All of these comments are so wonderful to read and so on the mark. I have found another gesture that has been met with kind appreciation: leaving positive reviews about your preferred H (and SAs mentioned by name) on Yelp and other public online review sites.
Many times these sites contain negative reviews about H stores because people make comments lambasting perceived snottiness and/or reticence by SAs and find the prices exorbitant. I've made it a point to leave extremely positive reviews of wonderful experiences I've had in various H locations (I've had the great luck to visit about 15 different stores here and there)...and have either had store personnel voluntarily bring up those reviews themselves or respond extremely appreciatively when I've mentioned them.
I've raved more than once about my own home store and have mentioned several of their staff by name- and I have to say that the treatment and service that I've gotten from them has been consistently nothing short of spectacular. Since my home store is a 5 hr drive away and I cannot visit it more than a few times a year I often email the store director ahead with wish lists for them to get in for me a few weeks before I visit. Then the items are waiting for me to try on/investigate when I make it to town.
I do not have a B/K/C but have been a faithful shopper of many other various items across many of the product lines at my home store and several others for a few years. I have almost no doubt that I could broach the subject of a B easily at this point.
Another thing: show off your knowledge of H products and details! I've found, time and again, that store staff really warm to people who know the difference between epsom and swift, who appreciate the difference between bleu hydra and bleu electrique, who know sizing of bags, etc. If you haven't established a long selling record in a given store with a specific employee, then demonstrating that you have a strong devotion to the brand and a passion for understanding product details can go a long way towards creating a deep relationship quickly.
Finally: I've found that, especially when visiting unfamiliar stores, asking to speak to the store director him/herself and offering up a compliment or two about certain SAs or the store itself can establish a lot of goodwill on the way out. Since I travel a fair amount I always try to remember a name or two from stores I know I'll return to, if even once a year. H SAs have good memories of people they have good times with or who are somehow memorable in one way or another, even if a few months-a yr has gone by.
I love H stores and find the people lovely and hope all others who visit do too.
I've been in H stores where I didn't get approached much simply because the store was busy at the time but have never found someone who was haughty or intentionally rude. I did find that the Las Vegas stores were a bit distant- a sort of "get em in, get em out" approach that no doubt is related to the high turnover and tourist-oriented market of the city...but in almost every other case I've felt like I left having had a good time meeting new friends.
A lot of good tips here. Usually I showed my appreciation to the SAs that were nice to me but never thought of spreading the words. Maybe I should do that. I received truly unexpected friendliness and genuine compliments on none-H or even not fancy items from SAs that makes visiting H stores such a fun thing to do and that's what keeps bringing me back and also makes me excited to explore other H stores whenever I travel. And I totally agree when you show your knowledge about H, they really appreciate it.
