Customer complaint at husband's workplace

[snugglegirl05]

My husband works for a non-profit organization at one of their retail outlets

He mainly works in the back warehouse

Several weeks ago during a short meeting the store staff was told the following by store management...

A Hispanic woman went shopping at that location, and unfortunately she was not greeted by anyone on the sales floor

The customer sent an e-mail to the HR department at the city office where the retail outlet is located

The customer mentioned the following in the e-mail

I am a Hispanic female who was not greeted by anyone on the sales floor at *location* on *x date*

I felt slighted at not being greeted

I also saw other customers being greeted

I also feel that I was deliberately discriminated against by your sales staff

HR notified store management, and told them that not greeting any customer could be considered racism and discrimination

For my husband as well as any retail employee in general, how do you navigate that?

I understand that every customer needs to be greeted, but how do you navigate the possibility that any customer could decide that you deliberately discriminated against them by your not greeting them?

This is a challenging situation to be in, and a challenging situation to navigate.

How do you do that?

[Ironclad Alibi]

You have the employees greet every customer every time they see them. Then the customers will complain about being greeted too much, or being harassed.

[snugglegirl05]

You have the employees greet every customer every time they see them. Then the customers will complain about being greeted too much, or being harassed.

It is a never ending circle

So, then how does store management address that issue?

[Kristev]

There are some things you just can't fix. Humans have more emotion than they do sense and reason. It's a minefield and a half having to deal with them.

[snugglegirl05]

There are some things you just can't fix. Humans have more emotion than they do sense and reason. It's a minefield and a half having to deal with them.

Do you feel that the customer's emotions got in the way causing her to send the letter to HR?

[Seanette]

I'm suspecting a Karen wanting to find something to have some drama about.

[snugglegirl05]

I'm suspecting a Karen wanting to find something to have some drama about.

So, why e-mail HR?

What is HR supposed to do about this?

[Buzzard]

It's mainly a 'cover your ass' paper trail. "We got complaint, we put out notice/policy. Corporate is not to blame. (pity about the poor schmucks on the floor...)" If multiple complaints come in, with conflicting issues, expect policies to be handed down accordingly. And yes, even though the policies are conflicting, the expectation is on the minions to follow them all AND get work done.

[Kristev]

She's trying to cause trouble as if she were Pandora with her box. That's what I think.

[EricKei]

Reminds me of majorgamestore. If a mystery shopper came in and was not greeted within five seconds (no matter how busy and short-staffed we were), that caused a ten-point deduction on the store audit they were performing...The audits were scored out of 100, and a 90 was considered a failing grade. Note that we were ALSO expected to simultaneously focus on the customer at the register, incoming calls, etc. I suspect that they would also take away points if said greeting was not cheerful enough, or if the MS wasn't paying attention when it happened.

[RealUnimportant]

What is HR supposed to do about this?

Fire someone, that's all HR is ever meant to do. HR is no longer about managing what's best for the workers, but what's best for the corporation's image. As for what OP's husband is to do here, nothing. If he's mainly back office/stocking/warehouse/whatever, someone who actually works on the floor should have already greeted the customer if he ever has to venture out there.

And yes, there is no winning here. I feel like the majority of people really don't want to be greeted by everyone in the store, they want to be left in peace to shop, but decades of conditioning has caused the minority to feel like they deserve to have all the workers bow and scrape before them.

[snugglegirl05]

Fire someone, that's all HR is ever meant to do. HR is no longer about managing what's best for the workers, but what's best for the corporation's image. As for what OP's husband is to do here, nothing. If he's mainly back office/stocking/warehouse/whatever, someone who actually works on the floor should have already greeted the customer if he ever has to venture out there.

And yes, there is no winning here. I feel like the majority of people really don't want to be greeted by everyone in the store, they want to be left in peace to shop, but decades of conditioning has caused the minority to feel like they deserve to have all the workers bow and scrape before them.

Your practical and correct response causes me to question what the customer expected HR to do about this issue.

[drunkenwildmage]

You have the employees greet every customer every time they see them. Then the customers will complain about being greeted too much, or being harassed.

And even that has the possibility of turning into a discrimination complaint.

[Seanette]

Yep, someone will screech about how employees are hovering over them like they think the screamer is going to steal because of their demographics.

[snugglegirl05]

And even that has the possibility of turning into a discrimination complaint.

This is a no win situation