ColumnistsJun 06, 2023
Squirrel Spotting: The Challenge of Closing Sales ColumnistsJun 13, 2023
Squirrel Spotting: Own Your Customer Experience
When something goes wrong, fix the problem instead of blaming your employer or a fellow employee, Peter Smith writes.
Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.
“The goodwill the customers have for the store is largely created or destroyed by the store’s employees. To most customers, the employee is the store.”
It’s hard to argue with the logic of that sentiment; it feels relevant, contemporary even.
It was written in 1946, and I found it in a book I discovered in one of those Little Free Library boxes on my regular walking route.
The book, “Retail Store Organization” by Preston Robinson and Norris Brisco (how great are those names!), was a terrific find, coming as it did from a small box usually stuffed with books from Ruth Ware, Jodi Picoult, and James Patterson.
Finding a 77-year-old book on retail in superb condition, with that extra little heft and old-book smell, was a touch of fairy dust.
I thought about that passage recently when I was waiting to check out at a Nordstrom Rack store.
Despite the hubbub of music, PA announcements and customer noise, a heated exchange between an obviously agitated customer and a store employee drew my attention.
As the customer rubbed his head in frustration, the employee asked, loud enough to be heard over all the noise, “Did they call you to say it was ready?”
I don’t know what happened next as I was summoned to the cashier to pay for my purchase, but the words of the employee stayed with me.
Did “they” call you, she had asked, as if she worked for someone else and not the store in question.
I wondered why that employee so readily split from her own employer to side with the aggrieved customer. A case of misplaced empathy, perhaps?
Or maybe she thought siding with the customer against their common enemy, her employer, was a good way to win him over?
Related stories will be right here …
It’s hard to argue with the logic of that sentiment; it feels relevant, contemporary even.
It was written in 1946, and I found it in a book I discovered in one of those Little Free Library boxes on my regular walking route.
The book, “Retail Store Organization” by Preston Robinson and Norris Brisco (how great are those names!), was a terrific find, coming as it did from a small box usually stuffed with books from Ruth Ware, Jodi Picoult, and James Patterson.
Finding a 77-year-old book on retail in superb condition, with that extra little heft and old-book smell, was a touch of fairy dust.
I thought about that passage recently when I was waiting to check out at a Nordstrom Rack store.
Despite the hubbub of music, PA announcements and customer noise, a heated exchange between an obviously agitated customer and a store employee drew my attention.
As the customer rubbed his head in frustration, the employee asked, loud enough to be heard over all the noise, “Did they call you to say it was ready?”
I don’t know what happened next as I was summoned to the cashier to pay for my purchase, but the words of the employee stayed with me.
Did “they” call you, she had asked, as if she worked for someone else and not the store in question.
I wondered why that employee so readily split from her own employer to side with the aggrieved customer. A case of misplaced empathy, perhaps?
Or maybe she thought siding with the customer against their common enemy, her employer, was a good way to win him over?
I had an unrelated but not entirely dissimilar experience after I ordered a pair of readers from Warby Parker a few weeks ago.
The associate in the store had encouraged me to order the glasses, indicating delivery was currently taking only about three days.
The emails from Warby Parker began almost as soon as I arrived home from the store, and the tone of the communication was more self-congratulatory than informative.
By the number of emails sent, you would have thought Warby Parker was tracking the progress of a lone traveler traversing the Silk Road on foot, not delivering a $100 pair of spectacles.
Unsurprisingly, the glasses didn’t arrive in three days, or four days, or even five days.
In fact, despite the endless, almost intrusive emails, the glasses never arrived at all, at least not that first pair.
Eventually there was, you guessed it, another email informing me the order was going to be redone (no apology, no explanation, and no concession on future purchases).
When I inquired as to what happened, expressing surprise that the promised three-day delivery was now up to two weeks and counting, the latest emailer indicated “she,” meaning the in-store associate, should not have communicated three days in the first place, as if that explained everything.
“Don’t over-communicate what you can’t or didn’t do. Don’t conscript me in hating on your colleagues or your employer; just own the problem.”
— Peter Smith
In “The Effortless Experience,” Matthew Dixon, Nick Toman, and Rick Delsi wrote, “The data tells us that from a customer’s perspective, when something goes wrong, the overriding sentiment is, help me fix it. No need to dazzle me, please just solve the problem and let me get back to what I was doing before.”
Whether it was the dude in Nordstrom Rack or yours truly with Warby Parker, don’t over-communicate what you can’t or didn’t do.
Don’t conscript me in hating on your colleagues or your employer; just own the problem. Tell me you’re committed to getting to the bottom of it and do it.
What customers want more than anything else—more than a litany of emails, more than misguided empathy—is a frictionless experience.
Make shopping in your store a low-effort experience, and I’m certain customers will enjoy repeat visits.
It’s not that complicated.
Happy selling and always great to hear from you at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.
More on Columnists
The Latest
TechnologyJul 10, 2026
There’s a New Blind Box for Luxury Watches Collectibles platform Arena Club’s new Time Boxes could contain a Rolex or Patek Philippe watch.
TrendsJul 10, 2026
Jade Trau Creates a Constellation of DiamondsThe “Constellation Plié” collar, our Piece of the Week, features diamonds arranged in a constellation of shining stars.
SourcingJul 10, 2026
CFO of De Beers’ Consumer-Facing Division Leaves Company Shaun Wills joined the company in 2024 and was chief financial officer of the De Beers Brands and Consumer Markets division.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
WatchesJul 10, 2026
Brilliant Earth Expands Into WatchesIn honor of its 20th anniversary, the jewelry brand has released a limited-edition collection of Swiss-made timepieces.
Weekly QuizJul 09, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsJul 09, 2026
Boucheron’s New High Jewelry Collection Is an Ode to the Human Touch“Human Being” highlights the similarities and differences between us through five sets of jewelry that celebrate fine craftsmanship.
WatchesJul 09, 2026
Damiani Group Finalizes Acquisition of Baume & MercierRichemont will continue to provide operational services for the watch brand for a period while the group prepares to integrate it.
Brought to you by
Building the Future of Jewelry Retail: DCA Expands Education, Leadership Development, and Workforce SolutionsDCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.
AuctionsJul 09, 2026
Pharrell Williams’ Joopiter Hires Former Bonhams Exec to Head New Watch DivisionNate Borgelt will lead the digital auction house and content platform’s new division as head of watches.
Events & AwardsJul 09, 2026
Halstead Names 2026 Grant WinnerEnoch Platero, founder and designer behind Enoch Michael, is the first Native American jeweler to win the award.
Events & AwardsJul 09, 2026
AGS, GIA Name 2026 Beatrice Shipley Scholarship WinnerAGS also announced the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.
MajorsJul 08, 2026
Kendra Scott Joins ‘Shark Tank’ As Permanent Investor The founder of the billion-dollar jewelry and lifestyle brand will debut as a full-time “Shark” on the upcoming season of the show.
SurveysJul 08, 2026
Signet Jewelers Falls 5 Spots on NRF’s ‘Top 100’ Retailers ListPlus, why retailers should be ready to adjust as the U.S. population may decline this year for the first time since the Great Depression.
CrimeJul 08, 2026
Here’s What Thieves Stole From the Lalique Museum René Lalique’s “Woman Dragonfly With Open Wings” pendant, the first piece the museum acquired, was one of the jewels taken.
MajorsJul 08, 2026
Richline Group Promotes 2 ExecsArien Gessner and Moss Makhoulian have been elevated into newly created roles.
Events & AwardsJul 07, 2026
JA Announces 2026 Impact Initiative RecipientsThe association selected eight recipients for the funding program, which is in its second year.
TrendsJul 07, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: Ruby, White and Blue Whether celebrating America’s 250th birthday or the USA’s World Cup run, July birthstone jewelry can double as a patriotic accessory.
CrimeJul 07, 2026
Thieves Steal Millions in Jewels From France’s Musée LaliqueAround 20 pieces of jewelry were stolen from the museum dedicated to French jeweler and glassmaker René Lalique.
CollectionsJul 07, 2026
Robinson Pelham Is Partying Like It’s 1996The “Summer of ’96” campaign and collection celebrate the year the brand was founded for its 30th anniversary.
SourcingJul 06, 2026
Gemfields CEO Sean Gilbertson Steps DownAfter eight years, Gilbertson is leaving his post at the mining company, which is currently facing a slew of operational challenges.
IndependentsJul 06, 2026
Bachendorf’s To Open Fifth Store In DallasThe new location is set to open this winter, featuring the retailer’s first rotating jewelry designer residency.
MajorsJul 06, 2026
Graff Names BTS Star Jung Kook as New AmbassadorThe pop artist appears in the latest campaign for the “Laurence Graff Signature” collection.
CollectionsJul 06, 2026
Pandora’s New Baroque Pearl Collection Is a Whimsical ‘Wonder’One-of-a-kind pearls take the shape of ice cream cones, frogs, submarines, and other imaginative charms.
SourcingJul 02, 2026
London Diamond Bourse Elects First Female PresidentCharlotte Rose said her election is “a sign that this is an industry capable of change.”
Supplier BulletinJul 02, 2026
Elevating Retail Showcases with Today's Necklace & Bracelet TrendsSponsored by Rio Grande Jewelry Supply
TrendsJul 02, 2026
Oscar Heyman’s Flag Brooch Celebrates AmericaThe American jewelry house, founded by Latvian immigrants, has been creating American flag brooches since 1917.
IndependentsJul 02, 2026
D. Geller & Son Partners with KSU Art Students on Store MuralThe artwork celebrates the Atlanta jeweler’s legacy and symbolizes its commitment to supporting local artists and its community.
