Independents

Squirrel Spotting: Why Having a Method of Turnover Matters

IndependentsJan 15, 2019

Squirrel Spotting: Why Having a Method of Turnover Matters

Peter Smith suggests adopting a seamless turnover practice that includes “loitering with intent.”

2016-Peter_Smith_copy.jpg
Peter Smith is president of Memoire and author of two books, “Hiring Squirrels,” and “Sell Something.” Connect with Smith on LinkedIn or at dublinsmith@yahoo.com.

Turning over customers—the delicate art of shifting a prospective customer from one salesperson to another when the chemistry seems not to be right—has much in common with New Year’s resolutions.

With the best of intentions, we determine to do better, we know we ought to do better and, yet, as we get into the meat of the year, we can often find ourselves lamenting that we are no closer to effecting change then when we made the resolution in the first place.

There are, naturally, many reasons why turnover is important in a sales environment but perhaps the most compelling argument comes from the research on bias conducted by Alexander Todorov and Janine Willis at Princeton University.

Todorov and Willis concluded that people make decisions about whether they like someone or not within 1/10th of a second upon meeting them.

If that first impression happens to be negative, everything that follows serves only to underscore the validity of the initial perception for the customer.

If someone takes an immediate dislike to you they will follow that perception down the rabbit hole to the detriment of you, your store and, ironically enough, themselves. In many respects, there might have been nothing you could have done differently to avoid your fate.

Rationalizing why customers might feel that way about someone they have just met serves no purpose.

It could be that you remind them of somebody they don’t like, it could be the color of your outfit, your accent, or even the closeness of your eyes.

There is also the possibility that you yourself unconsciously communicated your dislike of the customer in your own body language.

RELATED CONTENT: Squirrel Spotting—Body Language Speaks Volumes
If your schedule permits, you could conduct a post-mortem on what your body language communicated that might have been off-putting to prospective customers with whom you did not connect.

Or, in the interest of time and sanity, you can accept that no one person—no matter how nice, smart or well-intentioned—is ever going to connect with everyone they meet.

And you can get busy working on the practical aspects of how you might execute turnover in your store to ensure the best possibility for a win-win-win for your customers, your salespeople and your store.

Like most of human engagement, there are few absolute truths in how one ought to construct the practice of customer turnover.

I would suggest
a “seamless turnover” practice, aided by a culture of team selling, is not a bad place to start.

That doesn’t mean invoking an “everyone in” approach to every customer where you risk overwhelming your customers with a gang-selling approach. What is does mean, however, is that you adopt the practice of what I call “loitering with intent.”

Loitering with intent means that when a given salesperson engages with a customer, one of her colleagues “busies herself” nearby, within earshot, so that she can offer an opinion, a helping hand or, when necessary, a life raft.

Seamless turnover is a good way to hand off a customer without him knowing that he is being passed from one person to another.

It is facilitated by having more than one salesperson (appropriately and respectfully) in the space (within a case length or so of the customer) and potentially in the conversation.

It also requires a practiced and subtle signal between the salespeople that one will pass the customer to the other when the first salesperson feels the chemistry is not good.

The hand-off can happen by the original salesperson quietly excusing herself with something as simple as, “Let me grab a coffee for you and I’ll have Sharon show you that ring. I know it’s a favorite piece of hers.”

There should be no hard stopping point (where you announce that you are handing the customer over) so the customer is not put in an awkward position. The hand-off should be as subtle and seamless as possible. Once the original salesperson has quietly slipped away, the second salesperson can take the lead.

Another way to make the switch is to have the original salesperson stay on the periphery of the conversation but nonetheless cede the lead role to a colleague.

As the conversation progresses, the original salesperson can gradually work her way out of the conversation altogether and eventually excuse herself to “return a phone call” or engage a new customer.

Salespeople will often be resistant to the practice of turnover.

Besides the perfectly understandable resistance to not wanting to give up potential sales opportunities, there are two additional reasons why salespeople might be resistant; one is psychological—not wanting to admit failure—and the other is more practical—you haven’t been trained to manage customer turnover and it might feel staged or awkward to do it.

Those latter two concerns, of course, need to be addressed before implementing the practice.

It is important to share with your salespeople why turnover does not signal a failure on their part, and why it is in the customer’s best interest to foster a culture of turnover as standard practice.

Those points, of course, will be underscored provided your salespeople are as often the recipients of handovers from their colleagues as they are the givers of customers to their colleagues.

A culture of turnover is the right thing for your business, it is the right thing for your customers and, ultimately, it is the right thing for your salespeople.

Peter Smith is president of Memoire and author of two books, “Hiring Squirrels: 12 Essential Interview Questions to Uncover Great Retail Sales Talent,” and “Sell Something: Principles and Perspectives for Engaged Retail Salespeople.” Both books are available in print or Kindle at Amazon.com. Connect with Smith on LinkedIn or at dublinsmith@yahoo.com.
Peter Smithis an industry consultant, speaker, and sales trainer, and author of 3 books on sales. Reach him at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.

The Latest

GIA iD100® Technology
Supplier BulletinJul 03, 2025
Protect Your Customers and Your Business

Sponsored by the Gemological Institute of America

Madison Keys in Brilliant Earth campaign
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Brilliant Earth Names Tennis Star Madison Keys as Its New Ambassador

The 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.

Muse Nordstrom shop-in-shop
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Muse Sets Up Shop in Nordstrom’s New Jewelry Hall

The West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.

an instructor and a student in a bench jewelry classroom
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench Jewelers

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Shree Ramkrishna Exports
SourcingJul 03, 2025
SRK Announces Its Natural Diamonds Are Now Carbon-Negative

This past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.

Weekly QuizJul 02, 2025
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Yeprem Golden Strada Statement Necklace
CollectionsJul 03, 2025
Piece of the Week: A Firework of Diamonds From Yeprem

The brand’s “Golden Strada” statement necklace features round, marquise, and pear diamonds that sparkle like Fourth of July fireworks.

Stock image of police cars with their lights on
CrimeJul 03, 2025
JSA Shares Holiday Weekend Security Tips Amid Spike in Burglaries

JSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.

Jewelers of America logo with meetup, State of the Majors, giveaway and massages
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Exterior and entryway of Boucheron’s Los Angeles Flagship
MajorsJul 02, 2025
Boucheron Looks to LA for First West Coast Flagship

Located on Rodeo Drive, the store’s design was inspired by Hollywood and Los Angeles culture.

Exterior of Marco Bicego Milan Flagship
MajorsJul 02, 2025
Marco Bicego Opens Milan Flagship

The new location continues the brand’s celebration of its 25th anniversary.

Chrono24 Time Is Our Thing campaign image
WatchesJul 02, 2025
Chrono24 Revamps Brand, Launches New Campaign

The online watch marketplace’s “Time Is Our Thing” campaign highlights the importance of time.

Bernadette Mack
SourcingJul 02, 2025
Bernadette Mack Joins Gem Legacy as Executive Director

She will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, industry partnerships, and the launch of the Gem Legacy Campus in Tanzania.

Counterfeit Pandora jewelry in bags and boxes
CrimeJul 02, 2025
Pandora, Amazon Partner to Uncover Counterfeit Jewelry Network

Working with Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and law enforcement, Pandora helped to shut down a large-scale counterfeit network in China.

Cast Issa Rae
MajorsJul 01, 2025
Cast Closes Business, Plans for Relaunch

The jewelry company has closed its three California brick-and-mortar stores, as well as its online shop, for now.

Eve Goldberg, Matthew Denatale, Willie Lopez, Benjamin Goldberg
Events & AwardsJul 01, 2025
William Goldberg Diamonds, FIT Partner for Apprenticeship Program

The company is providing the opportunity for an FIT student to work alongside master diamond cutter Willie Lopez in its workshop.

Claire’s store
MajorsJul 01, 2025
Claire’s Is Looking for a Buyer, Report Says

The jewelry store chain has reportedly been struggling with costs related to tariffs as well as tough retail competition.

Mindi Mond Spike Earrings
TrendsJul 01, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Red Hot Rubies

Welcome warm summer days with red hot rubies perfectly chosen as July’s birthstone.

The Story of Everything Campaign, Toadstool Mushroom and Cosmic Egg
CollectionsJun 30, 2025
State Property’s New Jewelry Tells ‘The Story of Everything’

Co-founders Afzal Imram and Lin Ruiyin brought their son’s story of a cosmic egg, toadstool, and railroad to life in their new collection.

Smart Age Solutions CEO Emmanuel Raheb
ColumnistsJun 30, 2025
The Smart Lab: Why Q3 Is the Secret Weapon For Holiday Jewelry Sales

The best time to prepare for the holiday season is right now, according to columnist Emmanuel Raheb.

Morgan Keefe
Events & AwardsJun 30, 2025
AGA Names Recipient of 2025 Gemological Education Scholarship

This year’s winner is Morgan Keefe, who is currently studying at GIA to be a gemologist.

Gemist
TechnologyJun 27, 2025
Gemist Raises $6M in Funding to Scale Jewelry Tech Platform

The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.

Jeff Preolo, David Stout, Levi Higgs, David Benavides
IndependentsJun 27, 2025
David Webb Announces New Hires, Promotions

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

Blake Graham and Jessica Kohoutek
Events & AwardsJun 27, 2025
AGS, GIA Announce Beatrice Shipley Scholarship Winner

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

Buddha Mama Monstera Ring
CollectionsJun 27, 2025
Piece of the Week: Buddha Mama’s ‘Monstera’ Wrap Ring

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.

Cashier handing Rocksbox bag to customer
MajorsJun 26, 2025
Why Rocksbox Is Opening Stores As Signet Jewelers Downsizes

Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.

Penny Ruston
IndependentsJun 26, 2025
Penny Ruston Dies at 80

The creator of the WJA Chicago chapter is remembered as a champion for women in the jewelry industry and a loving grandmother.

Stock image of woman shopping
SurveysJun 26, 2025
After Recovering in May, Consumer Confidence Dips in June

The decline was consistent across age groups and almost all income groups, with tariffs and inflation still top of mind.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy