Dive Brief:

• The “Retail Doctor” Bob Phibbs recently asked his 6,200 Facebook fans about their pet peeves about retail employees.

• Among 50 pet peeves he outlines in his report is retail employees who don’t know about products, don’t call for help with a line at the register, and don’t smile. What they do that bugs people? Talk on the phone, to friends or phone customers, without acknowledging someone in front of them, make change without counting it out, check or text on their phones in front of customers, and, unfortunately, more.

• In his post, Phibbs says marketing won't help retailers with unknowledgeable or unhelpful retail employees. “Paid ads, storewide sales and hosting free events are a luxury you don’t have,” he writes. “Until you take a laser focus on your customer, none of the rest of that matters.”

Dive Insight:

One of the premier advantages brick-and-mortar stores have over e-commerce retailers is humans who can interact customers. Those employees, however, must be helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. Otherwise, a retailer could land on one of those dreaded lists of the worst customer service. Above all, retail employees are there not just to sell products, but also be to be front-line ambassadors for a retailer’s brand.