practicing my consuming skills

• you know those discount racks of items? Well isn't it a conundrum when you're looking at each piece, making your way around the circle and you find a person coming in the opposite direction doing the same thing? You pause a bit longer and hope that they go away so you can continue in your systematic shopping method but they continue, and you're frustrated...what's a shopper to do?
  
• Do you have my size? Customer-service people are super nice when trying to find you a different size or locate a different color. But when you're request sends them in all different directions and you know your request isn't the only one on their plate, it gets a bit ridiculous and you retract your inquiry in the first place. They relinquish with a roll of the eyes but with a smile. I feel like I should tip them. Anyone else?
• in the shoe department, I was skimming the sales racks, totally immersed in my skim and out of my peripheral, I hear a sales lady ask "finding everything ok?" Passing me in the opposite direction, she was neither direct nor interested. I didn't even notice her till she was past me. Is this sneaky? is this shy? Whatever it is, it doesn't work if you want to be a good salesperson.

Customer-service should be a competitive advantage for brands. Starbucks spent almost a month training me in the frontline, customer-service ways of their beautiful brand. The Tuna Fish does a funny parody of what this service should really be. Remember to take your brand's values and beauty in-store too, this is where advertising can really make a difference.