A lot of the actions I take are geared towards minimizing human interaction. Every interaction is an agonizing, brain-grinding activity, so I try to find workarounds to speed them up or avoid them. Especially when it comes to salespeople.
When I go shopping, if I have a question about the product, I cease to want or need the product. I would rather live without The Thing than ask someone for assistance in obtaining The Thing.
I have lived around salespeople a good portion of my life. They have a rhythm, they have a show to put on. Trying to buy The Thing without the show robs them of their chance to perform. I once believed that walking in, pointing at exactly what I wanted and providing exact change would make a salesperson’s life easier.
I was wrong. It confuses them and makes everything awkward. Trying not be be a burden ends up creating a new burden they are unequipped to handle.
Salespeople: Shocked by a Quick Sale
My significant other wanted a tricycle. We researched colors, options, price. By that time, we were ready to point and pay at any bike shop that carried the product.
We found a shop very close to the house. There we two colors that were acceptable, and the shop had both. Sale completed. No effort required.
Yet… there was a two hour awkward silence (probably closer to 8 seconds). The salesperson was trying to figure out what happened and I asked… “So how do we do this?” He took a step back and realized that he had sold a bike without putting on the show.
I don’t know how to shop like humans. I feel the whole market dance is unnecessary. But apparently humans enjoy the process.
My significant other and I are business partners with Big Tim Murphy and we created Big Tim’s Fancy AF Lollipops. I learned so much watching Tim sell sugar to other humans. Humans would come to our booth simply for the show. They would pay just to hear Tim go through a list of flavors (he really did put on a show).
For my part, I printed all the information in a booklet so people didn’t need to ask questions… treat others the way you want to be treated, right? Yet, they would read the book and still ask Tim to “give the spiel”.
I thought I had failed to fully provide the information. Each outing, the book was more and more geared to provide all the details being asked for. Then I finally realized, people … humans… need connection, and “the spiel” was the laser-focused attention that the customer needed. For a few moments, they were being showered with attention from a truly charismatic fella and the humans just wanted to be in his eye line.
