Switching SA in the same store

[A1aGypsy]

I agree with everyone who has said the second SA shouldn’t be putting this on you. It’s a business not a dating site. They should not be making their customers feel uncomfortable smh.

There is no need for a dramatic break up conversation. You should just be able to transfer and, if you see her, everyone smile and be pleasant.

 

[RitaLA]

The fact that you met the other Sa while the original was on maternity leave makes it easier I think. You can just let her know you met the other Sa while she was on maternity leave and you really work well together so going forward you will stay with him.
I hope it goes smoothly for you

Thank you! I agree

 

[RitaLA]

Just pm'd you..

Thank you for your message and for helping me to find the words to express the transition. I appreciated it.

 

[smoothsailor]

I asked my SA about this question because some other customer asked me about it.

My SA advised that the customer start shopping with another SA and the new SA to heads up the old SA.

Similarly, there was once that I wanted to pick up a gift which my SA informed me it has arrived at the store. However, it was her off day when I had time to pick it up. So, I just walk in to ask for the item she has set aside for me. At the same time, I saw a top that I wanted to get. I was undecided if I should shop with another SA. The SA who assisted me that day said, no problem. At their store, the individual commission is less than the Store commission as a whole. Moreover, she will heads up my SA that I happened to pop in that day and she assisted me. There was no awkward moment when I subsequently shop with my SA at all.

I feel that I was treated right. I don’t see why the customer should be facing any of such internal issues.

 

[addiCCted]

I’m not understanding something…you’ve been purchasing items from him for the past 6 months? Doesn’t that make him your SA already? Were you buying stuff from both? You were already buying stuff from him, is there a need to “make it official”? The other SA already sold you stuff, isn’t it too late to care about not “stepping on toes”?

 

[RitaLA]

I’m not understanding something…you’ve been purchasing items from him for the past 6 months? Doesn’t that make him your SA already? Were you buying stuff from both? You were already buying stuff from him, is there a need to “make it official”? The other SA already sold you stuff, isn’t it too late to care about not “stepping on toes”?

Thank you for asking the question. I met my SA in April of 2021 and was buying from her. She left for maternity leave last year around March and didn't come back until September 2022. During her time out, I came to the store one day to look at things and I met this other SA. We talked for about an hour and time flew. We just simply enjoy talking to each other. He is like a friend. So my SA came back and said that it was ok to buy little gifts from him but the main stuff I should buy from her to count towards quote bags. **I won't even go into this rabbit hole of discussing SAs behavior around "buy this and that from me and not from this other person ..."* we know H SAs by now and some of them can become quite territorial, which I do understand but don't agree with and maybe that's why I connect with the other SA. Bottom line, I was buying little things from him while she was on maternity leave. Once she came back I stopped buying from him but I caught myself at the store chatting with him while I had to wait for my SA and I realized that once I had to shop with her it wasn't fun. It was dry and there is no connection there.

 

[addiCCted]

Thank you for asking the question. I met my SA in April of 2021 and was buying from her. She left for maternity leave last year around March and didn't come back until September 2022. During her time out, I came to the store one day to look at things and I met this other SA. We talked for about an hour and time flew. We just simply enjoy talking to each other. He is like a friend. So my SA came back and said that it was ok to buy little gifts from him but the main stuff I should buy from her to count towards quote bags. **I won't even go into this rabbit hole of discussing SAs behavior around "buy this and that from me and not from this other person ..."* we know H SAs by now and some of them can become quite territorial, which I do understand but don't agree with and maybe that's why I connect with the other SA. Bottom line, I was buying little things from him while she was on maternity leave. Once she came back I stopped buying from him but I caught myself at the store chatting with him while I had to wait for my SA and I realized that once I had to shop with her it wasn't fun. It was dry and there is no connection there.

Thanks for the info. How do you plan to “break up with her”? Just via text?

I suppose keeping it short and simple would be best.

 

[leechiyong]

Thank you for asking the question. I met my SA in April of 2021 and was buying from her. She left for maternity leave last year around March and didn't come back until September 2022. During her time out, I came to the store one day to look at things and I met this other SA. We talked for about an hour and time flew. We just simply enjoy talking to each other. He is like a friend. So my SA came back and said that it was ok to buy little gifts from him but the main stuff I should buy from her to count towards quote bags. **I won't even go into this rabbit hole of discussing SAs behavior around "buy this and that from me and not from this other person ..."* we know H SAs by now and some of them can become quite territorial, which I do understand but don't agree with and maybe that's why I connect with the other SA. Bottom line, I was buying little things from him while she was on maternity leave. Once she came back I stopped buying from him but I caught myself at the store chatting with him while I had to wait for my SA and I realized that once I had to shop with her it wasn't fun. It was dry and there is no connection there.

I was wondering why he'd ask you to talk to her; this context helps explain it. Granted, I think this should be more the responsibility of management and not the client, but I go back to my standard advice of frame it how you'd want to be told if you were in the SA's shoes and be understanding that there may simply be awkwardness for awhile.

I'd probably say something along the lines of, "I really appreciate all that you've done, but new SA and I really hit it off. Since we wind up chatting so much already, it would be better for me to shop with him." I might have a few examples of light-hearted examples of how you click if she presses it, but also have prepped a hard, but tactful line to repeat as soon as I started to feel uncomfortable, because that's when my bluntness tends to rear it's head. Something along the lines of, "Please understand this is not to say anything negative of you, but I really feel it's best moving forward if I shop with him."

 

[RitaLA]

Thank you both @leechiyong and @addiCCted. I will stop by the store to talk to her this morning. I will share how it went

 

[addiCCted]

I was wondering why he'd ask you to talk to her; this context helps explain it. Granted, I think this should be more the responsibility of management and not the client, but I go back to my standard advice of frame it how you'd want to be told if you were in the SA's shoes and be understanding that there may simply be awkwardness for awhile.

I'd probably say something along the lines of, "I really appreciate all that you've done, but new SA and I really hit it off. Since we wind up chatting so much already, it would be better for me to shop with him." I might have a few examples of light-hearted examples of how you click if she presses it, but also have prepped a hard, but tactful line to repeat as soon as I started to feel uncomfortable, because that's when my bluntness tends to rear it's head. Something along the lines of, "Please understand this is not to say anything negative of you, but I really feel it's best moving forward if I shop with him."

The classic….”it’s me,not you.”
Just having some fun

 

[A bottle of Red]

Thank you both @leechiyong and @addiCCted. I will stop by the store to talk to her this morning. I will share how it went

Good luck! Don't feel the need to over explain or be overly apologetic

 

[RitaLA]

Alright, so the break-up is done I went to the store because I wanted to order some items so before ordering, I asked my current SA if I could talk to her and I told her that I wanted to tell her in person that during her maternity leave, I met the XYZ sales associate and we really connected. I told her how much I appreciated her and I wanted to be respectful and honor her. She took it really well and thanked me for the transparency and the straightforwardness of my approach. She said that in the past, customers would go to different stores and open new accounts without telling her or switch SAs in the same store and not say anything. She seemed to understand and not take it personally. Toward the end of my visit (while I was checking out), my new SA stood next to my old SA and asked her, "Are we good? Are you ok with everything?" And she smiled and said "Absolutely!!"
So, it's over. I feel much much better and relieved that I did the "right" thing (according to my own subjective metrics) LOL Thank you everyone for all your time and generous input. I appreciate you all very much!

 

[carrie8]

Alright, so the break-up is done I went to the store because I wanted to order some items so before ordering, I asked my current SA if I could talk to her and I told her that I wanted to tell her in person that during her maternity leave, I met the XYZ sales associate and we really connected. I told her how much I appreciated her and I wanted to be respectful and honor her. She took it really well and thanked me for the transparency and the straightforwardness of my approach. She said that in the past, customers would go to different stores and open new accounts without telling her or switch SAs in the same store and not say anything. She seemed to understand and not take it personally. Toward the end of my visit (while I was checking out), my new SA stood next to my old SA and asked her, "Are we good? Are you ok with everything?" And she smiled and said "Absolutely!!"
So, it's over. I feel much much better and relieved that I did the "right" thing (according to my own subjective metrics) LOL Thank you everyone for all your time and generous input. I appreciate you all very much!

I am happy for you that it worked out well

 

[880]

he said yes but asked me to talk to my current SA who works at the same store.

I agree with everyone who has said the second SA shouldn’t be putting this on you. It’s a business not a dating site

I don’t see why the customer should be facing any of such internal issues

my SA came back and said that it was ok to buy little gifts from him but the main stuff I should buy from her to count towards quote bags. **I won't even go into this rabbit hole of discussing SAs behavior around "buy this and that from me and not from this other person ..."*

im happy for you that this went well, but I still think none of the onus of this should ever be put on you. It’s like if you are in a restaurant, you don’t need to see the mechanics of the sausage being made.

good luck going forward

 

[A bottle of Red]

So glad it went smoothly!