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[Chevy]

A friend of mine recently told me that when he was working at a huge national big box chain store (make your own assumption) that the employees were specifically told not to approach customers in the store and ask if they needed assistance. The rationale apparently was that at a store that provided largely discounted prices like that the customers can't and don't expect that level of service. I thought it was a bunch of baloney until I started thinking about all the time I've shopped in that store, in many different cities, and always had to hunt down an employee if I needed help.

[lava]

Sometimes I go into a store and there is someone there to greet me at the door and ask if they can assist me.  I find that very helpful, but there are instances where I purposely avoid the sales rep, because I am in no mood to interact with them and I want to go about my business.  To me, the proper procedure should be to ask customers if they need assistance regardless of the type of store and whether they need assistance or not.  Customers can be very funny people.  If a sales rep don't interact with the customer, many will interpret this behavior as being rude and uncaring.  The bottom result is customers will avoid going to the store and take their business elsewhere. 

[MaryG]

I fall into the same sort of category as Lava. I would prefer to be greeted and asked whether or not I can be helped. After that I would prefer to be left to my own devices unless I specifically ask for help. I actually would prefer to shop in stores where I have to search for an employee than shop in stores in which I am feeling pressured to buy something and buy it from a particular person.