Wal Mart greeters

[Rÿcher]

...and what is the deal with these people? Is it affirmative action taken to the extreme or what? (I don't mean to suggest that people who are entitled to affirmative action shouldn't be given every opportunity - just an attempt at Seinfeldian humor)

Here in Augusta, we have some winners. One fella recently terminated was charged outside of work with setting up video cameras in his home bathrooms. Yeah, he's now serving time.

There's another fellow who's the high-fructose-corn-syrup of...people. He'll say "Welcome to your always fun and friendly Wal Mart!" to every single man, woman and child who comes through the doors and, "Thanks for shopping at your always fun and friendly Wal Mart!" to everyone who leaves.

okay, I don't profess to be the most socially adept person in the world. Far from it but I do know when someone needs to back the hell off and tone it down and this guy fits the bill.

The third and final guy will say a regular old greeting, "Welcome to Wal Mart" or "Thanks for shopping ar Wal Mart" or "have a nice night" but he'll put his hand on his chest and do a slight bow and extend his free hand out to his left as if he's living in the middle ages encountering or greeting a damsel.

I'm an aspie (someone with Asperger's Syndrome) and as such, I tend to recognize the symptoms in others. It's my belief that this greeter has Asperger's round about the same level I do.

 

[trampledamage]

Look, these are people paid to be overly-cheery and greet everyone that works in the place. It's not going to be a position that gets to many over-qualified applicants. Let them do it in their own way, smile and say hello.

As for the guy that was terminated and then arrested - you get weirdoes in every walk of life, that's nothing to do with being a Wal-Mart greeter.

 

[MIB]

I'm a bit confused. How is setting up a video camera in your own home bathroom a crime- much less one you can serve time for.

 

[Rÿcher]

he was recording his wife and kids.

 

[MIB]

Ah. Well, that would ceritanly make the difference. Just out of curiosity, which Augusta are you talking about? Augusta, Maine? Georgia? I actually live in a Augusta myself.

 

[CaptainStoner]

Here they tend to use disabled people for their greeters. It's New York, they want to be PC by giving the most mind-numbing, soul-killing job imaginable to some poor bastard in a wheelchair. Last time I went to Wal-Mart the poor thing was just sitting there in a stupor, barely looking up.
Or, they use elderly people for it. Nothing like working your whole life to end up in a blue vest greeting all the assholes that come through the door.
Worst of all, it's just plain annoying. Maybe in the midwest or something, but around here, no one gives a shit and no one wants to hear some plastic greeting from a chained up soul.

 

[jamestyler]

Where I grew up theres Asda-Walmart. The greeter hired there after the Walmart name was stamped across the building became a local celebrity as she was hopeless at her job.

She was one of those people who are just terrible public speakers esulting in monotone messages through a forced smile which made her sound as if she was ready to stab you at any time. I have no idea how she got the job.

 

[Trekker4747]

I think around here for Wal-Mart greeters they are reainimating corpses or something. I mean, I think centarians and octengenarians are pretty damn extreme things to have welcoming people to your store.

 

[trekkerguy]

I always find the deductions of people who have not worked in a certain
area or field entertaining.

Having worked at Walmart...


They are there to allow customers to know someone is paying attention.
Whether that be to prevent crime or provide customer service.
It's there job to greet every single person who comes through the door
or is leaving if at all possible. As for their character, I don't see how it
could be judged. No matter where you go you will find different types.
It's not a "Walmart thing".

Some people are simply nervous, some are bored(so they change it up),
some do get excitable and others are there because in Walmart there is
a ten foot rule. Greet anyone within ten feet of you. Sometimes if it is noticed
an employee is missing greetings they will be put up at the front to get
accustomed to it. And sometimes they are there because they aren't good
at it, so that they may become better.

So there are all kinds of reasons different people may act differently when
they are standing in the doorway greeting strangers for their entire working
shift.

Try it sometime, you'd be surprised.

 

[Holdfast]

Where I grew up theres Asda-Walmart. The greeter hired there after the Walmart name was stamped across the building became a local celebrity as she was hopeless at her job.

I read that as "topless at her job" and got a whole different message from your story.

 

[SeerSGB]

I don't know if it's the same at all Walmarts, but around my neck of the woods teh greeters are expected to be part of loss-prevention. Yeppers, some older than Moses frail old-lady is going to take down someone making a run for the door with a stolen BluRay player

 

[Trekker4747]

I don't know if it's the same at all Walmarts, but around my neck of the woods teh greeters are expected to be part of loss-prevention. Yeppers, some older than Moses frail old-lady is going to take down someone making a run for the door with a stolen BluRay player

"You ain't making it half-way between here and the Denny's, sonny!"

 

[Rÿcher]

Ah. Well, that would ceritanly make the difference. Just out of curiosity, which Augusta are you talking about? Augusta, Maine? Georgia? I actually live in a Augusta myself.

Maine

 

[Ariadne]

Here they tend to use disabled people for their greeters. It's New York, they want to be PC by giving the most mind-numbing, soul-killing job imaginable to some poor bastard in a wheelchair.

Well, nobody else wants to hire disabled people, and they need money, same as everyone else.

 

[Mallory]

One of these days maybe they'll build a Walmart around where I live so I too can enjoy the spectacle and wonder that it is.

 

[Pingfah]

I think we have a new Trekker on our hands here.

 

[Trekker4747]

I think we have a new Trekker on our hands here.

What is THAT supposed to mean?!

 

[OmahaStar]

We have several Walmarts in the area, and each is very different. For example, there's Yuppy Wallyworld, a new one on 72nd street. Then there's WalMexico, over in council bluffs. My favorite one, greeter-wise, is up on 99th street.

They are always pleasant and friendly, without being "perky" which gets really annoying at some stores. They are typically older people, grandmothers and such. They don't seem to give canned lines, but treat each person walking through the door as though they've just made the greeter's day by coming in.

It's a small thing, but a nice one just the same. I'd rather have that than something like Office Depot or Target, where you're not even noticed until checkout .. and then if you do self-checkout, you're not even noticed then.

 

[CaptJimboJones]

I think the greeters probably make about minimum wage, and the job consists entirely of standing around and saying hello to people, so they probably don't get the most, shall we say, career-oriented professional folks who apply.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I always find the deductions of people who have not worked in a certain
area or field entertaining.

Having worked at Walmart...


They are there to allow customers to know someone is paying attention.
Whether that be to prevent crime or provide customer service.
It's there job to greet every single person who comes through the door
or is leaving if at all possible. As for their character, I don't see how it
could be judged. No matter where you go you will find different types.
It's not a "Walmart thing".

Some people are simply nervous, some are bored(so they change it up),
some do get excitable and others are there because in Walmart there is
a ten foot rule. Greet anyone within ten feet of you. Sometimes if it is noticed
an employee is missing greetings they will be put up at the front to get
accustomed to it. And sometimes they are there because they aren't good
at it, so that they may become better.

So there are all kinds of reasons different people may act differently when
they are standing in the doorway greeting strangers for their entire working
shift.

Try it sometime, you'd be surprised.

EXACTLY.

Thank you for standing up for those of us who have had to do greeter duty! Even though I wasn't at Wal-Mart, everyone in my store shares the responsibility of greeting customers, and we've all had to do a stint as the person who stands out on the retail floor and greets the people who come in the door.

Sure, you have to learn how to read people to know who really wants extra help getting what they need, and who just wants to move on...but by and large I observe that the greeting sends a signal to the customer that someone is paying attention to them and that if they do need help, there's someone to take care of them.

And I DID have to work up at the front longer than some people because before I started my job, I was kind of quiet and shy, and my boss was trying to get me used to really interacting with people. I got WAY better as a result of that experience.

But anyway, guys...in all seriousness, actually HAVING the experience will put a whole new spin on it--trust me.