My mum has been volunteering in charity shops on and off since she retired and she’ll proudly tell you she’s the top salesperson (she's also very competitive) 

Last weekend, during her shift, the shop took double its usual takings

Why?
Because my mum doesn’t just “work the till.”

She sells, with charm, curiosity, and a deep understanding of what people really want

Here are a few of her classics:

A woman from the WI came in looking for a teapot big enough to brew tea for the whole group

The shop didn’t have one

But instead of saying “sorry, we don’t have that,” my mum switched gears

She asked:
“You know when you have a WI meeting and serve wine… don’t people complain if the wine glasses don’t match?”

The woman laughed and agreed

She walked in for a teapot and walked out with 15 matching wine glasses

Then there was the problem of the tea services

The shop had about 20 full sets, cups, saucers, cake plates, all pristine, all unloved

The generation who used them is fading, and demand has vanished

Until an American couple wandered in

My mum spotted the opportunity instantly and sold them a full traditional English tea set

Now this American couple can amaze their friends back home with a traditional English tea ceremony 

Now Mum keeps an ear out for American accents (she lives on the edge of the Cotswolds), and she can usually persuade visiting tourists that they absolutely need a classic British tea service to complete their trip

Conclusion:
My mum may be retired, but she’s a masterclass in sales: listen to people, understand what they really value, and meet them there

No CRM, no playbooks, no KPIs, just decades of intuition and the human touch

A reminder that great selling isn’t about the product; it’s about the person standing in front of you