Schmoopie
06-28-2009, 06:45 AM
Have any of you ever become friends with someone that you met while buying a product or eating in a restaurant? I'm talking about befriending a salesperson or waiter/waitress or even someone in a service industry. Could be anything. Back around Christmas time, I was really depressed thinking that my husband and I don't have any friends. I mean, I only have one really good friend and she is in Texas. Besides people from work, I don't really have anyone. But then I realized that whenever we start frequenting a restaurant or store, the employees know us instantly and we always strike up a conversation. But sometimes it's more than just "Hey I recognize you."
There is one store that my husband and I go to in the mall. We started going there three years ago when my husband was contemplating on buying a pretty expensive item. We started dealing with this one sales associate and within the past two years have become friends with him and everyone in the store. Last Christmas, we bought this guy a Christmas gift because he is always giving us free stuff and he gave my husband a birthday present when he found out that it was his birthday. Then we found out that he bought us a present as well. Whenever we go in the store, we don't even have to buy anything. We just say hello and talk to the staff. It's kind of nice and definitely no pressure. I think we have even become celebrities of sorts in the store. One of the sales guys has told me more than once that he wishes all customers were like my husband and I. That was so touching, really.
Last fall, there was a major movie premiere and it was sponsored by one of the products that this store sells. The company gave the store some movie passes to give to customers. Our sales associate gave us some and we had a great time, seeing the movie the night before it opened! Very cool! Then about a month later we found out that we were the ONLY ones in the store that got those passes! That was so cool!
When the guy found out that we were going away for Christmas to the city where he used to live, he emailed us a detailed list of stuff to do, places to eat, and even gave us incredibly accurate driving directions.
Today we went in and they were wishing us happy anniversary (my 13th wedding anniversary is Monday), and asking about our previous trips that we've been on the last month or so. And we're going on another one on Monday, so they were asking us about that.
But I think it's really cool to have such a connection with a store like this. Unfortunately it's not the type of store where you can just go in and buy something every time like a Starbucks. The good thing is that they don't expect us to buy stuff all the time!
Andrea
There is one store that my husband and I go to in the mall. We started going there three years ago when my husband was contemplating on buying a pretty expensive item. We started dealing with this one sales associate and within the past two years have become friends with him and everyone in the store. Last Christmas, we bought this guy a Christmas gift because he is always giving us free stuff and he gave my husband a birthday present when he found out that it was his birthday. Then we found out that he bought us a present as well. Whenever we go in the store, we don't even have to buy anything. We just say hello and talk to the staff. It's kind of nice and definitely no pressure. I think we have even become celebrities of sorts in the store. One of the sales guys has told me more than once that he wishes all customers were like my husband and I. That was so touching, really.
Last fall, there was a major movie premiere and it was sponsored by one of the products that this store sells. The company gave the store some movie passes to give to customers. Our sales associate gave us some and we had a great time, seeing the movie the night before it opened! Very cool! Then about a month later we found out that we were the ONLY ones in the store that got those passes! That was so cool!
When the guy found out that we were going away for Christmas to the city where he used to live, he emailed us a detailed list of stuff to do, places to eat, and even gave us incredibly accurate driving directions.
Today we went in and they were wishing us happy anniversary (my 13th wedding anniversary is Monday), and asking about our previous trips that we've been on the last month or so. And we're going on another one on Monday, so they were asking us about that.
But I think it's really cool to have such a connection with a store like this. Unfortunately it's not the type of store where you can just go in and buy something every time like a Starbucks. The good thing is that they don't expect us to buy stuff all the time!
Andrea