No, We Don't Have That---

    I was in Dallas last week visiting/working with clients.  I had a few minutes to kill, so I went to the mall, near where the client meeting was to take place.
    As I was walking in a big department store, someone asked a clerk if the store carried a certain type of product.  Without hesitation or doubt, the clerk rudely said, "No, we don't carry that!"  The customer looked at her, somewhat incredulously and was startled.  The clerk told another clerk, "Go look, however, we don't carry that!"  Well, the customer followed the younger clerk to the department where the product was located and WALLAH--- there was the product that the customer was trying to buy!
     As I watched this event unfold, I could not help but think how this near fatal event could have been precluded?  Why would the clerk be so rude when all the customer was trying to do was find if the product was available?
      Remarkably, this event was salvaged, as much as it could be when the younger clerk  indeed did find the product that the customer was shopping for, offered to find the exact style of product and said that it would have to be ordered on the inter net, the store did not carry extra pieces of product.  The customer was happy with that-- what the customer was unhappy with was how the original clerk handled the original inquiry.
      As business owners, it is imperative to insure that when a customer comes to the store, you take the time to at least hear the customer and SEE if you don't have exactly what the customer is seeking, that you find something that is equally as good, satisfies the need and hopefully makes the sale!  After all, that is why you are in business, to make green dollar bills!
     In this case, the original clerk should have at least tried to satisfy the customer's basic inquiry.  Don't let a customer leave the store without at least trying to solve his/her problem.  After all, that is why they came to your store-- to try and solve a challenge they had!  Every time that you fail to help solve a customer problem, you increase the probability of losing a sale, losing money and losing a client.