No, we're closed...we're closed...we're CLOSED!

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

The thread about people trying to barge their way into stores early reminded me of this tale from back when I worked at "Gamestore".

I know most of us have plenty of stories about customers not respecting closing times, but this is the worst I ever had.

For the majority of the time I was there, Gamestore closed early on Sundays (6 PM as opposed to 9 most other days). Many stores still have these hours today.

I don't know what it was about Sundays but we could NEVER seem to close the place on time those days. I swear it could be dead at 5:40, then suddenly we've got 15 people in the store at 5:57.

Now here comes the problem. There's only two employees who close on Sundays and if we have a group of people in there at 5:57 chances are we're both working the registers to try and get them the heck out the door.

Since there's no one to lock the door, there's no one to prevent any other customers from coming in.

At this time, per directive from our District Manager, we were REQUIRED to serve any customer that made it through the doors before we locked them.

On this particular day we had a heavy late rush. My CW is just checking out the last person and as I look towards the window, I see a man with 4 kids approaching the door.

It's 6:12 PM.

Now our counter is an inverted L shape, like this:



The front door is about fifteen feet away from the base of the "L". That means that to lock the door, an employee has to go all the way around the counter.

Now remember, it was already 6:12. We were over 10 minutes past closing and I was in no mood to stretch this out even longer. So when I saw the guy and the kids coming up, I hopped over the front part of the counter (bottom of diagram above) dashed to the door and locked it.

He gave me a dirty look, but whatever.

I thought that was the end of it but no, he decided to complain about my rude behavior and my "lunging" across the counter to keep him from getting into the store.

Of course management sided with him.

I didn't get written up, just a verbal reprimand.

I do not regret my actions. I repeat again: it was 6:12 PM

It takes a special kind of jerk to complain about not being able to get into a store TEN MINUTES AFTER CLOSING.

[RootedPhoenix]

Some people. *hands you cookies*

[emax4]

I've had a few stragglers come in, knowing very well that we closed while they were still shopping. What I did was took my time ringing them up, even took my vest off, paused a few times to take a few long swigs at my water; basically telling them that I can certainly take my time ringing them up since they're not in a hurry to leave.

[notalwaysright]

Whenever anyone clearly understands but doesn't care that they're shopping while we're closed I make a point to speak as little as possible. "Can I help you find something? Okay, we actually closed ten minutes ago..." Or if they come to the cutting counter, "How much would you like? Okay." Normally I'd be friendly and ask what they're making, etc. But for these people I just cut and don't say thanks or have a nice night, or anything.* Maybe small and petty, and they probably don't care, but it's all I can really do.

Some people apologize, and that makes me ??? because they want me to validate them. You know, they'll say they're sorry and explain why they're shopping late but I just don't care. We start our closing announcements really early; earlier than we're supposed to. We're supposed to announce starting at 15 minutes till, but we start at 30 minutes till, because people take for freaking ever to leave. So you had SO MUCH TIME to get out that I don't really like that you're "so sorry!" that you're late. We sell fabric and crafts, nothing essential for life! We also stay open until 9:00 PM, so if you are here at 9:15 PM, I just have no understanding for that. I won't say tell you it's okay. (I care even less if it's for a wedding, I'm a cold hearted b*tch.)

*The exception is if it's a really terribly busy day and they have been waiting for their fabric to be cut since well before we actually closed. This happens around Halloween. They pull a number at 8:45, and it's 9:05 when I call their number. It sucks, but I don't make the schedule so I can't fix the problem, and at that point it's not the customer's fault.

[eltf177]

Now remember, it was already 6:12. We were over 10 minutes past closing and I was in no mood to stretch this out even longer. So when I saw the guy and the kids coming up, I hopped over the front part of the counter (bottom of diagram above) dashed to the door and locked it.

He gave me a dirty look, but whatever.

I thought that was the end of it but no, he decided to complain about my rude behavior and my "lunging" across the counter to keep him from getting into the store.

Of course management sided with him.

I didn't get written up, just a verbal reprimand.

I do not regret my actions. I repeat again: it was 6:12 PM

It takes a special kind of jerk to complain about not being able to get into a store TEN MINUTES AFTER CLOSING.

And let me guess, in the same meeting where you were given crap for not letting this entitled jackass in WELL after closing hours you got more crap for 'unauthorized overtime'?

[Lace Neil Singer]

Sounds like how it was back when I worked at the charity bookstore, save without the crap from management. See, back then, I was the only person working there apart from the manager, cuz a load of his staff had gotten paid jobs and left. I was fresh from college, with a ton of qualifications that were useless at getting me a job without experience, so when asked if I could work more, I gladly volunteered to work entire days there. The manager would sometimes come in to relieve me for lunch; other times, I'd close for an hour.

Anyways, at the end of the day, there would be loads of customers in the shop. Some would justify their presence there by buying something, but most were just Looky Loos who came inside to read books for free/get warm. So, since I was the only person there, I devised a scheme to ensure that I left on time. I locked the doors at fifteen minutes to closing time, then let customers out one by one. Yes, it was a bit of a bore, but worth it cuz the first day I did this, I got to leave on time. XD

Sometimes I still wish for the same freedom today, tho if anyone is dawdling in the kiosk at closing time, we do have the right to tell them to come to the till NOW, or else they can't buy anything; we're not obliged to wait for them to look at every single product.

[Dreamstalker]

We close early on Sundays too (9PM), and get the same hordes at 8:55 (if you come here all the time you know damn well when we close). ASM once had us stay to ring out a guy who claimed that the website says we closed at 10...nope. The store 5 miles down the road may close at 10, but our closing time is set by the town and town trumps corporate.

If we have people in after closing, depending on the shift lead we're allowed to start packing up/getting out of uniform. Yes, policy says we have to be in uniform when on the clock during business hours..active phrase is during business hours. When SM is closing he'll let us do whatever we have to (within reason...no chasing SCs down with the floor buffer ) to get customers out.

[greensinestro]

Years ago, we had a manager with Publix fired for locking the doors five minutes before closing, as he thought it would deter this problem with last minute stragglers who wouldn't take the hint and leave. His store has dealt with this problem for months, but his solution cost him his career there, all because one of these asshats complained. Never mind mentioning how rude SC's are that do this.

[Lace Neil Singer]

When SM is closing he'll let us do whatever we have to (within reason...no chasing SCs down with the floor buffer ) to get customers out.

Shout "There's a guy in the car park giving away free money!"?

Years ago, we had a manager with Publix fired for locking the doors five minutes before closing, as he thought it would deter this problem with last minute stragglers who wouldn't take the hint and leave. His store has dealt with this problem for months, but his solution cost him his career there, all because one of these asshats complained. Never mind mentioning how rude SC's are that do this.

Is it wrong that I daydream about finding out where these SCs work, then going there five minutes before they go home and faffing about for an hour so they're late leaving?

[Dreamstalker]

We used to lock the doors at five til, but word came down one day that We Can't Do That(tm). Not that anybody pays attention to that directive. A lot of CWs on the closing shift take the bus and need to be out there by five after (if they miss that bus, the next one may not be for a half-hour)

[mjr]

So when I saw the guy and the kids coming up, I hopped over the front part of the counter (bottom of diagram above) dashed to the door and locked it.

He gave me a dirty look, but whatever.

I thought that was the end of it but no, he decided to complain about my rude behavior and my "lunging" across the counter to keep him from getting into the store.

Of course management sided with him.

I didn't get written up, just a verbal reprimand.

I do not regret my actions. I repeat again: it was 6:12 PM

It takes a special kind of jerk to complain about not being able to get into a store TEN MINUTES AFTER CLOSING.

And I'm sure when he complained he left out the part where it was 6:12, because Customer Time.

"He locked the doors on me at 5:45, blargle blargle blargle!"

It's not like it was 5:59 and you're doing a tug-of-war with him over the door to try to keep him out. He wasn't even in the store! Did you mention this to your supervisor?

[EricKei]

And let me guess, in the same meeting where you were given crap for not letting this entitled jackass in WELL after closing hours you got more crap for 'unauthorized overtime'?

Used to work for the same company. In order:

- Yes, they would get mad at us for not helping a customer in this sitch AND for not hurrying him along.

- Even worse: They would give us a First-And-Final warning (it's never authorized unless you're on salary, in which case, it's mandatory)...for "stealing from the company" by going 15 minutes overtime.

When SM is closing he'll let us do whatever we have to (within reason...no chasing SCs down with the floor buffer ) to get customers out.

Part of me wants to see a video of that happening. Another part of me knows that it's just asking for a slip-n-fall lawsuit, sooooo...

[mjr]

Part of me wants to see a video of that happening. Another part of me knows that it's just asking for a slip-n-fall lawsuit, sooooo...

It has to be set to the tune of Yackety Sax, though...and maybe sped up...

[Android Kaeli]

Try having people still doing their food shopping anywhere from forty minutes to an hour and a half after the Warehouse is closed. Management refuses to do anything about it, mostly because they don't want to offend anyone by doing closing announcements or try to herd everyone up (some managers are worse, though).

And the SM wonders why many employees have to leave 4 or 5 hours early every week.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

Try having people still doing their food shopping anywhere from forty minutes to an hour and a half after the Warehouse is closed. Management refuses to do anything about it, mostly because they don't want to offend anyone by doing closing announcements or try to herd everyone up (some managers are worse, though).

That would make me feel bad, if I left after a big shop thinking the grocery closed at 7 only to realize it closed at 6 and I was keeping staff a half hour late. Announcements, staff informing me it's closing time and was there anything else I needed before hitting cash out are all polite reminders, not offensive.

It's stuff like this that makes me even more grateful for the (2) times someone has let me in to grab a couple necessity just as the doors were closing. Both times I ran the aisles, grabbed the things I needed and still made it to cash before other people already in the store were there, so I don't feel super guilty, but given how people behave I sure am grateful to the employees who gave me a break.