Sales associates may need to spend more time with customers that are very selective (picky) to help them select the product that is exactly what they are seeking. Having visibility to product availability across the enterprise may help them “save the sale.” One of the biggest misses for sales associates when dealing with selective customers is trying to encourage them that a product is “good enough.” It is better to do whatever you need to do to help these customers find the perfect product, which will increase their brand loyalty.

Which kind of “picky” customer are we talking about? The so-called “platinum” customer who demands attention but drives the most profit because of loyalty to a store and less focus on price? This shopper demands (and probably deserves) the highest level of personalized customer service, and the deepest understanding of his/her product preferences.

The other kind of “picky” customer is the one who simply craves attention without an intent to buy. This shopper can hamper productivity, based on the time spent by sales associates without a profitable outcome. It’s tough for retailers to concede, but some customers might be more trouble than they’re worth.

I have known a few maximizers. They are known for thoroughly researching every aspect of the product they want to purchase – from product features to benefits, competitors, where to buy, what price to pay, etc. Salespeople need to have the instinct to be able to identify a maximizer and spare them the usual pitch (“I have the same one at home”). Maximizers can see through such tactics and feel annoyed.

It seems simplistic to label a customer as “picky” when that customer’s preferences and pet peeves may only apply to certain situations, categories or products. It’s interesting that “…a shirt in a very precise shade of black” was mentioned. When looking for black t-shirts or shirts, I have go-to brands (and retailers) that I know sell a “true black” that won’t fade over time. When it comes to other colors, overall quality matters more (or doesn’t, depending on the usage occasion). No amount of discounting or store associate cajoling would alter this preference. I wonder if the data would label me as “picky” based on my shades-of-black scrutiny? If so, I could receive more attention than the situation warranted.

Marketers must take care in dealing with so called picky customers. Remember the 80/20 rule. Picky customers represent the tail of the customer spectrum and efforts to convert such customers need to be evaluated in terms of the cost to do so, as well as the potential impact on the rest of the curve.

I wouldn’t necessarily fire picky customers, but at the same time I would not engage in target marketing to this segment unless the above concerns are addressed.

I wonder if online shopping has created shifted more shoppers towards the “picky” psychographic. The best e-commerce sites are set up to facilitate and indulge picky shoppers by allowing them to filter to the tiniest details of what they’re looking for. Sales associates would be best armed against picky customers by being highly educated on all the product specs, much like Lululemon sales associates. When sales associates are thoroughly educated on an item’s capabilities, they can speak to the details that matter to this type of customer.

This is such a great topic and rarely presented in this context. This, this right here, is why retailers focus on cost of acquisition and customer lifetime value. Retailers are in the inevitable role of showing customers (picky or not), “what have you done for me lately.” The use of tech solutions plus human touch will secure these hard-earned customers. SMS messaging is a great way to nurture those hard-fought relationships.

For the sales associate, none. Nod your head a few times and move on. The picky customer will drain time and resources without closing a sale. Trying to make a pitch or even suggesting a product will generate a barrage of criticism about the product or your service and an overall bad experience. For most sales reps, it’s not worth their time or morale to engage.

Thankfully, these types of customers are not frequent. Preferably, you’ll be able to focus on providing better services to customers who will pay and will not be as critical. In most cases, the picky customer really doesn’t need the associate’s help and can establish whether items are in their wheelhouse on their own.

Picky does not always mean difficult. Difficult sometimes means picky. Regardless, the question is if the retailer is a good fit for the customer and vice-versa. A customer who buys custom shirts wants precision in the fit, color, etc. Does that make them difficult? I hardly think so. Perhaps we can call them discerning, but at the same time, a customer that knows what they want is an easier customer to sell (provided the retailer can provide what the customer is asking for).

Watching a great salesperson work is a “thing of beauty.” They know what questions to ask, when to make appropriate comments, and (this is important) when to stop talking. They see “picky” as a way of getting better information to know what they customer wants to purchase.

The best thing you can offer a picky shopper is customization and a good amount of patience. They may take longer to convert but when they buy, their purchase decisions are less constrained by price and are more likely to return if they believe that you “get” them.

It’s a sure fail to start suggesting to a picky shopper what worked for someone else or, to push limited-time deals. They are only concerned with what will work for them and don’t respond well to thinly-veiled, time-pressure tactics.

While it may not be possible to role out the red carpet for these shoppers in every store for every visit, retailers that can identify their “high touch” customers and cultivate those relations may be rewarded with high customer lifetime value (and well trained if not remarkably patient staff).