Retailers have to get creative and use new techniques if they want their physical stores to stay afloat.

We have to be realistic and accept that not everything can come from online sales.

Despite the rapid growth of online retail, McKinsey estimates that brick and mortar stores will still account for 85% of transactions well into 2025.

It’s time to stop looking at online retailers and omnichannel competitors as the real enemies of brick-and-mortar stores. The enemy is within.

For the most part, salespeople are usually lacking in training. This is either because they have no formal experience or because their company just doesn’t prioritize it enough. To help improve conversions, companies need to invest time and money into retail staff’s sales skills.

One of the most important things to remember is not what you say, but rather what not to say. Click To Tweet

Below are five questions that you should never ask your shoppers:

1 – How are you today?

The customer can tell that you don’t care, which makes them feel like they have to give the perfect answer. So when asked, “How are you?” After that, they’ll reply with a fake response of “Fine.” This will seem like you don’t care about their well-being.

It’s wrong to make customers have to lie about their true feelings.

Hi, do you need help finding anything? I’ll be right back this is better than “How are you?”.

2 – Are you looking to buy today?

You can’t believe it, but people still ask this question. From car salesmen to eyeglass vendors-everyone asks what’s in your budget.

This is not respectful because you can’t just decide between a shopper and a buyer based on their answers. Sometimes people go into the store with no intention of buying, but they get so seduced by all the displays that they buy something anyway.

And a lot of people want to buy but they get scared off by pushy salespeople.

All I can say is this is not respectful.

3 – Don’t talk about a weather-related noun (heat, snow, rain, etc.)

No matter where you are in the country, people rarely if ever agree with your opinion. It doesn’t really bother me because I’m usually right.

In order to get a customer on board, you need the right kind of rapport. You don’t want to seem like someone who is just fishing for misery by finding out what negative things you have in common with them.

And not about the weather.

The way I should have said it was, “Hey! You look great in that dress!” or “I’m so jealous of your purse!”

4 – Can I help you?

For a salesperson, the mark of an untrained one is when they don’t know how to ask questions and show interest in your needs. You should probably hear it before: “Can I help you find anything?”. But it doesn’t make them right.

When customers say “I’m just looking,” they’re usually trying to get away from an aggressive salesperson who’s asking too many questions.

The customer is always right, and they know what it takes to get them satisfied. They want a product that fixes their problems. But that’s not the case. Most trips to a store are not like the experience of going into a dress store where, “Hi, can I help you find something?” leads to, “Sure, we are looking for a t-shirt.” Most of the time, a customer comes to me with an issue that is bigger than what I can fix.

It’s important to start conversations with open-ended questions that pertain to the customer. Click To Tweet

For example, if you’re a hardware store, ask “Do you have a plan for today?” You can find all your furniture and electronics needs at our store. Just come in, ask us any questions you may have, and we’ll be happy to help. It’s about building relationships.

5 – Questions about the budget

Some customers will say that price is the only thing they care about, but it’s usually not true.

If a salesperson asks this question too early, they will not get the feedback that is necessary to do their job.

It’s wrong to assume that customers won’t spend more than they plan because it limits the customer’s choices and forces them into a situation where what might be their best solution is taken away.

It’s worth the investment. You know this yourself.

You’ll do anything to get what you want, and that’s when you realize it really is all about the money.

Instead of just offering one solution, I can show you a range to help find the best fit for your business.

You want to be able to open up a line of communication with your clients. Let me show you the way.

Customer complaints are a part of the business. There are six steps in handling them effectively.

Greeting customers is a crucial part of any retail experience.

Conclusion

I have a lot of personal experience with sales, and I’ve learned that there are some mistakes we make when selling ourselves or our products. To eliminate these bad customer service examples from your presentations, try implementing retail management tips into your store’s policies. And then give them more training to grow their skills.