When customers actually listen!

[Marxfan]

One of my favorite parts of my bookstore job was recommending titles. Now, most customers didn't give a rat's ass about my opinion, but I never let that stop me.

One day, this customer was looking for fairy tale books for her foster child from Africa. Real fairy tales, nothing Disney. I had shortlisted a bunch of fairy tale books I thought looked good and I showed her the Marianna Mayer version of "Beauty and the Beast" and the woman really liked it, praising me for showing a fairy tale that wasn't so "pristine and lily-white". I showed her a variety, some she liked more than others, but overall she was incredibly patient and open-minded and she even bought most of the titles I showed her!

I'm not saying everyone has to love what I suggest, but it's nice when someone listens and isn't so quick to dismiss your opinion. It makes you feel intelligent, worthwhile, and like you're doing your job right.

[bigjimaz]

That's awesome. Most times when they request something like that it is only to save them time or to avoid searching for themselves. They couldn't care less what your opinion is. It is nice to see something work out as it should.