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If there's one thing no one likes when buying anything is being told what you want when the person in sales has no idea who you are or what you need. Now, I've met some great people in sales who really listened to me and gave me a lot of feedback when I asked them questions. They were paragons of salesfolk. These are the kinds of people I wish were in every position of sales. However, when we enter a computer store, far more often than not, the case is you're dealing with someone who would like to a) get rid of you or b) get you to spend as much as you can. They'll even give you more credit with which to buy their stuff, the kind souls. But that's not why you came to the store.

When you go to the store to buy something, and I'll offer some examples below, the first thing you have to do is almost not pay attention to anything the person in sales is telling you until after you've explained to them everything about your needs. You also have to be prepared to know what your needs are. If you don't, a good salesman will ask you about your habits and background when using the kind of device you're looking for, but again, more often than not, we're confronted with someone who's not interested in you. So, know what you want to express. It doesn't matter if you know anything technical. The words, "I keep running out of space on my computer and I hate that." will say a lot. You don't need to say, "I'd like a 10,000 rpm SATA drive with 8 megs of cache, preferably a Seagate if you have them." If you can, great, but the point is be able to express your needs. Then comes the fun part (I consider this fun, anyway): testing them.

So, say you want to buy a wireless mouse, but you don't know much about mice and you certainly don't know anything about wireless. You walk in to the store, meander to the computer section and are confronted with a, "Hello, may I help you with anything?" You're hoping they can, and thus begins the Dance o' Sales:
Customer: I'm looking for a wireless mouse. Do you have those?
Sales: We sure do. In fact, we have a great keyboard and mouse combination that's on sales this week for $129.99.
Customer: ouch. I just wanted a wireless mouse.
Sales: Yeah, but you get so much more for your money when you buy this combo AND it's on sale this week.
Customer: I understand but I didn't want to spend that much on just a wireless mouse.
Sales: Sure, just hang tight and I'll get someone to help you.

At this point, he finds someone who is able to find you a wireless mouse, ask few generic questions, and will be happy to see you on your way. Clearly this is a Bad Experience; however, virtually all bad experiences are great lessons. For one, this experience shows you that even when the salesman is a tad forceful, you can still ask more questions. When you don't know very much, it's actually kind of empowering because you have far more questions than the person who wants to manipulate you wants to answer. If you don't take it too seriously, you can make it an interesting visit and get what you came for. A helpful salesman will exhibit qualities similar to this:
Customer: I'm looking for a wireless mouse. Do you have those?
Sales: Yes we do. Were you looking for any particular kind of wireless mouse?
Customer: I have no idea what I'm looking for. I just know I don't like wires and I hear these wireless kinds are pretty good.
Sales: Yeah, they've come a long way since they first came out. Do you use your mouse much?
Customer: I don't use my mouse much but my son uses it all the time for his games.
Sales: Okay, there's a couple different kinds you can get. If you didn't use a mouse too often, I would suggest these kinds. They cost less but that's because they're not meant for much wear and tear. Since wireless mice take batteries, you will probably want one that has a built-in battery that charges, since your son will wear down those batteries pretty quick. They cost more, but you'll save in time from having to buy batteries separately. Also, these mice will last longer than the less expensive variety.

Clearly, you are given options here and that is what you want: Options with explanations that make sense to you. If you don't understand, then they're not doing their job. If you can't find someone to answer your questions, there are so many stores to buy from, why give a store with poor sales qualities your money? Go elsewhere. Here is a situation I experienced a year or so ago. This conversation is almost verbatim:

Me: Hi, where do you keep your network cards?
Sales: Right this way. (takes me to the modems)
Me: But these are modems. I need a network card.
Sales: (looks closer at the boxes) That's what these are.
Me: No. Network cards. NICs. You know... ethernet cards?
Sales: Yes....
Me: This is a modem. Look at the jacks. There's two RJ11 jacks in these things. I need something with an RJ45 connection.

This is where I was given to a Higher Power and lead to the proper section. Sometimes it doesn't matter how much you know; the diminished capacity of the person in sales is enough to convince you to look elsewhere.

They key thing is: know what kind of conclusion you'd like. It doesn't matter if you know the name, so long as you know your concept. Explaining your needs is all that is required of you. If the person in sales isn't responding to your queries, you can be nice and tell them that you'll look around for a while or simply ask for someone else. That's your call. Lastly, don't spend any more than you're comfortable with. There is an abundance of options, so why make a purchase a bad experience?

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Next week, we'll talk about the most common ways your computer dies or malfunctions in ways that are entirely preventable. Since this is aimed at beginners, these will be steps anyone can take to make the life of their computer longer.

If you have any comments, questions or concerns about this newsletter, feel free to e-mail me at sean@beggs.ca.