Situation 3: The self-selection customer

When a customer self-selects a product from the shelves and just comes to you for payment, it can be difficult to start a value-added conversation. Nonetheless, your role is to establish if the product is appropriate for the person – don’t assume the product will be suitable for them or is being bought for the correct purposes. Always remember to ask the WWHAM questions to gather this information.

There are often opportunities for you to add value to the customer. For example, a customer buying antihistamine tablets for hayfever could also benefit from you asking a few more questions to see if eye drops or a nasal decongestant would be suitable. You could even offer advice on how to manage hayfever symptoms and point out ways to prevent them. This results in a grateful customer who has had useful information as well as products to alleviate their symptoms.