if you want help....ASK ME!

[Lulu]

Do not wander around the shop listlessly picking things up and putting them down again, talking to your child and saying things like "Oh THAT's what I want...oh wait...no it's on cd...I wanted it on tape...do you think they have it on tape Isaac?...Perhaps we could find something else instead...I think what I'll do is go to Amazon and see if I can find it there cos it doesn't look like they have it here does it Isaac...yes, let's do that, come along Isaac..."

:wtf: If you want to know if we have something or could get it for you, ASK ME! If you're not looking at me and half way down the shop speaking to your child, do not expect me to magically divine that you need assistance. Where I come from, eavesdropping is considered to be extremely rude, therefore, I do my best to ignore conversations not directly addressed to me.

I hate when they do that, it's like a kind of passive-SC'ism and it HACKS me off no end! :hairpull: and actually, while we're on it...CONTROL YOUR KID! I'm not a free babysitter, so whilst you're wandering about talking to that spawn of yours, I'm NOT getting paid to make sure he doesn't get his fingers caught in the door he's currently slamming repeatedly because he "likes the noise".

Oh...todays good so far...can you tell ?! :lol: :lol:

[Ree]

Have you ever considering actually approaching the customer anyway and offering your help first, before they have a chance to passively hint that they could use help, but don't actually ask for it?

That's usually a key selling tool for most salesclerks.

Upside is, the customers are free to decline the help and go on with their shopping, you then get some money in your register, (the reason the store is open in the first place), the annoying person doesn't get a chance to annoy you, and you can get on with whatever it is that you are doing.


Oh, and by the way, we prefer that our members don't refer to chidlren as "spawn". ;)

[Lulu]

Actually, since I was busy with the queue of other customers, it wasn't an option and the customer could see that perfectly well, and since the customer himself was referring to the child as "you little brat" intermittantly, I don't think i was out of line there either.

[kelly]

I used to be a cashier in a supermarket until recently and it really used to annoy me when people would talk to their small kids and babies, when really they wanted to ask me something, e.g. "do you think the lady has any more carrier bags?". Just ask me!!

One lady did it several times and one day she was chatting to the baby about something like, "Do you suppose they have any more of this bread out the back, baby? That would be nice, wouldn't it?" After a minute she looked up at me expectantly and said, "Well, do you?" I looked at her blankly and said, "Do I what? I'm sorry- I thought you were talking to the baby."

Mean, but funny.

[lordlundar]

Have you ever considering actually approaching the customer anyway and offering your help first, before they have a chance to passively hint that they could use help, but don't actually ask for it?


In my case yes. I ask them if I can help them with anything, and they say "no, just looking", after they've been specifically trying to find something.:headdesk:

[Jester]

Oh, and by the way, we prefer that our members don't refer to chidlren as "spawn". ;)

Okay...would you prefer "Satan's seed"?

"Brat"?

"Wailing monster"?

"Miniature sign of the impending Apocalypse"?

"Semi-trained monkey"?

"Evil offspring"?

"Demon issue"?

Let us know. Most of us have no problem using different phrases!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Canadian In Maine]

As a customer, I would rather try and find an item myself before I bother the store staff for help. I guess it's because of having worked in retail and dealing with idiots.

On the flip side of that, of course, are some stores that hit on you the minute you walk in the door and keep doing it until you tell them, "If I need help I'll ask."

Yes, I realize that they are doing their job (and probably work on comission) but to keep asking me if I need help (several times in the space of a few minutes) becomes annoying and will only make me leave the store.

As an employee, I would much rather acknowledge the customers presence and then move on but not hide so that they can't find me if they do have a question.

Oh, and my pet peeve as a customer? If I walk into a store with my husband or a girlfriend to be greeted with: "Hey guys, how are you?"

Looking down at bumps on chest: Do I look like a guy? :rant:

[Rapscallion]

Let us know. Most of us have no problem using different phrases!


'Child' works for me. I'm not keen on 'kid', but that's a modern thing, and I'm old-fashioned.

Take this as a hint.

Rapscallion

[Ree]

Okay...would you prefer "Satan's seed"?

"Brat"?

"Wailing monster"?

"Miniature sign of the impending Apocalypse"?

"Semi-trained monkey"?

"Evil offspring"?

"Demon issue"?

Let us know. Most of us have no problem using different phrases!
Just pick the one that people used to describe you when you were a young spawn.

*Which is my way of remindning people that you were all once children, and just because you may have been hellspawn, or demonic brats, does not mean all children are.

[April]

I think I was called "demon Spawn" :) (that's what I call my kids too LOL)

[Primer]

Just pick the one that people used to describe you when you were a young spawn.
Personally, I was a little brat at times.

Most of the time I knew better than to even think about acting up!

[Ree]

Actually, since I was busy with the queue of other customers, it wasn't an option and the customer could see that perfectly wellFair enough.
I wasn't trying to be critical, (other than asking you to use a different word to describe children), but by your response, it seems you took it as criticism.

It just seemed to me, based on your description of things, that the person was in the store for quite a long time, wandering around making passive comments to the child.
I just felt, if someone is in there that long, and it's bugging me, then I'm probably going to do what I can to get rid of them quickly.

I hate pressure from sales staff as well, but I also am one of those people who, based on what I read here, at CS, not necessarily in this thread ;), is always hesitant to ask for help. I have been in situations where that was greeted with a huge sigh, as if I have just intruded on their whole day.
I am always afraid as coming off as sucky. I hate walking around, trying to find stuff, and having several people shuffle past not making eye contact so it doesn't even give me a chance to get help.

As an employee, I always speak up first, give the customer the option of declining help, then go on with my other duties or customers.

[Lulu]

If I offended anyone with the "spawn" comment, then I'm sorry. It's never been a big deal to me or anyone I know to use that term, but I'll refrain in future.

As for the SC I actually posted about, well, yeah, he was annoying, he was in the shop for long enough to see I had a queue of people and was busy, and yet clearly didn't want to wait his turn (god forbid they should WAIT!:rolleyes: ) and get the help he needed, therefore, since I was dealing with the ones with enough of a grain of patience to wait to be served, he lost out. I'm not going to put a line of 5 or 6 people on hold just because he can't be bothered to wait, regardless of how long he stands about talking to his child. :lol:

My shop has a policy of not approaching browsers, it's a book shop and amongst our trade it's considered to be a no no anyway purely because most people don't want to be interrupted whilst they're wandering about looking at the shelves. Perhaps we work in a slightly different way to other retail outlets on that front.

Either way, it irritated on a busy day when I could have done without it, I ranted, and now rather wish I hadn't since I seem to have unwittingly stirred a pot. Oh well, live and learn.

[Ree]

Either way, it irritated on a busy day when I could have done without it, I ranted, and now rather wish I hadn't since I seem to have unwittingly stirred a pot. Again, I'm sorry if it seemed that way.

Venting is what the site is about, but we also support and offer advice to each other, or discuss issues from our point of view, or what works for us.

That's all I was doing, and I apologize if you felt any differently.

[batmoody]

Okay...would you prefer "Satan's seed"?

"Brat"?

"Wailing monster"?

"Miniature sign of the impending Apocalypse"?

"Semi-trained monkey"?

"Evil offspring"?

"Demon issue"?

Let us know. Most of us have no problem using different phrases!

:lol: :lol: :lol:
I prefer Incubus.....
Why is spawn so bad? I mean, we all rant and call sustomers every name in the book but we shouldn't say spawn?
Websters defines spawn as: 1. The eggs of fishes etc 2. Offspring, to produce offspring. I think kids are covered by #2. Or maybe we are calling them fish eggs. In any case, I have seen kids called worse here. ;)

[Ree]

Why is spawn so bad?...
...In any case, I have seen kids called worse here. ;)Thank you for your outright defiance of the site owner, as well as a mod, that has resulted in taking this thread :ot:
I think you are under the mistaken impression that this is a democracy and you can pretty much argue your point and we will back off and say, "Oh, you're quite right. We've made a terrible error."
You would be wrong.

I, for one, am tired of the anger directed at children on this board, when it's the parents who deserve the criticism.
Your quote illustrates my point exactly.
I am sick and tired of discussing this issue with the members here.
It has been popping up on a regular basis.

Small children are innocent. If they do stuff that ticks you off, they don't have the mental capacity to realize that what they are doing is annoying.
Their parents didn't do their job to teach them any better.

To compare them to sucky customers is not a fair comparison. As a rule, customers are adults and responsible for their behaviour.
They have reached the age of reason and now should know what is acceptable social behaviour.

That is the difference.

Now, can we please get this back on track with a reminder that the owner has already asked you to refrain from using those phrases, and arguing against that request is futile?

[Cyanocobalamin]

I was called an "Ijit" when I was little. I still don't know what this really means or if that's even spelled correctly. Idgit?

Back OT, what I do is say hello or "how's it going" or "how are y'all doing" (if a male/female couple). Usually they will greet me back or they will ask for help. Otherwise I will be on my way and I try to check back with them if I see them again in another area of the store.

[Rapscallion]

JUst a note as I'm dashing off to work - quite a number of members are parents. There are also quite a number who are childless.

Let's live in tolerance, folks.

Raspcallion

[kellee]

Oh, and by the way, we prefer that our members don't refer to chidlren as "spawn". ;)

May I interject?
I dissagree! As a cashier in a grocery store, they are frequently shreiking in my ear!annoying! I do agree that children are innocent and are merely a reflection of what their parents taught them so far however I perceived it as...
The writer is just using descriptive language to describe how he/she feels. It enhances the story and makes the writer feel better. Plus I thought it was kinda funny. Its nice that some peoples kids are "little angels" but they can get annoying, thats all.
ps this isn't whining its an opinion, which we are all entitled to.

[Barefootgirl]

Erm, a mod asked everyone to tone down the language. Arguing with her and saying that her decision is wrong is not how we do things here. Spawn is not a word we use to descibe kids in general at CS, so no more whining about this please.

[Rapscallion]

ps this isn't whining its an opinion, which we are all entitled to.

You're entitled to your opinion. We, however, set the standards of this board.

We're not here to attack each other. Many members are parents and feel strongly about their children. Others are happy to be childfree. Some people support one political party, some another. Some have religious convictions, others have none. In all cases, respect each other and do not antagonise each other.

We're here to discuss SCs and work. That is the focus of this board. We're not in a position to put the world to rights. We're in the same boat - don't rock it.

Rapscallion

[kellee]

***some sort of resignation speech I decided to act upon - R***

[ladodger34]

The MODS and their False position of authority. And if ya'll don't like this. TOUGH! BECAUSE I RESIGN FROM THIS SITE!

Not to stir the pot anymore, but since this a privately owned site with mods appointed by the owner, they are hardly in a position of false authority. I am going to assume that Raps pays good money each month to support this site and can make rules, appoint mods, and enforce the rules as he pleases.

Can I assume that it would be safe to say that a child was being a brat because they acted like one? On the other hand, I assume that replacing "children" for "brat" when talking about children in general is not accepted.

Ah well.. why do people think that privately owned websites are a democracy?

[Rapscallion]

I live but to serve.

Rapscallion

[LIW]

Oh man!! I had no idea this would bother anyone. I talk to my son at the store all time like this. I started it when he was just a little baby, because I discovered that if I talked to him, he was much less likely to start screaming. I guess I just never quit!! I've never done it to passively try to get help. I think of it as a good way to talk to myself, but since he's there they don't think I'm as much of a nut!! Or sometimes I'll tell my son we have to somewhere else to get what we want if the store we are at is out of or does not have what we came for. I especially do this if it's something I promised him we would get, because it often keeps him from screaming becuase the store doesn't have what he wants. I will have to watch this in the future. I try really hard to be a good customer, emphasis on try. :)

[karma_gypsy]

In my case yes. I ask them if I can help them with anything, and they say "no, just looking", after they've been specifically trying to find something.:headdesk:

I have the *exact* same problem. They're frantically walking through the store, you can tell they're searching . . . "but no, just looking" I don't know about you guys, but I don't "just look" like that.

Another will be the, "no, just looking" then they'll quickly follow that with whatever they're looking for (this one doesn't particularly bother me - and I get it . . . A LOT).

Yet another will be the, "no, just looking", they'll continue looking, I walk away find something to do. My co-worker (sometimes, mostly it's MANAGER or OWNER) will come up behind me, five seconds later, ask the same question, customer replies "oh yes, do you have . . .?"
I've pretty much given up on those people, as they come through here a lot too.

[Primer]

Yet another will be the, "no, just looking", they'll continue looking, I walk away find something to do. My co-worker (sometimes, mostly it's MANAGER or OWNER) will come up behind me, five seconds later, ask the same question, customer replies "oh yes, do you have . . .?"


I hate to admit that I have been guilty of this a few times. I really do try to find what I'm looking for on my own, first.

Sometimes, just as I have given up, another employee will approach me and offer help, which I will finally accept.

I really do try to find it myself, first!

If the store pays commission, I try to get back to the person that contacted me first (as long as they were halfway decent to me).

[Enjis]

So, I was working in the children's clothing department...
A younger adult woman, and her mother, walk into my department.
Me: May I help you find something?
Mom: Yes, do you have Guess jeans?
Me: We do, let me show you where they are...*starts walking them to the area...*
Daughter: *pointedly, sternly, dismissivly* Thank you, we're just looking.
Me: *walks away, but no too far...*
a minute or two later...
Mom: *calling me over* Could you tell me about the sizing...?
Me: Sure, *explains sizing to them both*
Daughter: *dismissivly* Thank you, we're just looking.
Me *walks away again...*
a few minutes later...
(repeat above scene, several times, with different questions from Mom, several rude dismissals from Daughter...)
Finally, they leave.
Daughter: *meanly, as they walk past me* You can never find anyone to help you around here....!
Me::wtf:

[Requilum]

Ugh... I get this all the time:

Me: Hi, do you need help finding anything today?
Customer Walking Towards Me: Nope. *continues walking, towards other associate standing quite a few feet behind me* Hi, I was looking for something , and am wondering if you can help me find it?
Me: :headscratch:

It's either that, or when I'm obviously extremely busy. Then in their mind it's the right time to ask me. (No, the two huge stacks of movies im currently carrying, aren't an inconvience, and i'll gladly grab that video of the shelf that's right in front of you. :rant: )

[Mixed Bag]

Oh man!! I had no idea this would bother anyone. I talk to my son at the store all time like this....I think of it as a good way to talk to myself, but since he's there they don't think I'm as much of a nut!!

Doesn't bother me--and, if you'll forgive this analogy to your flesh and blood, props are great. I like to walk in all kinds of situations, even stopping in strange neighbourhoods near errands instead of always just going around my own area--and while I try park and leave the car inconspicuously, I think I'd look even less suspicious if I had a dog.

I guess it should be in the off-topic forum, but I'd love to hear other prop stories! :yes:

[trunks2k]

I hate to admit that I have been guilty of this a few times. I really do try to find what I'm looking for on my own, first.


I'm the same way. After doing my stint in a grocery store, I got so tired of people asking for help for stupid things that I overcompensate by only asking for help when I absolutely need it. I've also gotten into such a habit of that when I go to a store to buy something I know exactly what I want and where it is, so that those times when I do need help I just give a reflexive "no thanks, I'm ok" answer most of the time.

I do admit I get a bit SCish when I'm looking to buy a high priced item. I get very turned off when nobody tries to help me, and when they do I like them to be a little involved with me, but I won't ask for help either. I guess subconciously I'm thinking that if they really want the sale, they'll be helpful. The other day I was in Circuit City looking to buy a new HD TV since I finally have a real job and all, time to start upgrading stuff. I wandered around for about 10 minutes, because the HD TVs were all mixed in with CD TVs and not all of them had clear labels on them, with an sales guy just kinda watching me. That got me a bit annoyed for some reason. When he finally asked me if I needed any help I told him what I was looking for and he just kinda said "They're over there, there and there." Well that doesn't help me much. So I left. Best Buy was cheaper anyways.