effect produced could be nothing but discord, and the more persistent the effort to continue the more displeasing would be the result. The position of the salesman in relation to the customer is precisely the same. Unless he is, at the outset, able to understand something of the nature of the customer and the manner in which each one should be treated, there will surely result a lack of harmony that will end in killing the sale.

The salesman is called upon for the use of tact, which means an understanding of what is proper to be done under varying conditions as they arise under different circumstances. The clerk who asked his customer to go outside and look over the styles in the window, and to return after he made a selection, stamped himself at once as being a man without tact. He had not properly tuned-up to his customer and therefore the remark, although it seemed perfectly proper to the clerk, could only produce discord on the mind of the customer.

The salesman’s proper attitude of mind should be that of working along with the customer. He should train himself, as he proceeds with the sale, actually to feel the contact of his own foot in the new shoe as it slips on the customer’s foot. He should experience the satisfaction of the purchaser, who mentally notes that he has just spent, perhaps a considerable part of a week’s pay, in a good cause and with no regrets. He cannot serve the customer and hope steadily to get satisfactory results unless he can transplant himself into the customer’s frame of mind. He should be able to consider himself sitting in the chair, he should look at the shapes and colors submitted, through the eyes of the customer, and he should feel the shoe on his own foot as he adjusts it to the customer’s. Pure imagination, of course, but how else can he successfully work along in the sale with his customer—how else can he hope to work in harmony?

Most customers have a mind of their own and can make a decision when they feel assured that they have the shoe best suited to their requirements. It is recognized by merchants that the customer is more dependent upon the ability of the shoe salesman to supply the goods needed than he is upon any other salesman from whom he makes purchases. The shoe salesman who really lives up to his responsibility is a _consulting expert_ to whom the customer comes for suggestion and advice, in the same way that the doctor is an expert to whom the patient comes for help.

The salesman’s responsibility therefore is to think _with_ and not wholly _for_ the customer.

CHILDREN

Already the fact has been mentioned that there is great variety in human nature. Although each nature or disposition is slightly different in some respect from every other disposition, as one blade of grass is different from another, still it is reasonably possible to make some broad classifications for the purpose of considering their points of difference.

The first great distinction among people is that between young and old. “Men are simply boys grown up,” we say. But the experienced salesman knows that what will be satisfactory in the nature of service for the young boy will not do for the “old boy.”

Most youngsters, especially boys, do not like to be sent to the grocery store on small errands to get supplies of food for the dinner table. On the other hand, there is generally a change of attitude when the boy learns that the errand is to a grocer’s where he knows some good-natured soul will take the trouble and special interest to hand out, perhaps a cracker to make him happy on the way home. To use a homely illustration: A butcher in New York city built up a following among all the children in the neighborhood because he showed a fatherly interest, and at the same time handed out pieces of bologna to the youngsters, whenever they came in to buy. He may have handed out a pound or two in the course of a day; but some of the young boys have since become old boys and are still trading at the old stand.

Success in serving children, whether it be food or shoes, is in showing a genuine interest in them and in pleasing them. The salesman need not take time off to explain the operations of the store or department, but he will find his time not lost in spending a moment to inquire kindly on some minor point concerning the child and perhaps to learn its name. The child is pleased, and except in most unusual cases the mother is too.

With children the matter of proper fit should be foremost. In addition to the fact that the foot is continually growing, it is soft and easily moulded. An incorrect fit under these conditions should be carefully guarded against. The matters of wearing quality, price and style should be of secondary importance to fitting properly. If the parent seems to be unaware of the full importance of correct fitting the salesman can generally win a good customer by taking the necessary time to explain.

TALKATIVE PEOPLE

Something has already been said concerning the salesman’s attitude toward the talkative customer. It is safe to assume that nothing definite in the nature of a sale will result by encouraging such people to talk. Knowing practically nothing about shoes, the natural result is that if they are encouraged to go on the conversation must drift from the subject of shoes. This means that the sale is then less of a reality than it was when the customer first sat down in the chair.

A one-sided “conversation” cannot long continue. The salesman should take part in it only as long as it has some bearing on his special mission—that of selling shoes. As it continues beyond that point he should offer no further encouragement to go on, but should wait with consideration until there is a pause, and then continue from where he left off with the selling talk.

Oftentimes there will be suggestions made in the course of the conversation that may later be used in an effort to encourage further purchases. For example, some reference may be made to the purchase of an evening gown. At the proper time this will open up an opportunity to suggest a pair of silk slippers or a satin pump. However, it is well to complete the first sale before offering suggestions concerning additional purchases.

PRACTICAL

Certain people there are of very practical nature who have in mind a definite notion of the goods they want and who do not take kindly to open suggestions on the part of the salesman. They will be recognized by their firm, business-like walk, decisive movements and steady, well-controlled voice. Such a person will be reached best by direct and frank statements of facts. If the salesman speaks with an air of authority this customer will invariably listen and be influenced in his decision accordingly, although he may not be willing to admit it.

The practical person will quickly express the feeling if unsatisfied with a shoe and may resent any direct effort to influence his judgment. Under the circumstances it will generally be found best to show another style at once. The practical person is not by any means always right in his decision, but the effort to correct an error of judgment, if there should be one, must be made indirectly, in order that the customer may come to a conclusion through his own reasoning on the basis of facts given him.

With this type of customer it is unnecessary to mention or call attention to points that may be observed by a careful examination. The practical person, as a rule, will notice them. However, some important point about the quality or kind of leather, the lining or outer sole, will be well received. Elaborate styles will generally not be acceptable. Quality and fit on the basis of price will be the deciding factors.

SILENT

The fact has already been mentioned that the silent salesman causes the customer to be ill at ease. More so, perhaps, is the silent customer difficult to handle and the cause of embarrassment to the inexperienced salesman. The natural thing among people is for them to talk enough so that their thoughts on a subject may be known. Perhaps the best plan in serving customers who will not express an opinion is to take it for granted that they agree with everything being told them and finally to assume that they are satisfied and ready to make the purchase. To close the sale some definite suggestion, such as, “In wearing these you will find the cushion pad of special comfort,” followed by the motion of preparing to write the ticket, will either close the sale or else cause the customer to express definitely any opinions or preferences he may have.

UNPLEASANT OR GROUCHY

F. W. Small, shoe buyer and department manager for the Gilchrist Company, Boston, has this to say concerning the customer who is unreasonable in his demands for attention and service: “The grouchy, irritable customer is best served by the salesman who assumes a jovial, apparently unperturbed, light-hearted manner. However, he should always be attentive and courteous, for oftentimes these people are not as bad as they seem. Difficult circumstances, such as ill health and the like, have probably been responsible for their unfortunate manner rather than any wish or desire of their own. If the salesman loses his control and becomes indifferent or uncivil such customers become offended as much or even more so than the average person. On the other hand, if the salesman appears pleased and happy while serving them, although they may not show it at the time, it is invariably a fact that they are encouraged and benefited by having come in contact with an opposite disposition, which they must surely admire. Such a salesman will be singled out by them for all later business, because of a feeling they have that he understands them and their needs better than anyone else.”

It is not an easy matter by any means to accept with a smile continually unpleasant people, but it is good-paying business for the salesman. He can best understand them perhaps by considering them as mental invalids in need of some extra measure of consideration and service. As Mr. Small points out, they are not as bad as they may seem, and will remember every effort to please sometimes longer than will the cheerful customer.

ELDERLY PERSON OR INVALID

It is hardly necessary to say anything concerning the salesman’s responsibility in serving elderly people and invalids. Almost as if by instinct a man or woman realizes that such people are entitled to an added measure of kindness and respect. It is only necessary to remember that whatever may be the peculiarities of disposition, these things have almost without exception been brought about by circumstances and conditions that the individual could not control. Nothing less than the standard by which the salesman would serve his own mother or father should be the measure of his effort to please and serve well.

There are times, of course, when it may seem that an elderly person should be able to think more quickly or to make a decision with less fuss. Perhaps two or three other sales might have been made in less time and with less effort, but who would think of measuring service with a yardstick under these circumstances.

ABSENT-MINDED

Absent-minded people are often met with by the salesman, and might be considered as an annoyance unless they are properly understood. Almost everybody who ever tried to write a joke has taken the absent-minded college professor as a subject at some time or other. The yarn of the old professor who, coming in out of the rain, put his umbrella to bed and stood in the bath tub, proved him to be absent-minded—but he was no fool. While the rest of the world very systematically put their umbrellas where they properly belonged and went comfortably to bed, he was probably thinking five years ahead of the rank and file. This is not an argument in favor of increasing the number of absent-minded people. They are not all college professors and they may not all be deep thinkers, but they do deserve to be treated with every possible consideration on the part of the salesman.

In some stores, where the business is large enough to warrant it, the management has found it to be good business to have salesmen of special ability to serve elderly customers and invalids. This requires a fine degree of salesmanship on the part of the man who is able to tune himself up to such customers and to understand how they should be best served. It is an art worth while cultivating.