... when shopping the same place again? I had a few recognize me when I had shops with long interactions, like car dealers, but even those just said I look familiar, and most don't recognize me at all after a year or so. I had one staff member at a gas station with a photographic memory who didn't only know when I last shopped that place, but even what I was wearing back then. Generally I have the impression that staff members forget faces quite quickly, a (non-shopping) friend doesn't think so, so what are your impressions?

Any good sales person will remember faces. I saw a customer yesterday that I meet over three years ago where I used to work. I recognized him right away, and he recognized me when he saw me staring at him and making eye contact with him. I rarely remember names, but remember faces very well.

I had an investment banker remember me and all of my details after 6 months. I had to come up with a different back story on the fly.

An MSC called me to MS a gas station. I told them I shouldn't, because I was sure the clerk would recognize me. They said no problem it's been over a year since you shopped there.

I walked in, and the clerk said, "Wow, hi, haven't seen you in over a year. How ya been?"

You must have really charmed him that first visit!

@ceasesmith wrote:

An MSC called me to MS a gas station. I told them I shouldn't, because I was sure the clerk would recognize me. They said no problem it's been over a year since you shopped there.

I walked in, and the clerk said, "Wow, hi, haven't seen you in over a year. How ya been?"

I have had many remember me and I am very surprised as I live in such a large city. One upscale fast food place the last time I was there and the cashier, who recently started working there, asked my name for the receipt and then said something like, and you spell it Sandy, not Sandi with an i or ie. Another time I was in a location just a couple of miles from another one I shop and the manager greeted me at the door and said he was surprised to see me as he knows I am a customer at the other location. He had just transferred from that one. I did not remember ever talking to him there. But I work close to the second location so I told him that. The truth worked to throw him off the possible suspicion I was a mystery shopper.

Reminds me of one of my favorite sayings
" I never forget a face but in your case I'll make an exception."

I don't know how people revisit car dealers because of this. I am pretty obvious wherever I go, so I could not imagine returning to these places.

It depends. Some staff members are naturally going to be better at recognizing/remembering customers. I used to work at a museum and could easily remember if someone had come before, even if it had been a while. My co-worker was not so great at recognizing/remembering customers, even more frequent ones. If you have any features or did an action that makes you stand out from the average customer at the location, then you're more likely to be remembered/recognized.

A banker remembered me too. Luckily I honestly did not remember Banker and didn't have to act when denying ever meeting previously.
Then there was the retail store I was browsing on my own time and the saleswoman said she remembered my last visit (a shop). It was never clear if she just remembered me or knew I had written a report on her.

Certain people are also memorable for varying reasons. If someone likes or dislikes how you look or dress, your voice, complexion, gait, perfume or cologne, glasses, etc., they might have a better chance of remembering you.

All you can do is try to blend in and not say or do anything memorable. Sometimes the guidelines work against you on that.

For some locations, I have a self-imposed rotation that is longer than the MSC's.

By the way, I missed the announcement -- how's that grandbaby?

@MFJohnston wrote:

You must have really charmed him that first visit!

@ceasesmith wrote:

An MSC called me to MS a gas station. I told them I shouldn't, because I was sure the clerk would recognize me. They said no problem it's been over a year since you shopped there.

I walked in, and the clerk said, "Wow, hi, haven't seen you in over a year. How ya been?"

Absolutely adorable! She's bright-eyed and curious about the world. She so desperately wants to roll over. She's 2 1/2 months now and next week, my wife gets to become her caregiver when mom has to go back to work! I'll get to see her almost daily!

@ceasesmith wrote:

By the way, I missed the announcement -- how's that grandbaby?

@MFJohnston wrote:

You must have really charmed him that first visit!

@ceasesmith wrote:

An MSC called me to MS a gas station. I told them I shouldn't, because I was sure the clerk would recognize me. They said no problem it's been over a year since you shopped there.

I walked in, and the clerk said, "Wow, hi, haven't seen you in over a year. How ya been?"

Some do; most do not. I most cases the shopper just has to remember that this does not mean that they are known as a shopper. But, with new homes, cars and assisted living, I sure would not want to repeat in less than 3-5 years.

Gas station clerks will usually remember you, as a lot of times the same MS/auditor visits the same location each quarter. I caught one guy off guard because he said he's never seen me before and didn't have a chance to take down all the stuff and change into uniform, like I guess he usually does.

Well, of course most will remember revealed auditors/shoppers. That is why I do not do those. High staff turnover means that I/you could easily encounter, at a non-revealed shop, the same person that was rewarded last month on a revealed visit to a competitor location.

One shop I go to they definitely know it's me. I can tell by the way they look at me and alert the other employees. The management all of a sudden comes out and are busy. Hey, it's mutual respect. They do what they are suppose to do and I'll return the favor.

But you'll agree that a majority in normal retail does not remember after a year or so, especially after one visit?

They shouldn't remember you after one visit a year ago unless either you are a shopper and they reviewed the report/video or you were such a memorable customer that they couldn't forget you.

It can be funny what we do and do not remember. When I was 17 I worked at Wendy's and we had a semi-regular customer who came in and I still remember his face and his order: A Bacon Cheeseburger with Mustard and Ketchup only, cooked rare. I can even picture his face and hear his accent. That was decades ago. Of course, I don't remember 99.9% of our customers. (He stuck out because he ordered the condiments in the reverse order of they way I had to communicate it to the sandwich maker, but he was never comfortable when I repeated it back as "Ketchup and Mustard only." He also liked the meat very rare. Very rare.)

For the most part, as shoppers, if we don't frequent a place all that often and we don't do anything interesting, we'll simply become a foggy, at best, memory to the retailer within a week. There is a store, for instance, that I shop frequently that has a rotation of 6 days. I've had the same cashier and return associate three weeks in a row before and I am certain that they did not remember me.

Of course, when you have a good salesperson on a more intense interaction (new homes, car sales), they will remember you for a long time. Thus, once you shop a new home salesperson, you can never shop that same person again. I was recognized at an apartment shop once my a leasing agent whom I had shopped 18 months before that visit.

MF, thanks for the baby update! Congrats!

I've done a test drives at a Tesla dealership and somehow got the same saleswoman 3 times in a row over a 6 month interval. I thought for sure she'd recognize me, but nope. Some have better memories than others.

I got the same Tesla salesman twice in nine months. He asked me if I had come back for a second test drive because I was ready to buy. I said I had never been in the store and acted like I didn't know what he was talking about. I think I finally convinced him I just had one of those faces that looks familiar to everyone.

@quovatis wrote:

I've done a test drives at a Tesla dealership and somehow got the same saleswoman 3 times in a row over a 6 month interval. I thought for sure she'd recognize me, but nope. Some have better memories than others.

I have bright blue hair so don't do repeat non-revealed shops. Last fall it was purple, and I had teal in the summer, but it is still kinda distinctive.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2019 01:41PM by heartlandcanuck.

LOL! I would expect somebody eventually to say something along the lines of, hey, love the hair color! Weren't you teal last summer?

I just went to my bank. I don't remember this guy who helped me at all. He asked me if I took my motorcycles out yet, how was the vette, and asked what kind of law I practice again. Umm yeah.

@ceasesmith wrote:

LOL! I would expect somebody eventually to say something along the lines of, hey, love the hair color! Weren't you teal last summer?

At a gas station a couple weeks ago, the manager came out and exclaimed, "a change from purple!"

There is no hiding in the shadows once you let your badger-striped-grey go. )

I am a substitute teacher. I meet a lot of students and staff. I remember all the faces.

As a mystery shopper, I remember all the faces of people I've shopped. I assume they recognize me too.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2019 12:31PM by prince.