Our LP policy made her uncomfortable.

[CSR Kim]

This happened on Tuesday, and I just not had the time to post about it.

My manager and I were working, and I helped a customer who was looking for a chain to put a rather heavy gold cameo pendant on. The customer stressed to me that the pendant was worth $150 and she didn't want to lose it. So, being somewhat familiar with chains since I've worked with jewelry for the past seven years (do you think I might know something about what we sell?), I start to suggest a couple of styles that I think would be sturdy enough for her pendant. Customer proceeds to ignore me and everything I tell her. She wants to see the chains off our "From $19.99" tray. None of these chains are suitable for what she has, unless she wants to lose it. I tell her this. She wants to see them anyway. I ask her which style she wants to see, customer says "Oh, I don't know. Pull the whole tray out here." Uh, no, sorry...not going to happen. Corporate policy does not allow this because of loss prevention issues. To make a long story shorter, I continue to help her try to find a chain. She asks me 3-4 more additional times to take an entire tray of chains out, and each time I tell her I can only pull 3 chains out at a time. She ends up buying one of our most fragile chains that I am pretty sure will break within a week of wearing it.

About an hour later, phone call. Manager answers. Lo and behold, it's chain lady. She asks about our policy in regards to showing merchandise to customers. Mgr. tells the lady exactly what I told her; only 3 chains out at a time. Customer goes on to say that I made her "extremely uncomfortable" and my lack of doing what she wanted made her feel like "I didn't want to help her at all", and "what is the policy again? why do you have this policy?" She keeps going back to the "policy" and my mgr. keeps telling her what it is, and that we do this not because we don't trust her, the customer, but for her and our own protection. She tells her we can get fired if an LP rep caught us with an entire tray out, which is absolutely true. Customer says something about coming back to look some more, since she felt rushed. Mgr. offers to have her come back when she's working, but she's still only going to be able to see 3 chains at a time, there is no exception to that rule.

So...yeah. That's the first time in 7 years that anyone has ever complained about me in such a direct manner. I mean, really, you wouldn't go into a larger jewelry store and expect them to pull out a whole wedge of diamonds for you. Why would we be different? Because we're a kiosk? Because you're special or something? Argh. She needs to get over it.

[greensinestro]

You mean to say this old hag took the time to call your store and complain to your manager for following policy? I can't wait to hear about what happens when that chain breaks because you wouldn't pull out the entire tray for her. I'm sure you haven't heard the last of this one.

[Hon'ya-chan]

Quoth greensinestro

You mean to say this old hag took the time to call your store and complain to your manager for following policy? I can't wait to hear about what happens when that chain breaks because you wouldn't pull out the entire tray for her. I'm sure you haven't heard the last of this one.

Pray to whomever that a Homeless person has a blessing of mythic grandueur!!

[NotSoInnocent]

Quoth Hon'ya-chan

Pray to whomever that a Homeless person has a blessing of mythic grandueur!!

Sorry to inform you that that request was granted in 1999 to a pregnant and homeless 18 year old in the form of a milk crate full of food that was left in front of a convienience store/gas station at 2:14 am in Dallas, TX. This singular ammount of non-perishables (that fit into half a backpack) fed a goup 12 of homeless teens (one of whom was the pregnant 18 y/o) for 2 weeks before running out the same day that enough money was finally pulled together for the group to get to the soup kitchen. The only explination for the ability of this small ammount of food to last for so long was the feverent exclamation upon the lips of the pregnant girl of "Oh, thank the GODS!" as the food was carefully packed away.

Just in case someone thinks that the young pregnant woman stole the food, let me state, for the record, that she (and the friend that was with her) waited for over an hour for anyone to claim the mysterious crate of food... no one came within half a block for the entire time and the food in the crate had not come from the gas station attendant or any customers (since there had not been any).

Thus a homeless person (or persons) recieved a blessing of mythic grandueur.

(And I still wish I knew where the food came from since, without it, I would have miscarried the blessing of my oldest daughter. Her name, appropriately, is Angel after the Mythic Being who must have left that crate of food.)

[Auto]

Was she black?

Many non-white shoppers believe that stores assume the worst about them and as a consequence, they get lesser service than whites.

I'm sure she thought you would have shown a white person everything all at once as she asked.

[greensinestro]

Quoth Auto

Was she black?

Many non-white shoppers believe that stores assume the worst about them and as a consequence, they get lesser service than whites.

I'm sure she thought you would have shown a white person everything all at once as she asked.

Uh oh. Now we're drifting into dangerous territory, although you do have a point. I myself have had it happen on a number of occasions over the phone, and I always manage to ensure these people that we are not into providing less than equal treatment to anyone, regardless of their race or gender. I never get into the other subjects, like sexual orientation or color because even those words can offend.

[Swordsman422]

We had trouble with people pocketing stuff all the time, generally RC parts and hop-ups. We keep the expensive stuff in a cabinet or behind the counter. If the cabinet is open, an employee is standing right there next to the customer to watch. Occasionally, one will say "you ain't gotta stand over me. Go help someone else if you need to." And I usually say "no, I need to be right here" and become all the more vigilant. As for getting behind the counter, I only let customers I know VERY well go back there, and only when it's empty. Usually, the ones who have the problems with the LP policies are the ones who create the need for them.

[Crazeyal]

Quoth greensinestro

Uh oh. Now we're drifting into dangerous territory...

It's only dangerous if the poster actually says something racist/sexixt/marxist/inbredicus redneckicus.. Facts are facts.

Fact 1: There is still racism/add your own "ism" in America and abroad.
Fact 2: There will ALWAYS be SC's who use this as an excuse to demand free stuff.

There's a REASON pulling the Race/Whatever card works... Idiots still act and think that way. Not everyone, but the backlash against the inbred few is felt far and wide. Corporations adopt idiot and redundant policies to stop unwarrented and imaginary lawsuits. Store Owners worry and henpeck their employees because of liabilities and insurance risks.. Viscous circle...

Keeping it relatively PC is a good idea, but worrying about trolls can kill a conversation. I'd rather just actually TALK, and let the mods sort out any problems.

The person in question had an attitude, reguardless of race. Given that they actually called and complained, it's unlikely that they actually WERE trying for a snatch and grab... but it's pretty obvious that they were stupid. In this day and age who doesn't recognize corporate rules?

[Broomjockey]

Quoth Crazeyal

The person in question had an attitude, reguardless of race. Given that they actually called and complained, it's unlikely that they actually WERE trying for a snatch and grab... but it's pretty obvious that they were stupid. In this day and age who doesn't recognize corporate rules?

I dunno, I'd think it MORE likely they're calling and complaining in prep for a snatch and grab. Now they know which tray is priciest, the layout of the store, security measures, etc. And if they CAN get the policy changed, it is more profitable for them. And all they have to do is wait and look in before they enter to see if they see anyone they recognize (who will thusly recognize them) the day they choose to make their move.

Broomjockey - the criminal mastermind too lazy to actually commit a crime.

[Gabrielle Proctor]

Quoth NotSoInnocent

(And I still wish I knew where the food came from since, without it, I would have miscarried the blessing of my oldest daughter. Her name, appropriately, is Angel after the Mythic Being who must have left that crate of food.)

If the person in the user pic is really her, then no, this person was not black. The above quote implies that she was the homeless teen in the story...am I right NotSoInnocent?