Our digital camera went kablooey a few weeks ago, so we needed a new one. With a young puppy running around we definitely need a camera. Our first camera had done the job well for many years. It was a Canon and I got it for about $90 - it was a floor model…I’m kind of surprised it lasted as long as it did. Anyway, in search of a new camera we figured we’d stop by the new HH Gregg near our house.

I’m not a fan of HH Gregg at all. I wasn’t a fan of Sun TV either, which HHG took over some years back. Both stores have this air of used-flea market style goods and services. A place where you’d go to buy “Fujatsu” instead of “Fujitsu” - although, I know they sell popular brands too. Anyway, we finally found out how to get there - it was hidden amongst what will be suburbia at a cal du sac — yes, HHG was at the end of a cal du sac, go figure. The parking lot was empty and from outside you could see a swarm of anxious staff inside waiting to pounce. And pounce they did.

A lady approached us and asked if we were there to buy a mattress. A mattress? Um, no. No mattresses, thank you. We kindly said we were looking for cameras and she quickly sent away for “the camera guy.” Up waddles this young lad in what was an attempt to be a salesman. I was no impressed nor did I want to be bothered by a salesperson. There’s almost nothing worse on this planet than a pushy salesperson. Especially in a place like HHG, such tactics are not needed.

So I’m walking around the display of cameras (which isn’t very big) and he asks what I presume is his smartest question, “so what are you going to use your camera for?”

I stopped for a second then looked back at him and answered, “taking pictures.”

And that pretty much set the tone for us as customers and him as a salesperson. He did his best to repair the damage but we quickly moved on, leaving the store after a quick browse of the massive selection of ridiculously large TVs.

We then went across the street to Best Buy to make our purchase. The cameras were of course behind glass, so I asked a salesperson for help. A portly fellow came up and asked how he could help. I pointed at the camera I wanted and he said, “well, that was easy.” He made a few more friendly remarks asking if we needed a memory card and case, politely and smartly. After that, he happily took our camera and put it on hold up front while we continued to shop. He was pleasant, not pushy, and knew when to stop speaking. He was a good salesperson.

In most cases, salespeople should be on-demand. As a customer, you only need to know they’re there and know how to reach them. If I need help, I’ll ask, otherwise, I know why I’m there. But all that aside, the whole situation got me thinking about sales people. That scenario told me that sales is a job you need to want to do. It’s not like fast food, cashier, or other “starter” job that doesn’t require you to care. To make it as a sales person, you need to care - or at least appear to care. If that HHG kid has any hope to have a future as a salesperson, he needs to go someplace else and work, or seriously consider how he approaches people.

Sure, he might have been new to the whole gig and I’m hard on him - but it takes a certain person to be a salesperson, and you can tell those people right away. This guy was not one of those people. I could tell this was a first go for him because he probably heard you can make good money as a salesperson…and you can, if you’re good. But it’s hard to be good as selling. I believe the best sales people are non-sales people, but people that just have a lot of passion for one thing or another. The best path to being a sucessfull salesperson is to sell what you are passionate about. If you love cars, sell cars. If you love technology, sell gadgets. But I don’t believe there can be a “utility” salesperson. Unless they are really good at talking and performing, customers can see through the wannabe salesperson very easily.

So when you start that sales job hoping for that 20% commission, please don’t ask the customer, “so, what are you going to use your car for?”

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