25 Tips for Stress-Free Shopping, Traveling, and Dining - holiday shopping and entertaining tips

If feel like you still are recovering from last year's holiday season--made memorable by incredibly long lines at the cash register, last-minute shopping, midnight gift-wrapping long delays when traveling to visit relatives, and poor service at restaurants--you're not alone. The holiday season is one of most stressful times of the year because consumers travel, shop, and have family and business obligations all crunched into a very intense, two-week period filled with lots of expectations.

You can enjoy the holidays, experience less stress, and get better customer service if you follow the advice of customer service consultants Karen Leland and Keith Bailey, founders of The International Association of Quality Service and authors of Customer Service for "Getting good service is a partnership between the consumer and the company. The consumer's part in that partnership is to be well-prepared, specific, and empowered." To be a more empowered consumer and help plan for a service-filled and stress-free holiday season, Leland and Bailey offer an assortment of tips:

Shopping

Make a list of who you need to buy presents for and from which stores. Being organized will save you time, money, and stress just by knowing in advance who you want to buy gifts for and what you want to get them. Plan on spending a set amount of time on a given day at the stores on your list. If at all possible, go in the early morning or late and try to avoid shopping on weekends from Thanksgiving through Christmas.

Shop by mail or computer. Many catalogue companies will wrap your gifts, include a personalized card, and ship them directly to relatives, friends, and business associates. This is a great way to get all your holiday shopping done without ever leaving the house.

Stock up on basic items before the season rush begins. This includes wrapping paper and ribbon, tape, cards and tags, and even candles and candy. The selection will be better, and you will avoid having to fight the crowds and wait in line for just a few "small things."

Don't feel pressured to make a purchase just because others are waiting in line. Making a gift-buying decision under pressure invariably leads to poor choices and often a second trip to the store to return the item. If you can't decide whether one is suitable, ask the salesperson to put it on hold for you for an hour and take a break, get a cup of coffee, have a bite to eat, or just window shop. If you still want the item, go back to the store and buy it with the confidence that you are making the right choice.

Shop at "child friendly" stores. If you need to bring along youngsters, took for stores or malls that have a welcoming attitude towards kids. Some malls at holiday time will even provide entertainment for children. Try to bring a spouse or friend so one of you can shop while the other keeps an eye on the kids.

Call stores ahead of time if you are going to need special assistance. During the holidays, most stores bring in temporary workers who don't know the stock and may not be able to give you the attention you require. If you need the assistance of a knowledgeable salesperson for a special purchase, make an appointment ahead of time phone.

Don't buy gifts at stores that don't have a 100% refund or exchange policy. If you don't know, ask before you spend time shopping there. It's best to buy gifts that can be easily exchanged, and make sure all warranties are in the box to avoid conflicts later. If it has an "all sales final" policy, ask the store if they will do a "24-hour approval." This way you can take the item and then return it if it does not work out. This is especially useful for household items, clothing, and gifts you want to run by a spouse or friend for approval.

Check your merchandise and sales slips before leaving the store. In the busy holiday rush, it's easy to end up with the wrong items in your bag or an incorrect charge. Checking your purchases and sales slip before you leave the counter will prevent an unwanted return trip to the store. If one slips through, call the store upon returning home. In many cases, they can correct the charge by phone and send you an updated copy. Similarly, they will often send you the correct merchandise and allow you to return the wrong product to them by mail.

Save all receipts from holiday purchases in an envelope. If you have to return or exchange something, you will have the receipt conveniently at hand and won't waste valuable time and effort attempting to find it. You will avoid being in the uncomfortable position of trying to return a purchase after the holiday while sheepishly explaining that you lost the receipt.

Avoid a crowded sales counter. Certain departments in a large store are busier than others at holiday time. For example, men's accessories may be crowded, while the ladies' foundations department is empty. Take your purchases to the counter where there is the least activity. Most department stores will allow you to pay for items at any open cash register.

Dining and entertaining

Make restaurant reservations three weeks in advance of the holidays. Let the restaurant know if you have any special requests at the time you make the reservation, which will help them prepare in advance and increase your chances of getting what you want.

Draw up a grocery list for the "big" holiday meal before you go shopping. Divide the list by section and shop the store in that order. If there is a special item you will need, call the store ahead of time to make sure it's in stock and ask them to hold it for you. If it's not in stock, ask them to special order it.

Purchase host/hostess gifts before the busy season starts. A bottle of wine, box of candy, or pair of holiday candles make suitable gifts. Stock up on several so you aren't rushing around before parties and dinners for last-minute, on-the-way-to-the-party gifts.

Plan on arriving at least 15 minutes early for restaurant reservations. This allows for delays caused by holiday traffic, parking difficulties, etc. Be aware that most restaurants, especially at the holidays, will only hold a reservation 10-15 minutes past the time set.

Keep a few spare presents on hand. You can prevent embarrassing moments and last-minute trips to the store by purchasing and wrapping spare presents ahead of time. Some items that are simple, reasonably priced, and always appreciated include boxes of soap, books, compact discs, and specialty food products.

Holiday travel

Guarantee your hotel room for late arrival with a credit card. This will prevent the hotel from canceling your room in case your flight is delayed or you are stuck in holiday traffic. Even so, as a back-up plan, as soon as you know you are going to be late, call the front desk manager and get his or her personal assurance that your room will be there for you when you arrive.

If your flight is significantly delayed or canceled, don't stand in line. Instead, use a nearby pay phone or cellular phone to call your travel agent or the airline. They will make travel arrangements for you by phone much faster than a harried gate agent with 200 other people in line with the same problem to solve.

"You can catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar." This old adage is true, especially when dealing with airlines and other travel professionals--and particularly during the holidays when everyone is stressed. If you ask politely, service personnel usually will go out of their way to help you. If your needs aren't satisfied, you can always speak to a supervisor.

Check in for your flight at least an hour before departure. While the usual airline policy is to hold all reservations until 15 minutes before departure, don't take any chances at holiday time. By arriving early, you will have a better chance of getting the seats you want and ensuring that your luggage makes it to your destination on the same flight. Be sure to ship gifts ahead of time instead of trying to stuff them in the overhead compartments on a busy, full flight!

Better service

Get the service provider on your side. Make direct eye contact with sales clerks as soon as possible; greet them with a pleasant "good morning" or "happy holidays"; and use the word "please" within the first 30 seconds. Use "I" statements and avoid "you" statements so the service provider doesn't get on the defensive. For instance, saying, "I'm frustrated that I can't get help" works better than "You are not being helpful."

Be clear, concise, and direct in your request. For example, if you need a holiday sweater special-ordered for Uncle Harold, be specific about when you need it, make sure the clerk who is helping you has the authority to do what you're asking, and be specific about any details. You may even want to ask the person politely to repeat back to you the specific details just to check for accuracy.

Be understanding. Holidays are stressful for sales clerks, waiters and waitresses, and other service professionals. You can diffuse a bad situation by saying, "I appreciate your help. I know how busy you are at this time of the year."

Always write down the name of whomever helps you. If there's a problem later on, you will be able to resolve it quicker when you can give the name of the specific person who provided you with the information or a promise.

Do business where you always do business and they know you. An established relationship formed throughout the year will almost always lead to better customer service at holiday times.

Use the salesperson's knowledge. If you need help in solving a problem, ask the salesperson, "What would you recommend I do?" and then stay silent. By giving people a minute to think about it, they will often come up with a workable solution.

COPYRIGHT 1999 Society for the Advancement of Education
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group