Use Your Words
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I’m a avid shopper at Victoria Secrets. I’m talking V.I.P! Gold Card and all, I absolutely love them! If you love Victoria Secrets as much as I do, then you know they are notorious for asking “who helped you” at the register!
It kills me every time! Only because I can NEVER remember the person’s name for the life of me, by time I get to the register. No offense to the ladies that work there, I’m just really bad with names.
So I end up having to kind of guide the associate to the person that really helped me by telling them the location and/or description. I’m usually like “I was looking at the sweats, she had long curly hair, and light eyes.”
Now back in the day I would’ve been like “Ummm that short black girl with the long curly hair and pretty eyes“, and that would’ve probably STILL been my answer to this day if the tables hadn’t turned on me one day in my store.
My New Found Respect
I legit was working one day and a customer came up to the register and said he needed help. I proceeded to call one of my male coworkers when the customer then says “you talking about that tall, bald, black guy over there?”
To most that wouldn’t sound bad and normally it wouldn’t bother me, but to me THAT day it felt wrong. Like their was a BETTER way to describe my coworker. Like use your words and be descriptive.
Why couldn’t he be “the tall guy with the red shirt on“? In this day and age people are very sensitive and everyone as a whole should be more careful on not only what they say but HOW they say it.
Customers point of view: The easiest way to describe someone is by their looks. I mean he is black, and he is over there. I don’t see the problem.
Associates point of view: That person you’re describing is my friend and I need you to do a little better with describing him. How would you like me to describe you as the short hairy white man?
Now I’m not saying that my coworker would’ve been offended by that description of him, but you just never know. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Think about it like this, when you’re at work and a new client or associate starts and you later have to describe that person, would you really describe that person the way you just did my fellow coworker? Or would your description be a little more “work friendly“?
Moral of the story: Use Your Words
I met these two lovely ladies at my recent Victoria Secret shopping spree. Meet Nicole on the left and Katherine on the right. I’m telling you ladies GREAT customer service!
If you are EVER in the Greensboro, NC area please stop by Friendly Shopping Center and check out my two new bestie’s! These ladies WORK hard! All of the staff was amazing and friendly. They allow me to be a crazy blogger and snap all kinds of pic’s. They was even sweet enough to pose for me.
Do me a favor and let’s try a little harder picking up after ourselves ladies and gentlemen. Everyone in customer facing positions already have a lot of their plate let’s not add more unnecessary work.
Please and Thank You!
Check out last week’s Retail Rant #11
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20 Comments
Kayla
I am OBSESSED with this post! Oh my heavens, I’m in love! I used to work in retail and have been on both ends just like you. Ever since then I do my best to remember anyone’s name who’s helped me out (typically this results in me quickly writing it down in my phone or saying their name at least twice when talking to them). Great post!
Designs by Vee
😂 Awww thank you girl! That is exactly why I wanted to do these Rants. I knew a lot of people could relate and those who couldn’t would get a better understanding of what we as retail associates or customer service rep have to deal with. I just want to create healthy dialogue and spread awareness! I really do appreciate you taking the time to read my rant! 😘
Byrdie
Great post! Love that the Associates were down to participate in the blog post.
Designs by Vee
Me too! They really were amazing and totally excited about my blog. It was definitely a pleasure meeting them. Thanks so much for stopping by! 😊
Angie
This is a very interesting point of view. I never really thought about things like this. I mean I get asked all the time if I knew who helped and 99% I never know the associate’s name even though I’m sure they told me. This definitely gives me something to think about and motivates me to remember actual names in the future.
Designs by Vee
Most definitely! I try to be more aware of what & how I say things. Thanks for checking out my post! 😊
Marcella Kenny
Great post a reminder to think before you speak.
Designs by Vee
Yaaasss girl! Life lessons at it’s best! Thank you so much for taking the time out to read it! Greatly appreciated!
Karen
I get what you’re saying. Even the most innocent comment can offend. A relative of mine was once offended by overhearing himself described as ‘the old guy over there’. He was 79 at the time, and the guy describing him was in his early 20s, and it wasn’t said with any malice, but the ‘old’ got to him! To be honest, I’m more likely to have the opposite problem. I’m good with names but terrible with faces/visual stuff in general, so I’ll usually remember the name of the person who helped me, but ask me to describe what they looked like, and I have no idea!
Designs by Vee
Sooooo true! I’m sure most people really don’t mean any harm it’s just the times we live in. People will take things differently than you would. Doesn’t make it right or wrong. We just have to try to be more aware. Thanks for the healthy dialogue. I really do these rants to build awareness & create dialogue AND to be a bit humorous. 😂😏 so thanks again!
Jenn Summers
This is very insightful. I think a lot of people don’t think before they talk. I try to imagine how I would feel if someone described me a certain way. Treat others how you want to be treated.
Designs by Vee
Exactly! Society today just needs to be more cautious with their words. Thanks for taking the time out to read it 😊
MJ | Barbed Wire & Lace
This is just spot on. Seriously, people forget that their ‘helpful description’ can be rude as hell. When I worked at the vet, someone described me as the ‘chunky girl in scrubs with messy hair.’ Ouch, well smarty pants… I’m chunky cause I legit LIVE here and I’m lucky if I can grab lunch, let alone a healthy lunch… and my hair is a mess cause I just got done wrestling a 70 lb great dane for a nail trim….. but what you don’t know about me based on my outward appearance, I basically run this damn place! People get too quick to throw about physical descriptors without thinking how it would sound to the person who ‘owns’ those descriptions. ‘Hard working badass is the description I’d prefer…but thanks’ haha
Designs by Vee
OMG! Girl! You betta say 👏🏾 it 👏🏾! Customers act like we are not human sometimes. I just don’t understand how they THINK it’s ok to just blatantly disrespect people. You are beautiful girl those customers can kick rocks! 😘😘
Lissie
This is so true! Our choice of words matter and they have more power than we might think. Great post! X
Designs by Vee
Thank you!!! I simply just try to be more aware in my line of work. But I think others should try to as well. Common courtesy, do unto others as you would have them do unto you!
Rachel
I feel this so much and I haven’t ever worked retail. This applies to so much more than retail, you know? All sorts of service industries encounter it. Probably one of the best things some health care facilities have done is to have a scrub color assigned to each position. I can’t tell you the names of the people who took care of me when I got my appendix out but I remember the colors of their scrubs. Wait. Where was I going with this……
Also, I support the previous person’s comment about it being how you say it. I have a memory like a broken bear trap, so I try to say things nicely.
Designs by Vee
You are absolutely right! This goes to all field’s that involves customer service. I like these rants because it not only creates conversations but it also brings awareness to things most people neglect to think about. Thank you for taking the time out to read my post 😊 I really appreciate it.
Glen Wimbish
I think you hit it on the nail… it’s not what you say it’s HOW you say it. Being descriptive can be rude and just as harsh. I don’t do it often cause I’m normally careful with my words but a coworker was trying to describe a customer to me and I couldn’t figure out who and I said “OHHH you mean the customer with the crooked teeth”. Ignorant… lol yes I know! Im learning the error of my ways. The customer prolly pissed me off but that’s decided the point cause it was wrong. So you do have to be aware of how you talk about and describe someone…
Designs by Vee
😂 Thank you Glen! I’ve totally been that associate too. I’m just tryna make the world a little bit more aware. Thank you so much for taking the time out to read my post! I love it and it means a lot! 😊