Hero

Difficult Customers and How to Deal with Them

Which shopper category do you fall under? Do you ask store employees questions about everything, or do you shop on your own? Do you at least attempt to find an item yourself before asking where it is? I began working at Whole Foods Market in August 2005. Whole Foods emphasizes customer service like no other grocery store where I have shopped. From the initial interview to periodic customer service workshops, Whole Foods employees are exposed to countless opportunities to become better service people. During my employment, I have discovered a few categories that every customer who shops there might fall under. Everyone who has ever worked in a retail environment has encountered at least one of these difficult customers, such as the hold my hand customer, The I'm Right, You're Wrong Customer and the dogma customer.

The hold my hand customer enjoys keeping employees at attention for lengthy periods of time. This type asks questions like, "Which of your breads are low in fat" and then expects the employee to identify each loaf that meets their specifications. They will stop employees on a particular loaf and ask, "Do you think I'd like this?" How should I know what this customer wants? Everyone has different tastes, I explain, but they know that already. Their only goal seems to be keeping employees from helping other customers, or doing other tasks that they might have been assigned. With a childlike dependency, the customer wants you to help them plan every aspect of their meal and they will not leave you alone until they have spent your fair share of time trying. This type of customer is particularly fond of the question, "What's good here?" The most effective way to handle this type is with a little help from your co-workers. You should try to help your customers find what they are looking for..

The hold my hand customer might ask your opinion about everything, but the I'm right, you're wrong customer attempts to show the employee just how little they know about the store and its products. This customer takes advantage of the notion that "the customer is always right" and seems to provoke the employee to protest so that they can complain to management. This type is also known to ask the same question two or three times in hopes that the employee might respond with a different answer.

"Are you sure this muffin isn't low-fat?" "Yes, sir/maim, that one is not, but that one over there is." "Oh, but you're positive this one is not." A non-confrontational approach to this customer is the most effective weapon.