Note to the store employee: It’s not you, it’s your sales process

Originally published on Medium

I get it. You’re being nice and trying to connect and it’s appreciated. Really.

But I don’t have the mental space for that right now. All I can think about is my car trouble.

I’m mentally rehearsing my explanation of the car issues when you ask: “How was your weekend?”

I say “Good” really quickly because I don’t want to forget my explanation. Also, I don’t think you actually want a detailed answer.

And then you ask a follow up question: “What are your summer plans?” and I think: Maybe I was supposed to give a longer answer to the previous question?

But I haven’t explained what’s wrong with my car yet. I’m still mentally rehearsing that.

Can I say that first and then you try to connect? I’m more open to these social connecting type of questions AFTER you deal with my problem.

But that’s not how the typical sales process works, is it?

Can we change that?

Even on a normal no-car-trouble day, I struggle to answer these connecting questions. I don’t know how detailed an answer you’re expecting. I don’t know how much time I have to answer before you need to move on to the next customer.

And oh crap, was I supposed to ask the question back to you?

When you made a joke during the payment process, I didn’t laugh.

I didn’t laugh because a) I wasn’t sure I heard you correctly and b) I was in the middle of payment and reviewing that I didn’t forget anything important.

Can we leave the jokes for the very very end, too? After all important matters are completed? When I have the mental capacity to focus and react?

But that’s not how the typical sales process works, is it?

Can we change that?