Don't Call Me, I'll Call You

...Isn't the motto of the local Ulta store. I called them recently asking for a certain type of mascara and the store employee told me, "I don't know if we have it. Call me back in 10 minutes." Unbelievable.

It was almost like I was calling to see if a friend can come over and play. Remember when you were 8 and you'd call a friend and they'd say, "Let me ask my mom. Call me back in 10 minutes."

I chalked up this experience to lack of employee training at the store. Certainly if the owner (or someone who felt ownership) answered they would have said, "Let me check and call you back. What's your number?"

It brings up a point about being in sales - your customers are doing YOU the favor, not the reverse. No matter how hard you work to provide your customer with what he/she needs, how much you have to go out of your way for them or how many strings you have to pull - they are still doing you a favor. Keep that in mind.