When you buy clothes at a store, most salespeople hand you your purchase across the counter. High-end fashion retailer Nordstrom requires sales associates to walk out from behind the counter to hand you your purchase, which makes customers feel more personally cared for (and therefore more likely to keep shopping at Nordstrom). As a waiter, I used to squat down beside my guests’ tables to talk to them. My being at eye level instead of looming above them made them more comfortable, and earned me larger tips.
