09 April 2005
How to be a good customer
I've been working retail for over five years in two different types of stores, and I have formed some strong opinions about what makes a bad customer. Most of these people probably have no idea how horrible they're being, so I thought I'd help them out. Over the next week or so I will share some of my rules about how to be a good customer. (My alternative title for this post: "How to behave so the clerks don't think you're completely stupid and rude.")
Rule #1: If I'm wearing my apron, do not, under any circumstances, ask me, "Do you work here?"
Of course I bloody work here!! I'm wearing an apron with the name of the store emblazoned on it! I'm putting product on the shelves/cleaning shelves/using a tagging gun/standing behind the counter. Would I be doing these things IN AN APRON WITH THE NAME OF THE STORE ON IT if I didn't work here??!?!?!
Now, what they're really asking is, "Can you help me?". But seriously people, just say that. Or, "Excuse me, miss?" Or simply, "Ma'am?". That's ok. Really. I promise. And all of those questions have the added benefit of not making you look like a total moron.
Tangential story: Once I was walking though another store in regular street clothes (no apron, no staff T-shirt) with a shopping basket. A woman stopped me, pointed to some wicker baskets, and asked me, "Do these come in a larger size?" So people in my own store (where I'm wearing store clothing) don't think I work there, but some random person in another store where I was also shopping thinks I work there? Crazy.
Rule #1: If I'm wearing my apron, do not, under any circumstances, ask me, "Do you work here?"
Of course I bloody work here!! I'm wearing an apron with the name of the store emblazoned on it! I'm putting product on the shelves/cleaning shelves/using a tagging gun/standing behind the counter. Would I be doing these things IN AN APRON WITH THE NAME OF THE STORE ON IT if I didn't work here??!?!?!
Now, what they're really asking is, "Can you help me?". But seriously people, just say that. Or, "Excuse me, miss?" Or simply, "Ma'am?". That's ok. Really. I promise. And all of those questions have the added benefit of not making you look like a total moron.
Tangential story: Once I was walking though another store in regular street clothes (no apron, no staff T-shirt) with a shopping basket. A woman stopped me, pointed to some wicker baskets, and asked me, "Do these come in a larger size?" So people in my own store (where I'm wearing store clothing) don't think I work there, but some random person in another store where I was also shopping thinks I work there? Crazy.
# posted by mamurd @ 9:08 PM 
