Does this make me look fat?

The joke continues, "no, it's not the clothes that make you look fat, it's your body!"

Not funny, yet there is a way to be honest and have class and salesmanship all wrapped up in one.

Jackie Huba at The Church of the Customer Blog wrote this:

Mickey Drexler knows me

Posted: 23 Apr 2008 09:39 AM CDT

Does this dress make my hips look big?

It was a question for which I needed an honest answer this weekend as I shopped at J. Crew. My salesperson complied.

"Yes, it does," she said. She smartly suggested another, more flattering dress instead. Thank you. I appreciated the honest advice.

Long-time readers of the Church probably know I love J. Crew, which continues to impress me with its turnaround from an average retailer into a dynamic store. CEO Mickey Drexler is clearly driven by a fanatical mission to understand what his customers want. He spends part of almost every day visiting stores. He talks with employees asking what is selling and what isn't. He chats up customers for feedback and comments.

Yesterday, a salesperson offered me a chilled bottled water as I entered the dressing room, something usually reserved for higher-end boutiques. My salesperson was highly attentive and she (and her colleagues) gave me great advice on what looked good and what didn't.

One thing Drexler must have learned from his chats with customers is an offer I received shortly after my store visit: a J. Crew personal shopper. I can schedule an appointment before and after the store is closed. Wow. Exactly what I want!

By listening to customers (not just once, but continually), J. Crew has learned that some of us who aren't afraid to part with our cash want someone to help style us and do it on our schedule. No wonder J. Crew is enjoying a 14% increase in revenue (from 2006-2007) while other retailers are floundering or simply closing stores in the face of a recession.

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