The Fish Model

If it makes the person feel happier than maybe you have made that person’s day even though there are a lot more serious things in life to think about than buying a fish for dinner. There is a market in Seattle which has been able to make the day for the person wanting to buy fish and one would think that out this shopping experience just stops at the purchase but no, the philosophy of the owner goes beyond that to encompass the act of playing with the customer.



What is important in the approach for the newcomer is the element of surprise in getting his fish. One does not expect to get a fish thrown at him but it is common practice for the counterman to do so and the act is even therapeutic to him as he has been interviewed about this job practice. It works well for the customer as well as for the worker where they have the ability to connect at a personal level with the client. It is thought that their sales have gone up since the company started throwing fish around and shouting about the process in a loud and friendly way.

The notion of personalizing the sale and the playfulness then have contributed to the success of the market. Buyers have come back because of relating with the merchant at a different level. This model has been used in call center milieus in order to suggest that the salesperson has the right to be equally playful on the job even though the merchandise is not fish and not everything can be treated the same way. He can of course learn to personalize with the client by talking about something that he hears the client does n his free time or some other news he is able to get out of a preliminary phone call. Perhaps what is important over all is that the ability of pleasant surprise that the fishmonger uses in his sales approach which allows him to make friends with clients.

The Fish Model