Revealing 5 Unexpected Awesome Business Lessons, I Learned Working Retail
Retail is a dead-end job. You can learn valuable business lessons working in retail.
I've worked a variety of retail jobs. I've delivered for Grubhub. I've worked in a grocery store. I've sold printers and espresso machines.
Retail is hard work. You must learn to deal with customers who treat you poorly while maintaining a positive attitude. Working retail teaches you the sales and marketing funnels that every business needs to know to grow.
These are five business lessons I learned from working in retail that you can apply to grow your business.
1. The Customer Always Matters
Retail workers hear it all the time: “The customer is always right.” It's an idiom repeated ad hominem. It's not true.
Customers can be rude, wrong, or just impossible to please. Even when the customer is wrong, they matter.
A happy customer is more likely to return and bring you more business. An unhappy customer tells everyone about their bad experience.
In business, you can’t please everyone. But you should always treat people with respect. Listen to your customers, resolve your customers' problems by providing solutions, and stay professional.
Do all of this by keeping a calm demeanor even when they’re yelling over a $1 coupon.
2. First Impressions Make Or Break Your Business
In retail, you have seconds to make a good first impression. If a store is messy, employees are rude, or the line is too long, customers will leave your business. They'll go to a competitor.
The same goes for business. Your website, emails, and even how you answer the phone shape what people think of you.
A clean, friendly, and professional image builds trust. A sloppy one drives customers away.
3. Speed Beats Perfection
If you take too long to stock shelves or check out customers, they become frustrated. But if you move too fast, you'll make mistakes. You want to find the sweet spot where you move fast enough while still providing great customer service and completing orders.
Waiting for “perfect” means missing opportunities in business. Launch your product before it’s flawless. Send that email even if the design isn’t ready. Fix mistakes as you go. Don’t let slow perfection kill your progress.
You can always redo and recreate things. You can continually improve the first version in the next model.
4. Upselling Works
“Would you like fries with that?” is the oldest trick in retail. It works.
Bad upselling is pushy. Good upselling helps the customer by making it easier for them. Instead of telling a customer, “Buy this expensive laptop!” Try this: “This laptop's charger lasts longer and has a better graphics card for gaming. Would you want me to grab it for you?”
In business, you don’t just sell. You solve customers' problems. Offer upgrades that help your customers. They’ll thank you for identifying their problem and providing them with the best solution.
They may even spend more and return to purchase something from you again!
5. Teamwork Makes Everything Easier
Have you ever worked a busy holiday shift with lazy coworkers? It’s miserable. Crazy days become more manageable when everyone helps.
Business is the same. Leadership affects the attitude of the employees. A strong team gets more done than one person working alone. Hire good people, treat them well, and watch your business grow.
Summary
Success in retail and business is about understanding people. You want to value your customers, make a strong first impression, strike a balance between speed and quality, master the art of upselling, and foster teamwork.
Business isn't about perfection but progress. Done is always better than perfect.
Disclaimer: This content is for educational, entertainment, and informational purposes only. This is not business, financial, investment, or any advice. I write online about topics that interest me. I make mistakes just like everyone else. Always consult a professional before making health, life, finances, investments, taxes, or legal matters.