I started working at American Eagle at the Outlets the Monday before Black Friday in 2020. Since then I have unlocked the same nine fitting rooms thousands of times, helped hundreds of customers, and folded millions of shirts. I’ve loved every second of it. Something I did not expect though is how my natural interest in others’ lives and outgoing personality would result in so many telling me their life story. From a mother of a biracial 13 year old who has insecurity due to school bullying to a woman telling me about their abusive ex-husband who was a cop and their other ex-husband who has now caused her son to be suicidal. There are of course happier life stories I’ve been told. For example, a man in his late 80’s told me about how he quit his job forty years ago to dedicate his life to serving Christ, from buying homeless men and women clothes to teaching troubled youth. As you can see each and every one of these encounters I invest myself into these people. To me, they are not just customers coming into the store for clothes, but people with feelings and backgrounds looking for good deals and maybe an ear to listen. In sales, customers can tell when you don’t actually care about them or what they want. If someone in the fitting rooms asked my opinion on something they are wearing, I try to always consider if I was in their shoes which would I rather hear: “you look great!” when I actually don’t or “It’s not terrible but it doesn’t look like the right size/ style for you. Let me go grab something else I think you’ll like.” I try to always be honest with my customers and make sure they feel heard. To me, sales are all about caring about your customer and what they are looking for.
BoweryJE22