Demanding Non Customers or This Ain't Coinstar (Long)

[zigcat]

Not as sucky as most but annoying as hell.

I'm just coming off break and washing my hands when I hear the door open. Now the pizza oven obscures my view of the door so I have to peek around it to see.
Most people will wait a moment and give me a chance to come to the counter.
Not this person. The minute she opened the door:

ME =
NC = Non Customer.

NC: Hello! HELLO!!
ME (drying my hands) Just a moment. (Go to counter) Can I help you?
NC (Panting and whimpering) Sir, I gotta tell you, I'm homeless. Been on the street for four days now. Oh god, whew! Can I cash in some change for some dollar bills?
ME: Well we really haven't done that much business today. How much were you looking to get?
NC: Got about four dollars.
ME: That should be all right.

She dumps some change out on the counter. I start to count it.

ME: Okay you got $2.30 here.
NC: No sir, that's not right. There should be $4.00. I just counted it before I came in.

I count it twice more. Walking her through it.

ME: Okay 25, 50, 75, one dollar etc...$2.30
NC: I KNOW that can't be right. Sir, just please count it one more time. I KNOW I had $4.00.
ME: I'm sorry. I really have work I have to get done.
NC (incessantly whining) Oh please sir. You just got to help me out.
ME (a little impatient) Look I've counted it three times now. It comes to two dollars and thirty cents. I'll be happy to give you the two dollars.
NC: You must've mistaken a quarter for a nickel or something.
ME: Okay look.

Once more I start to count her change making sure I show her the denominations.

ME: Two dollars thirty cents.
NC: Okay fine. I'll take the two dollars.

I take her two dollars in change to the register and exchange it for two one dollar bills. She takes it and with out even so much as a thank you, turns and walks out.

That gave me an idea: a minimum purchase requirement or 10% of every dollar counted if you want to make change.

I've started to notice a trend with non customers. They'll walk into the store and right off the bat start in with either calling out "Hello" or "C'mere" or "Hey buddy, can I talk to you?" Usually this winds up with them either wanting to use the phone, restroom, wanting to know if we have any leftovers, wanting change or just coming in and hanging out. We've even had people bring in food from other restaurants and proceed to eat it.

Now I frequent an industry blog for pizzeria owners/workers. I posted a question: How do you deal with non customers in your store?

There were two basic responses.
The first was you should cater to non customers, because they're POTENTIAL customers and if you treat them right they may be back to do business with you.

The second was non customers are a disruption to your business and people with no intention of buying anything aren't likely to buy anything in the future once you give them what they want.

I've found the second response to be the most true. I have yet to see a non customer turn customer because of my assistance.

Sorry for the length of the post. I just wanted to vent a little and have you guys share with me instances of non customers in your store and how you deal with them.

[portia911]

you are a saint!

I hate non customers they either want to sell you stuff or want free stuff.

[hinakiba777]

There are a lot of non-customers who want to use our bathroom. I usually don't mind that much. However, the museum I work at has Outdoor displays that you have to pay admission to look at. Most of the time when the NC is in the bathroom there friends start examining the outdoor displays.

Even worse people come take pictures, ask the price of admission, and leave.

IT'S THREE DOLLARS! IS THREE DOLLARS REALLY THAT MUCH OF A DENT IN YOUR POCKET BOOK?!

People over 55 and students are 2. And kids under 10 are free.

[Listerfiend]

...I've found the second response to be the most true. I have yet to see a non customer turn customer because of my assistance...

It's like how those of us working in stores (as opposed to food, etc) are told to offer "great customer service" when we catch someone stealing. If someone is planning to steal, they won't have a change of heart just because we're nice. Same goes for non-customers. If anything, they'll learn that they can abuse you if you let them get what they want.

[CoffeeMonkey]

It's like how those of us working in stores (as opposed to food, etc) are told to offer "great customer service" when we catch someone stealing. If someone is planning to steal, they won't have a change of heart just because we're nice. Same goes for non-customers. If anything, they'll learn that they can abuse you if you let them get what they want.

See, in my company, we're taught that great customer service is a deterrant to theft not because it will cause the theif to have a change of heart, but because all that eye contact and attentivness will reduce the opportunity to steal something without being noticed.

[candyshopgirl]

I quit giving change or exchange for bills in my store.Theres just too much fraud. And the few times I did give change,I screwed myself.I somehow ended up five and ten dollars short.So screw them go them go to the front desk.Sometimes I've had people scream and yell because they don't understand I have a till full of money. I had a guy come in and want to exchange 40.00 worth of change. No fricking way. Also he was mentality handicapped,so I'm not doing that he might try to say I screwed him somehow.

[Hyndis]

See, in my company, we're taught that great customer service is a deterrant to theft not because it will cause the theif to have a change of heart, but because all that eye contact and attentivness will reduce the opportunity to steal something without being noticed.

They told me the same thing, yet don't give me the authority to do anything about it.

So I'm keeping an eye on a guy who looks shifty, he's at the liquor section, grabs a bottle and hides it in his clothes, then completely ignores me and walks out...

I don't have the ability to do anything about it, and by the time I find a manager or security, the guy is long gone.

[SuperB]

We have the customers only rule for the bathroom as well and certain times of the year it's obvious why. With a smallish parking lot we could literally have a store full of people in the bathroom line (it's just a single) all with cars taking up spaces and all they want is to pee. Add to that the fact that it's a septic system and constant flushing can cause it to back up and you have the customers only rule.

One guy got in my face when I was explaining our reasons (above) and told me it was the "cost of doing business". I got in his face and explained that we do pay that "cost" FOR OUR PAYING CUSTOMERS and NON CUSTOMERS do not apply. (love being able to yell at SC's) He shuffled out with nothing more to say.

[StarSong]

When I worked at Starbucks, there was this Bible study group that would come in every Tuesday night. They would all get waters, then push all the tables together (including the handicap accessible one) and proceed to stay there past closing. Sometimes they would bring in food from other restaurants and eat it in our store. Then they would leave all their trash behind for us to clean up. Never once did any of those folks buy a single item from our store, yet we still had to clean up after them and put up with them taking up all our space for at least three hours a week.

[RetailWorkhorse]

See, in my company, we're taught that great customer service is a deterrant to theft not because it will cause the theif to have a change of heart, but because all that eye contact and attentivness will reduce the opportunity to steal something without being noticed.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!! *Chokes, gags, wheezes, continues laughing*

*Sobers up*

If someone is bound and determined to steal, there is jack all we can do about it. They WILL steal. It doesn't matter if I'm allowed to body-slam them into a reefer truck. It doesn't matter if I was allowed a taser and night-stick. It doesn't matter if I am the Almighty CEO of the Company. They will steal.

And there's jack all I can do about it. Being attentitive and having eye-contact will do nothing but cause me grief because I "wouldn't leave them to shop" and "treated them like a criminal".

I ain't paid enough for that bullshit.

[otakuneko]

I used to go to Atlanta Bread Company, which has free wifi, and sit for hours doing stuffs on my laptop.

Of course, I always bought: a coffee (free refills ftw!), a sammich, and (with coupon or press pass discount card) a soup. Sometimes I'd get hungry again while I was still there, and end up going up to buy a pastry or something.

Unfortunately, my laptop is now dead. Stupid apple piece of trash.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

See, in my company, we're taught that great customer service is a deterrant to theft not because it will cause the theif to have a change of heart, but because all that eye contact and attentivness will reduce the opportunity to steal something without being noticed.

Yeah, and then after you say "Hi" to Mr. or Ms. Thief, they just take the item they want to gank over to a blind spot and pocket it there.

Greeting people as a theft deterrent is not quite as effective as the Polish Cavalry's horses as a defense against the German Panzers.

[Auto]

I was recently at a coffee shop in Berkeley that had a sign saying that a purchase was required to be able to take a seat at a table.

Which is pretty fair. Buy one lousy cup of coffee and they let you stay all afternoon. That's cheap.

I'd have zero tolerance for someone coming into my cafe/restaurant with food purchased elsewhere. I'll be damned if I let them eat it. That's one of those times when you tell them to get out or you're calling the cops. No need to be polite. They're not customers. They're scammers.

[powerboy]

I remember once at my last job. The owner wanted to have free WiFi for the customers. I told him that in the long run, we will making less money.

[taxguykarl]

I've found the second response to be the most true. I have yet to see a non customer turn customer because of my assistance.

Sorry for the length of the post. I just wanted to vent a little and have you guys share with me instances of non customers in your store and how you deal with them.

To answer your query, we gently usher them out the door. We have everying an identity thief would want so people who hang around are a security risk. Think about the info on YOUR tax return--we know more about your finances than your mother.