I feel that assistants aren't really there to help me; they're there to maximize profits for their employer.
Help me find these employees! I joke, but seriously - I usually get great recommendations from the staff, often brutally honest. I find people don't give flippant recommendations, as its a reflection of themselves.
Not everybody is an introvert, and some people do want help but are too afraid to ask. Although I suspect that for each of those there are three people that would just like to shop on their own.
It's also important to note people can often give the wrong signals. Wearing a baggy coat and making sideways glance at the staff because you're worried they may come over may flag you as a shoplifter and attract their attention.
Much, much worse is "Are you after pants or tops today?" which is the worst kind of sleazeball sales opener. Now I'm on guard, preparing to either fend off a hard sell or make a break for the exit.
This, exactly. In the US, car dealers have a pretty poor reputation, because people generally believe that the salespeople are especially trained to trick/beguile/confuse shoppers, in order to maximize the dealers profit. In turn, I think many people dread buying a car from a dealer.
Do you really want people to view your operation in the same light as a car dealer?
"Can I help you?" "Nope. Just looking..." "OK. Just let me know if you need any assistance."
Perfect. I have help if I need it. If I was initially too shy to ask, the door was opened for me. No pressure.
Of course we're talking typical retail, set up for self service. This model doesn't always apply, and you shouldn't blindly apply it.
(No, brakes are not my first repair. Most of my repairs have been in the car, electrical, hoses, injection, dropping the fuel tank, etc. I have always stayed away from tires/suspension and usually paid the hefty fees. Thanks for the _valid_ concern!)
But if you know a 9/16" box end from a 10mm socket, then have fun and give it the same attention to detail that you would an important piece of coding.
Get a service manual if you can (Haynes is kind of the gold standard here). It'll walk you through, step-by-step, whatever it is you're trying to do.