In the real world, however, you'd likely get the same treatment Julia Roberts got in "Pretty Woman."
That's what a recent study confirms. To get the fastest and friendliest customer service at clothing stores, women should look fashionable and well-groomed.
In other words, much of the responsibility for getting good customer service lies - that's right - with you, and not the seller, said Jack Burke, author of "Get What You Want: An Industry Insider Shows You How to Make Good Complaints, Fix Bad Service and Convince Companies that You're Right."
"We as consumers have delegated the responsibility of our satisfaction to the company. We expect them to make us happy without us putting forth any effort, and it doesn't work that way," he said.
All of which is not to say that getting good customer service needs to be another item on your to-do list, said Burke. He also is the president of a company called Sound Marketing in Branson, Mo.
You simply have to meet stores half way. (In doing so, you'll feel better about the money you spent.) You also need to choose the right stores to begin with. Research from the National Retail Federation about which stores consistently yield the highest satisfaction ratings can help with that.
Attention, shoppers!
To do your part in getting good service as a customer, here's what you need to know:
Be honest. When you walk into a store and the sales clerk asks if you need help, what do you say? Nine times out of 10, you say "No, thanks." Or, "I'm just looking."
Trouble is, clerks, customer service reps and other salespeople can't read your mind. They don't have a crystal ball. You must communicate your needs, the problem you are trying to resolve, or what you want to accomplish. Only then can you get a helping hand.
Be realistic. If you walk into a fast-food joint and the food's just so-so, you may walk out feeling as if you've gotten your money's worth.
But when the price tag for dinner is approaching three figures and the salmon is fair or the steak just satisfactory, you may feel your blood pressure rising.
This has everything to do with your expectations. It's your job to make sure that - before you shop - those expectations are in line.
Yes, it's reasonable to expect good food, good service, good everything from a five-star restaurant. But if you go some place that advertises itself as the lowest price, you can't expect the best customer service as well.
Understand that some stores do this better than others. There are some stores that have always put a premium on service and others that have more recently risen to the head of the class.
Shopping them will likely yield a happier experience if service - rather than say, price or convenience - tops the list of things that matter to you. According to the National Retail Federation's most recent service survey, Nordstrom was at the top of the list for providing the best customer service. Among the others were Lane Bryant, J.C. Penney and Eddie Bauer.
Consider shopping online. Online retailers tend to provide better customer customer satisfaction than the overall retail industry, according to University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index, with Amazon.com and BN.com, topping the online class.
Why is this? Online shopping is more convenient.
You can shop anywhere, anytime.
And although you can't touch or try on products, you can zoom in, look at them from many angles, read user reviews and get side-by-side comparisons, explained Larry Freed, online customer satisfaction expert and CEO of ForeSee Results.
Online retailers also provide a high level of consistency and quality. When you ask a call center customer service representative a question, you often hear a different answer from each person. On the Web you always get the same reply, Freed said.
If all else fails, complain — effectively. That means doing two things. First, before you open your mouth, decide what you want. What outcome will turn this experience into a good one for you overall? Then you'll know precisely what to ask for.
Secondly, calm down. If you begin the conversation in a state of rage, that likely will alienate the people who can help you.
Finally, if you don't get satisfaction from the first person you talk to calmly work your way up the ladder until you do.
Jean Chatzky
Shopping News