How to be a better customer – from a guy who just randomly picked up a new Rolex DJ

Bruce Duguay

Allow me start off with a recent watch acquisition story. Last month, I was travelling for work and ended up with a few hours to kill on a Friday afternoon after meetings wrapped up. I asked my colleagues that lived locally for a recommendation on where to go and check out some nice watches. They pointed me at a certain jewellery store that was an AD for Rolex, and I was also quickly told that they were the only game in town and that they never had anything available. You had to be a long-time customer or wait endlessly for the hot watches.

Since I wasn’t really in the market for a watch, I didn’t really care. I just wanted to be out of meetings and clear my head by browsing timepieces. I arrived at the store about 45 minutes before closing time. The nice security guard let me in through the double doors and asked if I was looking for anything in particular. I spoke the cliche words of every defensive customer and said: “Just browsing, thanks”. He gave me a polite nod and it seemed apparent I now had a licence to roam. I breezed by the Rolex section, which had the usual assortment of “exhibition only” models dispersed among many blank spots, and headed over to the corner of the store where real IWCs and Omegas were hanging out.

“Hi there! I’m Jeff!” boomed a voice from behind me as I reviewed the various big-crowned IWC chronos on display. Despite being moderately startled, I managed to turn around gracefully and grab Jeff’s outstretched hand for a friendly shake. Once I reciprocated the introduction, I asked if they had the new Mark XX available to see. Jeff said no. I then asked if they had any of the new Speedmaster 57 models. Jeff said no. I politely smiled and listened while Jeff talked about how they were supposed to be getting some of these watches soon but didn’t quite know when. Then he asked if I was a local and had ever visited this store before.

I fully expected Jeff to drop me like a hot potato once I told him I was visiting from thousands of miles away, however it only served to pique his curiosity. I answered his question about what I did for work and we found some common ground there, as he used to be in the same business as well. We shared a few war stories about consumer behavior over the last two years, at the same time walking around and looking at various watches from Hamilton, Tissot, and TAG Heuer. All in all, some great conversation, however, I was keenly aware that time was ticking closer to closing for them. Being in retail myself, I have a great respect for not keeping people past closing on a Friday.

Then, out of the blue, Jeff mentioned that they don’t really have any Rolex models available. We hadn’t even been talking about Rolex and I definitely hadn’t asked. It was almost like he was probing to see if I would. I mentioned that I really enjoyed the Rolex watches I already had in my collection and that it was OK that they didn’t have any, empathising with his Rolex-less position. I was gearing up to execute some polite goodbyes so he and the rest of the store could pack up for the evening when he said: “Let me just pop into the back and make sure we don’t have anything.”

I thought: “OK Jeff. You’re the boss…” and continued to stroll around the store as he disappeared into the mythical back room. A few moments later he reappeared with a beige suede tray that contained a blue dial steel Rolex Datejust 41. As you may recall from my previous writing, I have something of a fetish for Datejusts and already employ three various 36mm vintages in regular rotation.

Jeff seemed pretty jazzed that he had wheeled this 41 out in front of me with fifteen minutes left to close and subsequently forced me to try on the blue beauty. In my periphery, I could see sales associates gathering up inventory from the other displays to put away. No pressure, right? Since I’m a sucker for blue sunburst dials and really dug the low-key Oyster bracelet and smooth bezel combo, I quickly succumbed and let Jeff take VISA’s money right then and there. I was sized and out the door with five minutes to spare.

That evening, my work colleagues and I gathered for a dinner and I decided to sport my new acquisition. Shortly after drinks were ordered we were laughing and chatting about business things and I must have let the DJ slip out from under my shirt cuff a little too obviously.

“HOLD ON… WHAT THE EFF IS THAT??? DID YOU GET THAT TODAY??” one of my less tactful colleagues exclaimed from across the table. I could not tell a lie, so I recounted my story of my visit to the store and new friend Jeff. The same colleague mentioned they had been waiting for a call on a blue dial Datejust for quite some time. Sheepishly, I admitted I hadn’t even asked to see any Rolexes. It just kind of happened. A bit of grumbling ensued, then some muted congratulations and we transitioned back to business talk. It was clear I had stirred the local watch pot a little bit.

After returning home from my trip, I got to thinking about some of the elements that contributed to me securing a Rolex without even trying. It occurred to me that much of the same consumer behaviours I have come to appreciate in my own business lent themselves to my success with Jeff.

Pro tip #1: Be humble and approachable

Never walk into any watch retailer with any expectations of getting what you want. Rather, look for opportunities to enjoy the moment of being around watches and forgetting the outside world. Take it all in and positively accept conversation from anyone who comes your way. Act natural, but not arrogant. Don’t let the store intimidate you, and remember they want you to be there.

Pro tip #2: Be transparent and genuine

When a luxury retailer sells a good that is in a scarcity position, often they have internal or manufacturer-dictated guidelines about how they should go about selling to avoid the good falling into the hands of endless flippers or grey-market dealers. A core part of these guidelines involves getting to know the customer. Depending on the level of skill, experience, and tact the sales consultant possesses, they may either come across as interrogational or, in the case of better ones, excited and interested in you and your watch journey. Give them as much information as you are comfortable with to show them you are a real person and not just a sketchy sales lead named “Jim Nolastname”. Mention a community connection or try to find some people in common. You would be amazed the lengths salespeople will go through to get you what you want once they feel you are a genuine human being and not just a walking bot.

Pro tip #3: Seriously, don’t complain or be a dick

Since common sense is not that common, it unfortunately needs to be made clear that if purveyors of scarce luxury goods don’t like you, your chances of getting what you want will diminish greatly. Remember that it is in the store’s best interest to sell you something. That is their job and if they could sell you four Pepsi GMTs they would! Becoming standoffish or rude because you can’t get what you want right away is a sure-fire way to land yourself in first-world-problems purgatory, whether you’re shopping at Rolex, Holt-Renfrew, or Porsche. Being a nice person will go much further and maybe even get you that surprise phone call in a few weeks.

Pro tip #4: Develop lasting relationships

In our world of short attention spans and immediate access to information, this may be the hardest element to master. Even if you get a watch you really want, it pays to foster that retailer relationship over the long term. Stop by and wish them happy holidays without expecting to buy something. Sit and have coffee while asking about their watch interests and listening while they talk about the ups and downs of working in retail. Eventually, one day you’ll stop by the boutique casually to say hi and ask “What’s cool?” and they may bring out something you didn’t even know you were able to access (hello, Royal Oak).

In the end, becoming a good customer isn’t about being kissing butts or who you know. It is simply about being yourself (assuming you are a relatively good person) and replacing your expectations and demands with relatability and personality. Give it a try and you may be surprised at what doors eventually open up.