What can I do?

[kidspot]

Sounds like you are in for a lot of fun. Treat customers with respect. If you don't have what they need, know where/how to find it (they'll come back more often than not) As has been stated, if you don't know, find out but don't lie. A good salesman doesn't necessarily know everything, but he should know where to find the answers.

Also remember that you are in a great position to learn from a wide variety of sources in your customers - many have specialties they have spent years learning about... tap into that and learn all you can from them.

Aloha, Tim

 

[neil]

Get the literature for the gear lines you will be selling and you can read up on them.

And if I may add, get the literature for lines you DON'T sell so you can converse knowledgably when asked the difference between yours and someone else's line.

 

[isurus]

be enthusiastic - about everything. someone's going on holiday: "awesome", just certified: "brilliant, welcome to diving!"

the number one thing that irritates me about dive pros is a lack of enthusiasm. diving for those of us who don't do it as our job is this wonderful privilege that most of us don't get to do as much as we want so when people get blase bout how "x dive site is a waste of time" or "if people do the advanced ourse they can do really good diving" or whatever it can be quite irritating and off-putting.

 

[TSandM]

You know, this sounds stupid, but one of the things that I like about both of the dive shops I patronize is that, when I walk in the door, I get a big smile and an enthusiastic greeting. I like feeling as though they're glad to see me (even if it's really only my pocketbook they're glad to see . . . )

I have very much appreciated sales staff who were truly knowledgeable about the products sold and the advantages and disadvantages of each. I also appreciate somebody who will say to my question, "I don't know, but I know where to find out."

Little things make big differences . . . carry a tank to the car now and then

 

[ScubaMike14]

I manage a very sucessfull shop in Tampa, FL so I can give you some advice as well.

First, KNOW THE GEAR! Know everything you can about every item in your store. If your shop rents what they sell...(they should) take it out and use it.

If your store sells books (for training and for general reading), in your down time READ THEM, that way when a customer has a question you can say "Oh, we have this great book that talks about that". Also read all the dive magazines that you sell, regardless of how interesting you think the articles are. You may pick up some knowledge about something that a customer may ask.

Like others have said, know the prices off the top of your head. That way you can rattle them off when customers call.

Take your "for sale" BC's and study them. Know where the zippers, weight pockets, and other bells and whistles are located and how they work. Try them on yourself and see how they feel.

Try on the masks! Really....see which have wide fields of vision, blind spots, etc.

These ideas will help you in the long run and make you appear to really know what you are talking about (because you will!). You will also sell a lot more this way too.

Mike Rushton

 

[AndyNZ]

My question to all of you is, what are some things that you have always wanted to see in a shop salesman?

A willingness to give discount and extend credit? Giving free air fills? In fact, sir, why don't you take this new BCD and try it - if you like it, you can have it in exchange for your old one....!

Seriously, the advice you've been given is sound..... KNOW THE GEAR is the biggest, but don't try to BS from reading the blurb. Don't say rubbish lifted from the manufacturers blurb like "This second stage has a vortex assisted design" unless you really know what it means and you can back it up without looking like a dork. Better than reading the manufacturers blurb, take the gear out and USE IT. It's fair enough to say "I've used these two regs, and to be honest I found that model x breathed slightly easier at depth".

And, yeah, before I forget..... free coffee always goes down well....

 

[Dave in PA]

If your store is computerized, learn the program...... if a sticker falls off, learn how to look up the price, and then be able to ring it up. If a customer drops off gear for service, know how long it will be down. Ask if there are any specific complaints with it and mark them on the claim tag for the tech. If you know the hydro facility is 4 weeks backlogged, TELL the customer.

 

[ScubaMike14]

If your store is computerized, learn the program...... if a sticker falls off, learn how to look up the price, and then be able to ring it up. If a customer drops off gear for service, know how long it will be down. Ask if there are any specific complaints with it and mark them on the claim tag for the tech. If you know the hydro facility is 4 weeks backlogged, TELL the customer.

Trust me....it seems that ALL hydro facilities are 4 weeks backlogged. ALL the time.

Mike Rushton

 

[DiveMaven]

Listen to your customers!!

There's nothing more irritating that walking into a dive shop and having to repeat yourself 4x before a salesperson listens. When I was looking for new fins, I would walk into a shop and tell them I'd killed my old fins so needed new ones. I'd then say I'm looking for open heel paddles. EVERY shop immediately showed me splits. I'd then say that I don't like splits and don't want them. Only one shop stopped pushing spits at that point...and that's the shop I wound up buying from.

 

[Jason B]

Little things make big differences . . . carry a tank to the car now and then

And if you don't do that, at least go hold the door open for them as they carry them out.