"If you want to get something done, ask a busy person."

In the service industry, this old saying bears a lot of truth. For example, have you ever been to a restaurant during a very slow time and found that the service was equally slow? Yet when the same restaurant is busy, service is prompt and efficient? And on a personal note, have you ever noticed that on those days when there's nothing you absolutely have to do, not a whole lot gets done?

Well, it's human nature. Low-activity environments tend to shift us into low gear. Nothing seems urgent, nothing needs to happen right away and rushing around seems like too much trouble.

This isn't such a bad thing in one's personal life. We need time to recharge and relax. But on the retail sales floor, this element of human nature can derail our attempts to provide good customer service.

Rhythms are established when we're busy. We naturally seek ways to do things more efficiently, to keep pace with demands and to increase our productivity to stay a step ahead of the game. But when we're not busy, it's nap time. Instead of trying to stay busy, we become lethargic and avoid activity. After an hour without even a window shopper, we watch that lone customer wander in and we hope they don't need any help. If we had a remote control, we'd change the channel. We're couch potatoes turned sales spuds. And just as the couch potato doesn't feel healthy, invigorated and ready to grab the world by the horns at the end of the day, the sales spud isn't excited about their professional life when it's time to return to work the next morning.

Fortunately, there are as many ways to stay professionally fit as there are to stay off the couch at home. It's actually very simple: make yourself useful! Find something constructive to do. Oddly enough, this formula cures everything from the blues to anxiety attacks, but that's a topic for someone else's newsletter.

On the retail floor, activity is essential to success. So when you're not lucky enough to have a store full of customers:

" Call some of your favorite customers and tell them about new items in your store that may interest them. " Go on a mission to acquire more product knowledge and take your new sales presentations for a test drive with a coworker.

" Beautify a display that needs attention. " Write thank-you cards to customers who shopped in your store recently. " Choose products at random, and compile a list of appropriate add-ons (additional items to compliment, accessorize or enhance the main item). " Review your personal trade files and drop a line to customers you haven't seen for a while-just to say hello. " Set up a personal trade file if you don't have one. Come up with a template (a sample form that customers can fill out so you can keep in touch with them and record their merchandise preferences/needs) get it approved by your manager, and start collecting customers!

All of these activities relate to your success on the selling floor, whether they provide instant gratification or help you invest your time wisely. They're certainly more satisfying than clock-watching and they really do make time fly! Think about it: does time seem to pass more quickly when you're busy or when you're bored? So get busy! Live up to your potential, and make every minute count. Any groundwork you do to increase your professionalism and your expertise on the sales floor will pay off. Your time is valuable, so why not cash in?