Rewards System?

[WHShit]

I was wondering what everyone thought of my idea.

I was thinking of the many times a customer has come up to me, without looking anywhere in the shop, and asked me where something was. I wanted to devise a plan to discourage this and to encourage SC's actually shopping! Cause, lets face it, coming up to an employee. asking where something is, being brought to that something and then sometimes having that somethuing carried to the register for you is hardly shopping! You know what I mean?

Anyway, I was thinking that perhaps if I buy a bag of cookies a week and tell customers that they will "get a cookie" if they can find the items that they so need for themselves, this will encourage them to do so, and give me more time to complete my tasks.

Now, I say a bag a week, because I am sure that many an SC will fail the task set apon them, but some will succeed, granting them a delicious (and cheap) cookie.

What do you think? Somehow, I don't think my troll of a manager will go for it, but maybe I can do it in secret.

[earl colby pottinger]

Works great

Until the day you run out of cookies in the middle of the work day. Then the SC gene will kick in and they will complain to your manager that they did not get a cookie. Worse, they will demand a cookie for themselves and their three kids each time they shop there.

YOU CAN'T WIN!!!!

[WHShit]

Until the day you run out of cookies in the middle of the work day. Then the SC gene will kick in and they will complain to your manager that they did not get a cookie. Worse, they will demand a cookie for themselves and their three kids each time they shop there.

YOU CAN'T WIN!!!!

Hahaha...I will make sure to keep some stale cookies festering in my locker for such instances!

[Boozy]

You work in a bookstore, right?

Browsing in bookstores should be fun for customers. Perhaps you could point them in the direction of their request, and then add something like:

"You'll find it over there. And if you're interested in that book/author, you'll find more stuff along those lines in that same section. Please feel free to take your time and have a good look at everything we offer. You may find something else you'd like!"

I think that might be the best you could do and still provide good customer service.

I'll take one of those cookies, though.

[Ree]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't part of the job as a store clerk to help the customer and direct them where they need or want to go?

Yeah, it's a pain in the butt to practically do a person's shopping for them, but some people don't have the time to wander around a bookstore looking for what they need.
Perhaps they're buying a gift for someone else and they are not actually a huge bookstore lover. Maybe they only have limited time, and they know if they start looking on their own, they will get engrossed in the books and leave without what they came for, or will be way too long.

I think Boozy said it best

Perhaps you could point them in the direction of their request, and then add something like:

"You'll find it over there. And if you're interested in that book/author, you'll find more stuff along those lines in that same section. Please feel free to take your time and have a good look at everything we offer. You may find something else you'd like!"

I think that might be the best you could do and still provide good customer service.

[NightAngel]

I guess it's a good thing you don't work at my place. We have to ask the customer as they walk in the door if we can help them find anything and then we physically either take them to it or get it for them.

Pointing is a big no-no. If you have a line and cannot break away you give them good solid directions and tell them that you will be out to help them as soon as you are able.

Of course, if we have a line or something then we just give a friendly greeting as they come in- but otherwise- you'd best be out there providing excellent customer service.

Service.

It's what we're all paid for.

I may be hated for this comment but I'd fire you for trying something like that in my store.

[Becks]

I don't think it's a good idea.

And what about people (and I know for a fact that I'm NOT the only one) who looks high and low for something and can't find it. Sometimes we actually need help. Shocking, I know, but true.

[allniter]

*MOD EDIT- No need to quote the entire post. We already read it.

I may be hated for this comment but I'd fire you for trying something like that in my store.

Where do you work please so I never apply?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

To quote the horse in Ren & Stimpy, "No sir, I don't like it."

Yeah, it's frustrating when somebody wants you to hold their hand and take them to every single item they're looking for, but guess what? It's your job!

At my store I have to take the customers to all the items they want and can't find. Even if this means backtracking and making laps through the store because the customer is looking for body wash, then light bulbs, then M&Ms, then the jewelry counter, and so forth. Pointing and giving a vague description doesn't cut it. We have secret shoppers who grade us on whether or not we are giving service according to the expectations corporate sets for us, and the results of those shops are used in determining our raises. Bad shops cut down everybody's raises (if you do bad on a shop you get dinged twice; once for not meeting all the expectations yourself and once because the store didn't do so hot on that shop) A bunch of bad shops in succession and corporate will demand you put a plan in place to bring your scores up, or else heads go rolling.

Seriously, if having to show customers to the things they're looking for bothers you so much that you want to create systems to discourage them from asking for help, you should seriously examine whether retail is the right job for you.

[jrh215]

I don't mind people asking me where something is in the store. When I shop, I usually make the attempt to find things on my own, then ask for help if I really can't find it. But I understand maybe that some people need to get in an out quick, so I don't really mind telling or showing them where something is as long as they're polite about it, i.e. not walking in and barking the name of a product at me.

However, what does get on my nerves is somebody like the man I had approach me today. He flagged me down as I passed by the aisle, so I went up to him to see what he needed. First, he asked me if I "worked here" even though I was wearing my vest and nametag. Then he asked me where the toothpaste was...while he was standing in front of the toothpaste.

I at least hope he felt a little stupid after I *showed* him where it was.

[Rubystars]

Seriously, if having to show customers to the things they're looking for bothers you so much that you want to create systems to discourage them from asking for help, you should seriously examine whether retail is the right job for you.

Retail is a horrible job and I don't think most people would want to have any part of it if they didn't have to. I hate it when people ask me where something is and it's listed on the sign at the top of the aisle. Just today someone asked me where our cokes are, and the cokes were taking up an entire side of the aisle right next to the one I was one! If they would just LOOK or attempt to look before asking me, 90% of the people who need to be walked to an item wouldn't need my help and I could focus on helping the people who really do need help finding something.

If you really need help, that's one thing, but don't let the customers off the hook on this one entirely! Sometimes they're just being lazy.

[Rapscallion]

Retail is a horrible job

I always find that there are few truly horrible jobs. There are people who will try their damndest to make your life as a worker miserable - this site is dedicated to their misdeeds. There are people who will make you feel like you're walking on air. The vast majority are ... just there, really.

Most of the time, it depends on what you make of the job. I always found that idiots who didn't bother to read the signs gave me a sense of superiority that has lasted until now, and will continue for ages to come. I know I am superior to at least ninety percent of the population, and all because I worked in retail for a decade.

Rapscallion

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Retail is a horrible job and I don't think most people would want to have any part of it if they didn't have to.

Everything is what you make it. Retail may not be a real sexy job but I prefer it to factory work, construction, or anything intensely physical. But that's just me. I tend to find the jobs Mike Rowe does on TV to be horrible.

If you really need help, that's one thing, but don't let the customers off the hook on this one entirely! Sometimes they're just being lazy.

Yes they sometimes are, but it comes with the job. And as I said before, if it bothers you so much to have to show people where things are, then maybe retail isn't for you.

[Freemage]

Sorry, but yeah--this one falls into the category my boss describes as, "If it was something you wanted to do, we wouldn't have to pay you to do it."

My job has parts of it that really, really suck at times. However, it's also got a benefits package that people who make twice my salary envy. If the former ever outweighs the latter, then I'll look harder at leaving; until then, I just focus on doing the best I can at what's required of me.

Assisting customers in locating stuff is part of retail, especially at any moderately large store. Most folks aren't there all day long, 5 days a week, and so really, no, it's not surprising they overlook what's blatantly obvious to you.

[NightAngel]

Where do you work please so I never apply?

If only it was this easy in real life to weed out candidates I wouldn't want on my team.

It comes down to this:
My employees provide excellent customer service or they can go *somewhere* else.

It's not just a revenue driver at my job- it's policy. I adhere to policy for customers and employees. If you can't be bothered to DO YOUR JOB- whether it be stocking the shelves or taking a customer to what they want- then I simply do not need you.