We're closed!

[Craftstoreslave]

I know there are plenty of these stories out there, but I had one tonight that I must share.

So, these two ladies walk in about an hour before closing with a return, but they want to do some shopping first and decide to leave their merchandise up front. Fair enough. We do this all the time. So, the hour passes, and at about 15 minutes to closing, the closing announcements begin. No sign of them. Then we do the final announcement, and they still haven't shown up. Finally, about 15 minutes after we've closed, they stroll their way up to the registers, taking their sweet time and not caring that we're closed and would really like to go home.

We start the return, but then lady #1 has to go through her behemoth of a purse looking for the receipt. (Oh, joy!) 5 minutes and piles of wadded up paper and money later, she doesn't have the receipt. Surprised? Of course not. Meanwhile, one of the items she's returning doesn't have a price, and since we're very old-fashioned and don't have any sort of scanner or computer system, we have to wait on the lady from that department to get the price. Anyway, I finish the return, but then (about 20 minutes after closing), I have to start ringing up their HUGE cartful of merchandise, most of which is breakable and has to be wrapped. While doing this, these ladies are being glared at by everyone else in the store since we're forced to wait on them to finish, but they barely notice and continue on their conversation because we forgot the world revolves around them.

Finally, 45 minutes after closing, they are finished, and we're FREE! Lots of rambling, but long story short: I hate people.

[One-Fang]

This is why closed needs to mean CLOSED. Tills off. Computers down. Sorry ma'am, nothing I can do for you now.

[Demonoid Phenomenon]

Craftstoreslave, I feel your pain.
That scenario could easily be one of my own (and, unfortunately, HAS been).
Only difference is that the people in my story would be talking on a cellphone the whole time and their check would not go through.

[Clintmax]

Gods, I hate it when people do that! :pissed: You're right...I think THEY think the world revolves around THEM. Another thing I hate is when people expect us to stay open late for them! We've had customers call five minutes before closing saying they are on the way to our store, but won't be there until after we close and could we still let them in after closing! :mad: Then, they get all mad when we tell them no. Holey moley...we're open 11 hours a day! They could make it there during business hours.

[Craftstoreslave]

We've had the phone call thing happen before. And then, to our dismay, the managers always cave and say "Suuuuure!"

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Frankly I'd have called the cops. Once the store is closed, people in it are at the discretion of the people running the store. After you tell them to leave and they don't they are considered trespassing.

Mongo

[Phone Jockey]

This is why closed needs to mean CLOSED. Tills off. Computers down. Sorry ma'am, nothing I can do for you now.

Yes indeed. I mean, why should the customers care if you're closed if they can check out & return things? As long as they get in the store BEFORE closing time... I really wish managers would back up their workers.

[theredbaron47]

Oh man, that is the exact same scenario that has happened time and time again at my work. What I absolutely HATE is when the managers start BS-ing with people and they forget that 9pm came and went, and the lights are still on because they weren't paying attention to the time. That means more people we have to yell at through the door saying we're close, more time we have to waste there, and frankly, my shift is 5-9, so why do I care about anything after 9? 9pm comes, I'm done. The End. Just last night, at closing, as ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES were walking through the lot to their cars to go home, some lady comes up, realizes the door is locked, and runs up to me:

"Are you closed?"
"Yes."
"Does this mean I can't get my blahblahblah???"
*I speed up and walk away*.

People who bother me after closing WILL incur rudeness whether they like it or not.

Managers always need to back up closing rules more forcefully. Such as, at 9pm, the registers ARE shut down, the doors ARE locked, the lights ARE shut off, the employees ARE gone, and NO, no one is available to help you, so please leave!

</rant>

[Kiwi]

our managers got so sick of customers thinking they could shop after closing that they actually had went around to customers and said, the computer automatically go into cash up mode 10 minutes after our closing time.

at one point it got so bad that we would literally refuse service 10 minutes after closing, if you werent in line by 5.10 then you werent getting your stuff purchased.

thats why I loved my manager, 10 minutes after signs went up on our departments registers and she made the customers search out another department to get their stuff. We had to do it, some times they would come up with 15 different types of ribbon, wanting a metre of each... that takes a good 20 minutes by the time they ho hum their way through each one

I remember one customer who said " your store closes when I have finished shopping" .... we were all dumb founded at that much entitlement squished into one person

[Lace Neil Singer]

I would have replied to someone like that, "No, we're bound by trading laws actually." I did in fact have a customer whine to me, "Why can't you stay open for longer? I only want a few things!" I replied, "Sorry, I can't let you in cuz you could be from the government. We're only allowed to trade for half an hour after closing time."

[Craftstoreslave]

I remember one customer who said " your store closes when I have finished shopping" .... we were all dumb founded at that much entitlement squished into one person

Wow. We've had some bad ones, but I can't recall anyone ever taking it this far with me. (At least, they never outright said this, but they have certainly acted it.)

[blas]

I used to close 3-5 mins early to prevent last minute customers. I closed at 9. NINE O CLOCK. Not 9:02, not 9:05.......I had thousands of dollars to count, a drawer to balance, and a safe fund to count to be sure it was set at the right amount. That itself took 15-30 minutes. No way in hell was I staying any later because some moron waited until 8:59 to go get ciggs from my store, when a 24 hr Holiday is right down the street. Plus, we all know, once one last minute customer shows up, the whole block shows up.

Good thing I don't work there anymore. I went in to chit chat the other day and my manager said that at their last employee meeting, she told them if anyone was caught closing early, they'd be written up. Two times and they would be fired.

I feel kinda to blame, LOL....because I always told newbies that it was ok to close a few minutes early, and it helped prevent last minute customers, but someone must have closed like a half hour or more early, because they normally don't check the cameras to see what time the lights were shut off.....I think the only way it was found out would be a customer showing up and then telling my manager the next day....which in this instance is justified, because that's way too early to close on a normal night.

I just find it funny I never got in trouble for it :P

[repsac]

Ever notice, when the stores have sets of double doors in the front; that if the doors are locked, customers will shake the doors first. Then move to the second set, shake them, and finally return to the first set as if shaking the second set unlocked the first?

[Mixed Bag]

Before my boss said it was okay to serve customers after closing, I refused one because I grew up with some idea that it was a horrible practice for some reason I couldn't understand, even though I couldn't see the actual harm. (Later, after I learned it was okay in that sleepy shop, I didn't answer the phone right after closing as I was on my way out, only to hear the caller complain through the answering machine that we closed too early (based on our official hours) and hang up before I could pick up.)

I showed up at a camera store 15 or 20 minutes after closing and was curtly told by the exiting staff that they were closed. I explained their ad in the yellow pages said they closed one hour later than they now did. No acknowledgment. No sign I could see on or near the door apologizing for having to make such a cost-cutting measure or explaining that the ad printer goofed. No future visits from me either. :wave: I emailed a local talkradio personality, who fancied himself a lofty moral sort and who'd been praising them to the skies :angel:, that he might want to reconsider.

[Clintmax]

I guess lots of people think every retailer should be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week....by LAW! :mad: The 24 hour Supercenters have everyone spoiled or something, I don't know. :banghead:

[KayEm]

Our store has gone kiss-ass customer-happy to the point where telling a customer we are closed is a big no-no. Yep, believe it or not !

The store as a whole makes the standard closing announcements, but employees aren't allowed to rush people the fuck OUT as they should be able to. And individual departments like the deli and bakery ?

Forget it. We aren't allowed to even HINT that we're closed. As far as corporate is concerned if we are still back there, doesn't matter if we're mopping up or walking out with our coats in hand, if an SC wants help we HAVE to help them.

If people were decent, of course, the above policy wouldn't be a bother, but you guys know how people are, it should be obvious you're preparing to walk out the doors and go home to your LIFE, but they don't care. With these people I always have to bite my tongue to keep from asking them how they would like it if I went to their jobs just as they were leaving and kept THEM from getting home to THEIR families on time.

[Jade Pheonix]

I've had the same experiance, with customers trying to get in at least an hour before the store opens, or a half hour before the store closes.

It's more of a problem in the morning because we can't lock the doors. People just force the automatic doors open when they don't open by themselves. The store itself opens at 9 am but the manager and a few of the animal care employees ( I work in a pet store) arrive at 8 am. That means no cashiers and the registers haven't been turned on yet.

One time, when I was one of the animal care staff on morning shift, we had a guy walk in to buy cat food without us even noticing him. We didn't even know he was there until we heard him shouting from the register area, asking to be rung up.

The manager, myself, and the guy in fish had to play Rock-Paper-Scissors to decide who who was going to tell the guy we weren't open yet and he had to leave. I'm never using paper again.

Me: Excuse me sir, we're not open yet, you have to go outside and wait until 9:00.

SC: But you're open now, why should I wait?

Me: We're not open, we open at 9:00. Myself and the two other people here are only here to set everything up and take care of the animals,fish,reptiles, and birds.

SC: Well, I'm not waiting that long. Can't you ring me up?

Me: I'm not a cashier, they don't arrive until 9:00 and the registers won't be turned on until the store opens ... at 9:00

SC: I'm a customer and the customer is always right. So when I tell you to ring me up, you'd better ring me up, or I'll report you to your company.

Me: And you'd better leave before I call the police and have you arrested for tresspassing. I can do that, because you are on private property and been told to leave.

SC: No you can't!

Me: *picks up phone* Wanna try me?

Sc: Fine, I'll just go to the other pet store down the street, and I'll never shop here again. *he doesn't move, just stares at me*

Me: :wave: There's the door, don't let it hit ya where the good Lord split ya. And if you're going to the other store, be prepared for a longer wait, they don't open until 11:00.

He left, but came back later to get his cat food.

[Mr.Bill]

People honestly don't care if you're closed. In fact, if you are finishing up helping someone (for say 30-45 minutes AFTER you've closed) people will still come.

People will wait even though I tell them I closed EARLIER and I am finishing up with this customer.

Sucky customers...suck.

[Mixed Bag]

Unfortunately, there seems to be some variability in what closing time means for restaurants, so until I know the rhythm of a place I try to be sure to arrive early enough for any contingency (though once I establish how late I dare come others usually arrive later and are fully served).

One time a somewhat familiar server at a familiar restaruant interpreted closing time to mean exiting time, not last call. When I was having trouble getting some kind of follow-up service or getting some hint about leaving (I wasn't planning on staying much longer anyway), I commented that I'd been able to stay somewhat longer before, to which the waiter unapologetically said when he was closing he was going to rush me out. I understand people want to leave and shouldn't be taken advantage of, but customers deserve consistent treatment if not posted rules. I'd already left a tip by credit card, and for some reason didn't feel like asking him or the manager to redo the transaction (as the rest of the service was satisfactory) but merely told the manager on the way out of the waiter's rudeness, to which he had nothing to say.

As I was losing interest in this place's food by this time in my life anyway, I didn't return for a few years--but I remembered the incident and wondered if this low-turnover establishment would still have that waiter. Wouldn't you know, it was he who waited on me after all this time, everything just fine, and come credit card time I worte an apologetic but firm essay in all the white space explaining the last tip was for this visit as it wasn't warranted for the last one (apologetic in that I ended with "maybe next time," though I haven't been back).

[Bugg]

At least we get a big roll up door that we get to slam down when we close, however it doesn't seem to make any difference, I just don't see how you could possibly pull into our lot (it empties really fast when we close), and see both roll up doors closed and still think we are open??

[theredbaron47]

I just don't see how you could possibly pull into our lot (it empties really fast when we close), and see both roll up doors closed and still think we are open??

Simple: they don't care. They are Sucky Customers. You are there to serve them, the end.

[Enjis]

At ou rstore, they don't even make the 'store is closing' announcement like they used to. they don't want customers to feel 'rushed'. But, at ten after closing, they turn off most of the lights.
Stupid.
I think they said that it saves them money on their electric, but I just think of customers tripping in the dimmed lights, and suing the store, or the company...and wonder if that savings really mattered.:confused:
We sales people DO tell customers in our areas that the store is closed tho, and that the lights will be going out soon.:angel:

[tonydanza]

I also work at a crafts store, and what amazes me most is how badly these people need to get craft supplies 9:00 PM. What possible craft supply do you need that late? Hey everybody let's go for a late night craft run! Gotta keep those beads coming!

[Pongydog]

I get this all the time.

I work in a large multiplex cinema. Just becuase our front doors are un-locked doesn't mean we are open.

Lets say our last film of the night starts at 9:30pm.

We will then close our ticket office and popcorn counter just after that at about
9:45. But the front doors remain unlocked untill midnight so that all the customers still in the building are not locked in once their films are finished.

Yet you will get SC's walking through the doors at 11 o clock, wantiing to buy tickets for mythical late night shows or buy popcorn and drinks "just to take home"