What does "Closed" mean to you?

[Lumen]

I stopped working retail last year after one job (it was enough for me -- and higher-paying opportunities for students exist elsewhere, anyway) but this wasn't a huge issue at my location. Most customers were pretty apologetic and understanding that everyone wanted to go home at the end of the day, so if they did come in at the last minute, it'd be for something fast, and if they were in the store after our normal closing time, they'd apologize and hurry.

Those that didn't follow that model were few and far between, and the managers would usually aggressively offer to help anyone who appeared to be casually browsing after the doors were locked behind them.

 

[Misfit Toy]

[I would think most people would be able to grasp that the concept of "the customer is always right" doesn't mean they can verbally abuse the employee. I see I am mistaken.

What you aren't grasping is that most of the customers being discussed in this thread are the ones who are taking your theory to the extreme. That's why many reputable management consultants don't bother with advocating that silly platitude.

Customers deserve respect, as do retail workers. Believing that the store is always out to cheat you, or the attitude that retail work isn't a real job is liable to lead a cutomer into exhibiting the kind of behavior shown by customers in this thread.

Asking a store to process ANY transaction that begins during normal business hours is not disrespectful to any clerk and should be processed. Retail clerks may have other plans but that's what they agree to do when they, umm, accepted the job.

Good thing I didn't say that, isn't it?

 

[Aragorn]

Has the Oprah incident been mentioned on here yet? Where she tried to shop at a Paris store that was closed and they turned her away? They were called racist and had to apologize to her:

"Hermes apologizes for any offense taken due to such circumstances."

An Oprah spokeswoman even called it a "crash moment," which means discrimination on the basis of skin color. Then later Oprah spun it to say she was upset by a rude worker there, not that the place was closed and wouldn't let her shop.

 

[TheLonelySquire]

What you aren't grasping is that most of the customers being discussed in this thread are the ones who are taking your theory to the extreme. That's why many reputable management consultants don't bother with advocating that silly platitude.

Customers deserve respect, as do retail workers. Believing that the store is always out to cheat you, or the attitude that retail work isn't a real job is liable to lead a cutomer into exhibiting the kind of behavior shown by customers in this thread.

Asking a store to process ANY transaction that begins during normal business hours is not disrespectful to any clerk and should be processed. Retail clerks may have other plans but that's what they agree to do when they, umm, accepted the job.

Good thing I didn't say that, isn't it?

Good thing that I didn't claim that you said it, isn't it?

I do find it humorous that many people in the retail industry seem to moan an awful lot about their jobs. Like they didn't know what they were getting into. I guess it's why most look at it as a necessary evil while moving up the food chain.

 

[Misfit Toy]

I do find it humorous that many people in the retail industry seem to moan an awful lot about their jobs. Like they didn't know what they were getting into. I guess it's why most look at it as a necessary evil while moving up the food chain.

Again, that kind of attitude (that retail work is not a real job) is often found in people that laugh at retail workers.

 

[TheLonelySquire]

I do find it humorous that many people in the retail industry seem to moan an awful lot about their jobs. Like they didn't know what they were getting into. I guess it's why most look at it as a necessary evil while moving up the food chain.

Again, that kind of attitude (that retail work is not a real job) is often found in people that laugh at retail workers.

I JUST said it was a JOB. Did I not?

And while I hold the attitude I mentioned above I am very respectful to retail clerks. Especially ones that actually know what they're talking about and actually serve the customer.

 

[Misfit Toy]

And to be honest, if you're working retail you either are lucky to even have a job, or you love working with people. Either way, just remember that "the customer is always right".

I see I am mistaken.

Yes, you are mistaken. The customer is NOT always right.

 

[Saturn0660]

I guess, as a counter-point, I've got a couple questions of my own:

If a customer comes in right before closing, and serving him requires you to stay until 9pm, even if the store closes at 8:30, what do you write on your timecard? If you write "9pm", most of your ability to bitch goes away right there. You got paid for it, and if you are regularly scheduled for a full 40-hour week, you might have even receive overtime pay for it. You KNOW this can happen as part of your job (not being able to drop things and run when the whistle blows), so it's largely your fault for making plans right after closing.

It's my fault...for expecting to be able to adhere to a schedule? Yes, how silly of me. Apparently I should just forfeit all social experiences because I happen to work a retail job. BTW, the store closes at 8:30 but my shift is over at 8:45, the extra 15 minutes being given to do closing tasks. However, if a customer keeps us there until 9:00 or even later, we don't get to leave until those closing tasks are done, so we have to add on at least an extra 15 to however long the customer keeps us there.

-If you are not willing to serve customers (even annoying ones) in the last few minutes before 8:30, why have 8:30 as your closing time?

I personally never said I didn't want to help people *before* 8:30. It's the people who come in at 8:29 and want us to spend 20 minutes on their transaction, or wander around at half the speed of smell trying to pick out what they want. I don't mind too much if people come in during the last few minutes...I simply ask that they exhibit some alacrity. Why not call it 8:15, or 8pm? If the doors are open, you should be ready and willing to serve a customer, otherwise, close the doors.



Which my store does.



Again, agreed. My shift ends at 8:45. However, that's reliant on the store being free of customers. We can't close the store with people still shopping, and a guy wanting to keep us there an extra 20 minutes *really* screws that up.

-And yes, I worked retail. All through high school, college breaks and summers. I understand your complaints (worked in a grocery store), they're just not particularly vaild, and fairly immature. I decided I didn't like it (and it was never meant to be a career), so I got another job. Seems to be the options...

I believe I stated at the beginning of this thread that I completely intend on getting out of retail for good in a matter of months once I've graduated from school. As for the complaints being immature or invalid...I don't see how they are either.

The real question is, "why the hell would you send someone away who wants to add a line to his cell phone just because you close in a few min"? Do you have ANY idea how much bottom line that give you? It just paid you whole day of work...

Uh...no. I would have gotten $15 extra (before taxes) had I been able to process his request. I would have done it if we'd had the phone in stock...I'm not saying I would have sent him away...but honestly the few bucks extra I would have made wouldn't have been worth being kept at work that much longer.

And as far as the line "the customer is always right"? That's complete bullshit, and is the reason people get this holier-than-thou attitude. If you subscribe to that theory then I guess the guy who wanted to exchange his DVD player, but only brought in the unit itself was right when he demanded I give him *everything* from the new unit including the box, cables, remote, etc. and then threatened to call my district manager because I didn't give him a new box, because he threw his old one away.

Where do you work? When i say bottom line I mean your monthly PnL. Cell phone is a pure profit item. You can ONLY make money on them.( as line as they pay the bill) Add a line or not. Back in my Wal-Mart days i remember there are store that sell so many phone that they bring in more profit then the entire store combined. These were $100,000,000+ stores.
Talk about money per Sqft..

 

[Saturn0660]

And to be honest, if you're working retail you either are lucky to even have a job, or you love working with people. Either way, just remember that "the customer is always right".

I see I am mistaken.

Yes, you are mistaken. The customer is NOT always right.

I'll remember you said that when you bitch about wanting to return that item past it's return date.

 

[TheLonelySquire]

And to be honest, if you're working retail you either are lucky to even have a job, or you love working with people. Either way, just remember that "the customer is always right".

I see I am mistaken.

Yes, you are mistaken. The customer is NOT always right.

I'll remember you said that when you bitch about wanting to return that item past it's return date.

He gets the meaning quite clearly. It's very apparent what he's doing here.

 

[Tiberius Jim]

I guess, as a counter-point, I've got a couple questions of my own:

If a customer comes in right before closing, and serving him requires you to stay until 9pm, even if the store closes at 8:30, what do you write on your timecard? If you write "9pm", most of your ability to bitch goes away right there. You got paid for it, and if you are regularly scheduled for a full 40-hour week, you might have even receive overtime pay for it. You KNOW this can happen as part of your job (not being able to drop things and run when the whistle blows), so it's largely your fault for making plans right after closing.

It's my fault...for expecting to be able to adhere to a schedule? Yes, how silly of me. Apparently I should just forfeit all social experiences because I happen to work a retail job. BTW, the store closes at 8:30 but my shift is over at 8:45, the extra 15 minutes being given to do closing tasks. However, if a customer keeps us there until 9:00 or even later, we don't get to leave until those closing tasks are done, so we have to add on at least an extra 15 to however long the customer keeps us there.



I personally never said I didn't want to help people *before* 8:30. It's the people who come in at 8:29 and want us to spend 20 minutes on their transaction, or wander around at half the speed of smell trying to pick out what they want. I don't mind too much if people come in during the last few minutes...I simply ask that they exhibit some alacrity. Why not call it 8:15, or 8pm? If the doors are open, you should be ready and willing to serve a customer, otherwise, close the doors.



Which my store does.



Again, agreed. My shift ends at 8:45. However, that's reliant on the store being free of customers. We can't close the store with people still shopping, and a guy wanting to keep us there an extra 20 minutes *really* screws that up.



I believe I stated at the beginning of this thread that I completely intend on getting out of retail for good in a matter of months once I've graduated from school. As for the complaints being immature or invalid...I don't see how they are either.

The real question is, "why the hell would you send someone away who wants to add a line to his cell phone just because you close in a few min"? Do you have ANY idea how much bottom line that give you? It just paid you whole day of work...

Uh...no. I would have gotten $15 extra (before taxes) had I been able to process his request. I would have done it if we'd had the phone in stock...I'm not saying I would have sent him away...but honestly the few bucks extra I would have made wouldn't have been worth being kept at work that much longer.

And as far as the line "the customer is always right"? That's complete bullshit, and is the reason people get this holier-than-thou attitude. If you subscribe to that theory then I guess the guy who wanted to exchange his DVD player, but only brought in the unit itself was right when he demanded I give him *everything* from the new unit including the box, cables, remote, etc. and then threatened to call my district manager because I didn't give him a new box, because he threw his old one away.

Where do you work? When i say bottom line I mean your monthly PnL. Cell phone is a pure profit item. You can ONLY make money on them.( as line as they pay the bill) Add a line or not. Back in my Wal-Mart days i remember there are store that sell so many phone that they bring in more profit then the entire store combined. These were $100,000,000+ stores.
Talk about money per Sqft..

Radioshack. I personally would have gotten a whopping $15 (before taxes). I know the store would have gotten a lot for it but frankly I couldn't care less. As long as they stay in business for 4 more months, I'm good.

 

[Misfit Toy]

I'll remember you said that when you bitch about wanting to return that item past it's return date.

Please do - I don't do that. I'm one of those customers who reports excellent customer service to the manager.

 

[Trekker4747]

And while I hold the attitude I mentioned above I am very respectful to retail clerks.

You've provided us with MUCH evidence to contrary.

 

[TheLonelySquire]

And while I hold the attitude I mentioned above I am very respectful to retail clerks.

You've provided us with MUCH evidence to contrary.

Really? What evidence? I can't wait to see this...

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Less talk about each other, more talk about customer service stories. Make it so.

 

[RoJoHen]

I do find it humorous that many people in the retail industry seem to moan an awful lot about their jobs. Like they didn't know what they were getting into. I guess it's why most look at it as a necessary evil while moving up the food chain.

I just think retail workers have better stories. One of my best friends is a financial advisor, and his work stories are boring.

More people shop at retail stores, as well, so there's a bigger chance you're gonna run into a shitty customer.

As for not knowing what we're getting into...I think that's just silly. I worked at a grocery store for 5 years, and I've worked at a restaurant for the last 4. I generally like(d) both jobs, and most of the time I have fun while I'm working. But that doesn't mean there aren't things that piss me off. Just because aspects of my job bug me doesn't mean I don't realize that it's a job.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Less talk about each other, more talk about customer service stories. Make it so.

Well, let's see, i've had my intelligence insulted so many times. I just grinned my perfect guest service smile and kept going, even though inside, i was screaming in rage.

 

[judge alba]

well I think this would rank as pretty much 'customer is always right' attitude going too far.

a couple of weeks ago the restuarant where I work (not my department just helping out) anyways the water supply stopped working so hot drinks were out then the power went off and so with the place in darkness we shut the place down. luckily the few people in there were pretty good about it especially when they got a free pass to come back when they wanted to.
anyways we had got rid of the last one when in strides this couple who ignore the girl at the door telling them it's closed and make straight for the counter with only the emergancy lights sort of lighting the place up. they demand to be served and got pretty pissed when they were told sorry nothings working theres no power or water.
the bloke got pretty irate and demanded to see the manager who when he arrived quickly told the girl to apologise for being rude (which she wasn't this time) she refused and got fired the couple were waited on by the manager as he had got some hot water from another building.
they stayed in the restaruant for half an hour before leaving by this time there was only the restaraunt manager and park manger left the rest of the staff had quit.
a few days later it was revealed the couple are suing my work for the inconvienice of eating in semi darkness and for an injury which they claimed happened while there.so for the sake of a £20 bill and a possible law suit. they lost most of the staff.

 

[TheLonelySquire]

I do find it humorous that many people in the retail industry seem to moan an awful lot about their jobs. Like they didn't know what they were getting into. I guess it's why most look at it as a necessary evil while moving up the food chain.

I just think retail workers have better stories. One of my best friends is a financial advisor, and his work stories are boring.

More people shop at retail stores, as well, so there's a bigger chance you're gonna run into a shitty customer.

As for not knowing what we're getting into...I think that's just silly. I worked at a grocery store for 5 years, and I've worked at a restaurant for the last 4. I generally like(d) both jobs, and most of the time I have fun while I'm working. But that doesn't mean there aren't things that piss me off. Just because aspects of my job bug me doesn't mean I don't realize that it's a job.

Not saying you don't understand. I'm saying that you do!

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

I just think retail workers have better stories. One of my best friends is a financial advisor, and his work stories are boring.

I mean, really, how many times can you hear about a colleague that jumped out the window because he lost 50% for his clients before it gets boring?