Geared Up Issue 1 2018 | Page 47

When I get good service like this, I want to keep a good thing going. I asked her if there is a The Walking Co. in Orlando, where I live. “Absolutely, it’s at the Millennium Mall.” I thanked her (sincerely) and left. Since then, I’ve bought two pair of dress shoes at the Orlando The Walking Co., both times with great service and incredibly comfortable shoes. I can’t imagine buying shoes anywhere else. And I’ve sent plenty of friends there. Now, let’s look at what this The Walking Co. salesperson did that caused this to be a great shopping experience. I’ll analyze the details in a moment, but one word sums up her style – professional. This lady was a professional in every sense of the word. Her skills would apply anywhere. The skills that she demonstrated are as applicable to a bank, hospital, theme park or law office as they are to a shoe store. Here are four universal traits of a professional in any job position: She took a few moments to measure my foot and to check my type of foot (Reubenesque!). When she got me that pair of shoes, she knew they would be comfortable for me. Rather than bringing out two or three pair until I found a pair I liked, she brought me one pair – the right pair. Truly caring is smart and, in this case, saved the salesperson time. Professionals care. 4. Professionals teach you something. When I entered the store, the salesperson made immediate eye contact with me. It was sincere eye contact – the kind of eye contact that would’ve made me feel guilty had I just turned around and left. It was eye contact that said she knew I was there and cared that I was there. And as soon as she was finished with her customer she came right over to help me and apologized for the wait. The store was busy. But I noticed that everyone was being helped. The salespeople had mastered the art of handling more than one customer at a time while making each customer feel like he/she was the only one. None of the salespeople looked frantic, they just looked responsive. I left The Walking Co. with more knowledge than I walked in with. I now know to ask for extra arch support in my shoes. Not a big deal, but I will always remember that salesperson’s advice. Think of some of your best service experiences – the waiter who made the perfect