"Excuse me, do you work here?"

[Imogene]

asked if I could help her & before I could say anything else she asked me.."um, do you work here?"

Taken directly from the opening post.
"Ma'am, I just asked you if you need help. I either work here or shop here enough to recognize that 'I'm lost' face, and can at least direct you to what you need."

[Nephy]

I work at Walgreens, and have to wear a light blue dress shirt as my uniform.

One day I was shopping at Walmart right after work, and therefore was still wearing my uniform.

I had 2 guys walk up to me and ask "Do you work here?" Since I don't, I replied "No" (the logical answer). I moved along.

A few seconds later they walk up and tell me "You don't have to be so rude, we just want to know where the hangers are". I tell them again that I don't work there. They demand to see my manager. I say slowly "I don't work here. I work at WalGREENS" and point to my nametag, which clearly says Walgreens.

I never knew that all "Wal..." employees were interchangable.

I do get frustrated sometimes when people ask me that at work. No, I don't work here, I just come here on my free time, wear the uniform (because it's super stylish and comfortable), and like to zap stuff with Telxons and rearrange merchandise. I find it calming.

Or the people that ask for the manager, I walk up and ask how I can help them. They get pissy and tell me "I was waiting to speak to the manager!" No, I'm not the manager, I'm a part time service clerk, and I mugged my manager, stole her uniform and nametag, and now I'm here to screw with you! Bwahaha. How do you like them apples?

[Sparky]

Personally I go with the phrase

"Excuse me, I wonder if you'd be able to help me?"

Much easier!

What a good idea!

Personally, I am often unable to retrieve the right phrase during brain farts. Maybe I mean to say "downtown" and it comes out "downstairs." Or I mean to say "recycling center" and it comes out "______ um, you know, that ... place, thingy." Or "I wonder if you'd be able to help me" turns into "Do you work here?"

Of course, I like to think that most SCs are even more brain-dead that I am.

[depechemodefan]

I get that a lot too. In fact, two customers were commenting on my shirt, which says "(name of my city) Public Library", and I forgot what they mentioned but I told them "people still ask me if I work here."

Customer 1: Wait, can't they see your shirt says (name of my city) Public Library?
Customer 2: And your badge says (name of my city) Public Library?
Customer 1: And that you are wearing red?

Note: I don't mention my city because some PR person who works for the library is always googling it to see what people say about our library.

One day I was shopping at Walmart right after work, and therefore was still wearing my uniform.

I had 2 guys walk up to me and ask "Do you work here?" Since I don't, I replied "No" (the logical answer). I moved along.

A few seconds later they walk up and tell me "You don't have to be so rude, we just want to know where the hangers are". I tell them again that I don't work there. They demand to see my manager. I say slowly "I don't work here. I work at WalGREENS" and point to my nametag, which clearly says Walgreens.

Some people left their higher brain functions at the (name of name brand metal/rap/regeton) concert. "No" means "no", not "I'm fucking with you." Geez.

[Raieth]

My favorite one was when I was stocking paint at crappy tire and there was a lady looking at the paint chips. I'm in the red shirt and just put three cans of paint on the shelf.

Me: Hi there, do you need any assistance today?
Lady: (she turns to me) Yes, I just can't find anyone who works here today.
Me:...(waiting to see if she say what she wants and decide screw it lets just start over.)

Me: Hi there, what can help you with today? (figured I'd try a different phrase.)
Lady: (honestly looks suprised.) Oh! You work here?

After that it was a normal paint customer but was quite amusing at the time. She was really nice too and laughed about the whole thing after.

[smileyeagle1021]

sadly I've gotten that at the hotel a few times... now I can understand it if I'm taking a break when it's really slow and eating my lunch in the lobby (I'm good at hightailing it back to the desk when someone walks in the front door, not so good with people who come from in house)... considering the uniform is pretty much any light blue long sleeve button up shirt (untucked if you'll believe it) and black (or sometimes kakhi) pants... and of course the nametag with the hotel logo and our name... scarily though I've gotten that when I'm standing at the front desk, or when I'm in the back office doing something and the person rings the bell and I walk out and they ask if I work here... now with one of those people who I walk out of the office for I am so tempted to say "nope, I don't work here, I jumped over the counter and knocked smileyeagle out and was in the process of robbing the place, but then I saw your car pull up so I decided to pull his body in the back office, strip him, put on his clothes, which just happen to fit perfectly, and pretend to work here so you wouldn't suspect anything... here's your sign"