BizSugar.com › Customer Service › Sell More by Seeing Your Store Through Customers' Eyes

How often have you entered a store: 1) And observed two clerks continue to chat instead of turning to smile at you? 2) To find that the order you called in the day before is not at the counter, ready for your quick pick-up and payment, because the clerk said she “got busy with other customers?” 3) And asked the clerk a question about a product and get an “I don't know” response, with no offer to find out?

These situations describe Americans' top three in-store pet peeves according to a multi-client Gallup Poll taken in January.

In a stressful economic time, coddle customers to keep them. In fact, give them bragging rights about “my store” so they come back and tell others.