Okay so I understand customers not trusting that sales associates know what they're talking about because the truth is that 90% of people who work in retail are only in the store 4-8 hours a week. Stores get new product all the time and constantly have to move the already existing product to make space for the new stuff and to consolidate the items that have sold through. It's hard to stay on top of what and where over 2000 styles of items are all the time. We try to know all the colours that each item comes in, where it's made, and what it's made of, but come on, it's unrealistic to expect even the person who's in the store 40 hours a week, even the person who places all the product to remember exactly what we have and where it is.
This being said, if you ask us a question and we give you an answer we will either tell you:
a) I don't know the answer let me find out.
b) I'm pretty sure what you want is over here but let me just make sure I'm right.
c) Yes, what you're looking for is right here and it also comes in x y z colours.
Now A and B show that the person is trying to help you to the best of their ability but if they don't fully answer your question, have a look around yourself.
If you get answer C then this person knows what they are talking about and is completely answering your question. They are either a super genius or have been asked the same question enough times to know the answer off the top of their head.
Regardless of what answer you get, I never understand when I'm asked a question and I give one of these responses and the response I get from the customer is, "no you're wrong." If you aren't going to trust the answer I give you then why did you ask me? I had two such customers today.
Customer one: She asked me where the shirt I was wearomg was in the store. I walked her over to the table and said:
Me: Here.
Her: No it's not.
Me: Um, ya that's the shirt I'm wearing.
Her: No it's not, I looked at that one and it's not what you have on.
Me: Well I literally just bought this shirt ten minutes ago and that's the pile I took it from.
She picks up the shirt.
Her: Oh, ya.
No "sorry" no "thank you" or "my bad" just took her size and left.
Second customer called the store:
Her: Hi I was just wondering when your next sale is.
Me: Well we have shorts on sale for $30, t-shirts on sale for $15, bathingsuits for $20 and all sale is an extra 20% off.
Her: Ya, that's not what I'm looking for.
Me: What are you looking for?
Her: I don't really know...um, sweatpants?
Me: Okay well sweatpants were on sale a couple of months ago so it might be a while again.
Her: No I get your emails, you have sales all the time.
Me: Yup we have sales on specific items all the time and sometimes online gives blanket discounts but we rarely do that in store.
Her: No I get your emails for deals.
Me: Yup I get the emails too and three times a year we have friends and family for 30% off but otherwise it's usually only online that gives those kinds of deals 'cause it's cheaper to run an online store when you don't have to pay for people like me.
Her: Ya I don't want to say you're wrong but I get the emails. I just want to know when the next one is.
Me: I don't know.
Her: Okay well I guess you don't know anything then. You can't help me.
Me: You're right, I clearly don't know anything...
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