What does "Closed" mean to you?

[JoeZhang]

Oh, and on a side note there's nothing more frustrating for the customer than a retail employee that has no clue what he's talking about.

I buy my stereo equipment from a specialist store - the staff are paid well above mininum wage and know their stuff, the local electronics/home retail store pays minimum wage and nobody knows what they are talking about - mainly because the staff leave as soon as they get something that pays more - it's not rocket science to work out what the difference is...

Where do you go? I haven't bought any hi-fi equipment for a long time, but I used to shop at Richer Sounds in the 90s. They were a hell of a shop back then, half the price of the high street, always ready to haggle, great sales people and shit loads of free stuff whenever you buy anything.

I've heard they have gone downhill since they diversified beyond selling separates.

Richer sounds are still pretty good, I got my dad a TV from there. I purchased some stuff from Sevenoaks (preston) and found their staff to be quite helpful.

My current system is a LINN which I got off a former client who needed hard cash in a hurry to avoid going bust, I got it for an absolute steal (well..relatively...).

I cry small tears of joy everytime I turn it on.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Retail customers in America are often really, really badly behaved. People with issues try to take them out on retail employees because they think they can get away with bullying them.

 

[JoeZhang]

Retail customers in America are often really, really badly behaved. People with issues try to take them out on retail employees because they think they can get away with bullying them.

It's the society we've allowed to develop - low waged employee = worthless as a person. Even retailer workers themselves buy into this, I meet people at parties and they when explaining what they do will say "it's only retail but..", they offer an apology as they explain what they do...

 

[Pingfah]

Richer sounds are still pretty good, I got my dad a TV from there. I purchased some stuff from Sevenoaks (preston) and found their staff to be quite helpful.

My current system is a LINN which I got off a former client who needed hard cash in a hurry to avoid going bust, I got it for an absolute steal (well..relatively...).

I cry small tears of joy everytime I turn it on.

Oh, very nice! I've obtained a few sweet pieces of equipment via other people's misfortune myself. Somehow makes it sound even better

I am considering one of these chinese Class A tube amps you see on Ebay. My friend bought one for just £100 delivered in an auction that somehow got overlooked by anybody with money to spend, and the sound is absolutely unbelievable for that sort of money. You'd pay 5 times that for a known brand on the high street here.

 

[Daedalus12]

^ Not a big fan of tube amps myself as I don't think I'll get one of those unless I buy a Stax Omega 2 in the future but what do you like about them?

 

[TheLonelySquire]

Retail customers in America are often really, really badly behaved. People with issues try to take them out on retail employees because they think they can get away with bullying them.

And your evidence for this is?

Oh, and your avatar is very offensive.

 

[Pingfah]

^ Not a big fan of tube amps myself as I don't think I'll get one of those unless I buy a Stax Omega 2 in the future but what do you like about them?

Well i've never had a chance to do a side by side comparison, but whenever I hear my friends amp it always has an incredible warmth about it.

It's not that i'm particularly a big fan of tube amps (except when it comes to my guitars naturally), it's that the price is so insanely low, for £100 it would knock the socks off my current amp which is just a mid level Marantz transistor and cost 4 times that.

 

[nevermore]

I have this problem with my co-workers. I bartend at TGI Fridays. We close at 11pm during the week, midnight on Friday and Saturday. For some reason, every single one of my coworkers is incapable of getting people to leave. They feel awkward asking people to pay their tabs.

I just don't get it. Any other bar you go to will kick you out when they close. They to last call, and then you have maybe 10 minutes to drink up and leave. So on those night when we have a lot of lingering bar guests, it's always my job to make them pay and subsequently kick them out.

We have business hours. It's the way our store works. Other stores don't just let you hang out way after they're closed. Why would we be any different?

Ugh. I worked at Ruby Tuesdays for a couple of years in college before I wised up and moved to a privately owned place. We weren't allowed to kick tables out. Fuckers would come in 10 minutes before close and the managers would make us seat them for a full meal. We would usually limit them to cold dishes and cut them off from bar orders at close and then, once they had their food, give them about 15 minutes to eat before dropping off the check and starting our side work, loudly, with the vacuum, in their section. That was usually effective, though some real assholes would try to order dessert at which point we would tell them that the walk-in locked automatically at whatever 10 minutes ago was and that they had to pay before the computers shut down automatically at whatever 5 minutes from now was. On a few occasions when that didn't work, we just sent a big sweaty cook in to walk through and fart conspicuously in the section. That never failed.

We never had any qualms about being rude to such customers because honestly, assholes don't tip well and even if they might otherwise, who gives a rats ass about a few more bucks at midnight?

And as to the OP's question, I will never go into a restaurant if there is not enough time to complete my meal before close. Nor will I go into a store less than 20 minutes before close unless I'm just popping in for a specific item and I know where it can be found.

Retail customers in America are often really, really badly behaved. People with issues try to take them out on retail employees because they think they can get away with bullying them.

Yeah, and its 10x worse for servers, not only because of the inevitable power trip brought on by being served, but because of the fact that you know you're not going to make anything off of the whole process other than your shitty $2.13/hour (or whatever it is these days).

 

[Scout101]

Kind of self-fulfilling that you'll get a bad tip if that's the kind of service you give out, though...

 

[Pingfah]

Ugh. I worked at Ruby Tuesdays for a couple of years in college before I wised up and moved to a privately owned place. We weren't allowed to kick tables out. Fuckers would come in 10 minutes before close and the managers would make us seat them for a full meal. We would usually limit them to cold dishes and cut them off from bar orders at close and then, once they had their food, give them about 15 minutes to eat before dropping off the check and starting our side work, loudly, with the vacuum, in their section. That was usually effective, though some real assholes would try to order dessert at which point we would tell them that the walk-in locked automatically at whatever 10 minutes ago was and that they had to pay before the computers shut down automatically at whatever 5 minutes from now was. On a few occasions when that didn't work, we just sent a big sweaty cook in to walk through and fart conspicuously in the section. That never failed.

If it's the policy of the establishment that they will seat people for a full meal as long as they come in before closing, then that's not customers being assholes by expecting to finish their meals in peace, it's just you not wanting to do the job you are being paid for

A poor work ethic to be sure

 

[JimCasy]

Retail customers in America are often really, really badly behaved. People with issues try to take them out on retail employees because they think they can get away with bullying them.

Yeah, this is bullshit. I can't tell you how many times I've been yelled at while working retail (which I'm not doing at the moment, but I have spent a decent amount of years in it), and it's all just for following company policy.

Oh, what, I won't take back this $300 sewing machine that you have no receipt for and no proof of paying, like a bank or credit statement? You're right, we should just eat that cost for what you stole. Feel free to now scream at me and threaten me.

Though it is pretty rewarding to stand there, completely calm and collected, and just let it wash over you when you see they just keep getting angrier that they're not having any effect with their tirade.

I also don't get why working retail is such a terrible thing to some people. I mean, would you prefer that every store (and restaurant) were staffed completely by teenagers? I bet you'd get fabulous service then.

 

[TheBrew]

I have this problem with my co-workers. I bartend at TGI Fridays. We close at 11pm during the week, midnight on Friday and Saturday. For some reason, every single one of my coworkers is incapable of getting people to leave. They feel awkward asking people to pay their tabs.

I just don't get it. Any other bar you go to will kick you out when they close. They to last call, and then you have maybe 10 minutes to drink up and leave. So on those night when we have a lot of lingering bar guests, it's always my job to make them pay and subsequently kick them out.

We have business hours. It's the way our store works. Other stores don't just let you hang out way after they're closed. Why would we be any different?

Ugh. I worked at Ruby Tuesdays for a couple of years in college before I wised up and moved to a privately owned place. We weren't allowed to kick tables out. Fuckers would come in 10 minutes before close and the managers would make us seat them for a full meal. We would usually limit them to cold dishes and cut them off from bar orders at close and then, once they had their food, give them about 15 minutes to eat before dropping off the check and starting our side work, loudly, with the vacuum, in their section. That was usually effective, though some real assholes would try to order dessert at which point we would tell them that the walk-in locked automatically at whatever 10 minutes ago was and that they had to pay before the computers shut down automatically at whatever 5 minutes from now was. On a few occasions when that didn't work, we just sent a big sweaty cook in to walk through and fart conspicuously in the section. That never failed.

We never had any qualms about being rude to such customers because honestly, assholes don't tip well and even if they might otherwise, who gives a rats ass about a few more bucks at midnight?

And as to the OP's question, I will never go into a restaurant if there is not enough time to complete my meal before close. Nor will I go into a store less than 20 minutes before close unless I'm just popping in for a specific item and I know where it can be found.

When I worked in a restaurant, that shit pissed me off to no end. Luckily, since I was in charge of salad, bread, and dessert, it didn't affect me as much as everyone else since that stuff is easy to pull out again. If I am hungry that late, I would rather whip something up myself or just hit up J-Box.

And unless it is an emergency, I don't run into stores right before closing unless I know I can be at the register within 5 minutes after closing.

 

[Saturn0660]

Before I begin, I'd like to point out that I will hopefully be leaving the world of retail employment far behind me in about 4 months after I graduate from college, so any "Get a better job if you don't like it" comments can be preemptively avoided. I'm really only in it for the paycheck to get me through school, and then I'm out.

Now, as a customer, when I am walking into a store in the later hours of the evening, I always check to see what time said establishment will close. If I am walking in at, say, 8:50 and the store closes at 9:00 I'll quicken my pace and get what I need and get out. If I don't know exactly what I need, I'll simply leave and come back when I have more time.

Because the store closes at 9:00.

A lot of people don't seem to understand that concept. My store closes at 8:30. There is a sign by the front door noting out business hours. I frequently deal with people coming in literally 2 minutes before closing and either are "just looking" or want to engage in a lengthy transaction. For example, this happened just the other night at exactly 8:29. I even had the key out and was walking toward the door to lock it when this guy walks in...

Customer: Hi, I'd like a phone.
Me: Okay, what kind of phone? Home phone?
Customer: No, cell phone, I'd like to add a line.
Me: Oh...I don't know if we'll have time to do that tonight.
Customer: Oh, what time do you guys close?
Me: *Looks at watch* Actually in about 1 minute, at 8:30.
Customer: Well how long does it take?
Me: About 15-20 minutes.
Customer: Oh okay, well I'd like this phone here....
Me: *sigh*

Luckily, we were out of stock of the phone and sent him to another store (luckily for them, they were closed already). But what gets me is that if we had had the phone in stock he would have been just fine with keeping us there past our closing time.

To me, a closing time means that once that time has come and passed, we're no longer open for business. Granted, if a customer is in the store and ready to purchase, we won't kick them out and will ring them up. But for a lengthy process as adding a line to a cell phone plan, plus activating a new phone goes way beyond the 2-3 minute process of ringing somebody up. I simply can't understand why people are content with keeping a store open past their close time, effectively screwing up anything the employees there had for the night, not to mention costing the company more money. I'm pretty sure it has to do with people being selfish and not seeing store employees as people, too.

How do you all feel? If you know a store is about to close do you expedite your shopping or leave and plan to come back again at an earlier time? Or do you think that being forced to stay past closing is just part of a retail job, that those closing times are just a suggestion, and the employees shouldn't be so silly as to think they can have lives outside of work?

(If you answer in the latter, please stay the hell away from my store at or around 8:30pm)

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...

 

[tharpdevenport]

I worked in a grocery store where these fat ladies would come in 15 to ten minutes before closing, get TWO carts, then almost half an hour AFTER closing show up at the register with both carts full.

I feel like paraphrasing "Office Space" now (the movie, not the crappy American series):

"No. Hell no. I beleive you get you ass kicked for doing stuff like that."

 

[DBR]

Closed means: the doors are shut, I can't get in, fuck.

 

[SeerSGB]

I feel the OP's pain. When I worked a big-box book chainstore, we'd have people run in right at closing looking for specialty text books or just mill about. Hell we had a woman that came in 5 till midnight (we closed at midnight during the holiday season) and stayed till 2AM and left without buying anything. I got so sick of the phrases "Well I'm a customer and I pay your paycheck, so I'll leave when I'm good and ready" and "Do you want me to call your district manager?"

Retail customers in America are often really, really badly behaved. People with issues try to take them out on retail employees because they think they can get away with bullying them.

Living that NOW.

My wife refused to sell to a boy cause he didn't have ID, and then his DRUNK mother comes in with no ID and visibly drunk so she refused sell to her too. Jump ahead 4 months and the woman, this week, has launched a harassment campaign against my wife to get her fire.

Some gems from teh voice mail: "I know she has family, that's what I want her fired to teach her not to mess with people; you don't meed with me!" and "I just don't like her, and I think she smells bad...you WILL BE FIRING HER!!!!!"

Told my wife I think she'd probably have a legal case if they did try to fire her-- or at least a cause for HR arbitration, and the store manager is going to go to bat for the wife if the woman starts calling't the DM's office.

On top of that, we think she might be the one going around telling folks in town that my wife has a contagious disease and has been coughing and vomiting on people's perscriptions.

 

[FordSVT]

Don't we get more of those threads simply because they represent what what the majority or a sizable majority of posters do for a living?

I mean I could start a thread about how hard done by I am as a management consultant who owns the business and keeps all the money but where's the common frame of reference?

And even if we did, the legitimate criticism is that people like me earn a lot of money and should just shut the fuck up.

Good point. You won't find me bitching about my job here as I work in industry and most people would have to have an understanding of what I do in order to fully understand what things piss me off.

Most people (myself included) have worked fast food or retail at least once.

 

[RoJoHen]

Ugh. I worked at Ruby Tuesdays for a couple of years in college before I wised up and moved to a privately owned place. We weren't allowed to kick tables out. Fuckers would come in 10 minutes before close and the managers would make us seat them for a full meal. We would usually limit them to cold dishes and cut them off from bar orders at close and then, once they had their food, give them about 15 minutes to eat before dropping off the check and starting our side work, loudly, with the vacuum, in their section. That was usually effective, though some real assholes would try to order dessert at which point we would tell them that the walk-in locked automatically at whatever 10 minutes ago was and that they had to pay before the computers shut down automatically at whatever 5 minutes from now was. On a few occasions when that didn't work, we just sent a big sweaty cook in to walk through and fart conspicuously in the section. That never failed.

If it's the policy of the establishment that they will seat people for a full meal as long as they come in before closing, then that's not customers being assholes by expecting to finish their meals in peace, it's just you not wanting to do the job you are being paid for

A poor work ethic to be sure

It's just more annoying than anything. I very much doubt any of us get truly upset about it. We just go, "Aw, fuck," and then suck it up and wait on the customers. The main reason it's annoying for me is because I usually have the place cleaned up and ready to close. When customers come in at the last minute, I have to do the clean up all over again once they're gone.

Oh well, it's the nature of the beast. It's not a huge deal.

Luckily, we changed our hours a while back, so now our kitchen closes an hour before the bar, so this has become less of an issue. Even if people come in at 9:55 wanting to order food, and even though all the servers are gone for the night, I still have to bartend until 11pm anyway, so I don't mind waiting on the last-minute customers anymore.

 

[hellsgate]

I usually tell customers "We're Closed." & I'll escort them out as I can't close the garage door in front of my farm market until the umbrellas and display bins are all pulled inside. Every now and then, you'll get the annoying customer that sees the idiot cashier has forgotten to turn off the "Open" sign & lock the back loading dock (everyone assumes is a wheelchair ramp,) before logging out of her/his station & I'm left alone. Everyone else has put the covers on the necessary vegetables and left; or, are hanging out in the back, socializing. I don't even try to be polite about asking them to come back tomorrow. Just "We're closed!" & repeat as necessary at the necessary volume until the idiot customer gets the point. I'm often busy using the handtruck or chasing fruit that's rolled off the bin I'm trucking inside & can't always notice a customer sneaking inside & bitching because I'm the only visible employee, & the cash registers are turned off.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

One of the best memories i have of working at Disneyland was when we did a hard close; the doors are closed and locked and no one is allowed in once the store closes. So anyway, i was helping my lead lock the doors and there was this woman standing outside the doors, signaling to us that she wanted to come inside. As we were not letting anyone in, i commented to my co-workers, "Oh, she wants to come in." So we just finished locking the doors and left.

Another time was during Grad Night, and we do not have to be 100% polite to the kids there as we assume that they are all thieves and the numbers pretty much prove that. Anyway, we close the doors at like, 5:50 because they have to be at their buses by 6. Anyway, i was told to guard a door so people wouldn't come in. There was this female that told me that her boyfriend was inside. I said that we were closed and that if she has a cell phone, feel free to call him. I turned my back to her, and closed and locked the door. All i heard from her was an, "Oh."

Good times.