"I Don't Work Here" megathread

[Barefootgirl]

They are now my new official favorite site.

Er, present company excepted, I presume ?

[Jester]

Barefootgirl, I love this site, and bitterwaitress.com, I really do, but sorry....Improv Everywhere absolutely rocks.

I hope you can settle for second favorite.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I want them to come to my work and do the same thing.

Did you read the Suicide Jumper improv? That was brilliant!

[COMINATCHA]

It actually happened to me today. I was walking through Target (which I haven't worked at for some time now), my bag on my shoulder, drink in my hand, looking at the makeup. I was wearing jeans, red high heeled shoes, and a white top white some lace through it. I also had a bright red flower pinned in my hair.

A lady called out to me "Do you work here?"

I looked up at her and just shook my head as I drank my juice.

"Can I get some service over here?" she yells out to me.

I decide to just carry on shopping and pretend I've suddenly become deaf and can't hear her.

She starts walking closer to me, so I quickly get out of there! Hehe.

I thought it was a bit obvious I wasn't working there, but after reading through some of these posts, it's clear that people just don't pay attention to stuff - ever!

[Susie Derkins]

I remember going to the grand opening of a Big Lots store in the strip mall where I worked. I was on my lunchbreak and wearing my Hallmark uniform, and while I was in there I saw a girl I used to work with and we started chatting. A man walks up, stands about a foot away from us with a little grin on his face, and just watches us talk (he looked as though he were watching a particularly interesting tennis match).

After about 30 seconds of that, I turned to him and said, "Yes?" He (of course) had some question about something in the store. I informed him that I didn't work there, and he said "Oh, the uniform threw me!" I waved a hand toward the cash registers and pointed out that the people who actually DID work there didn't wear uniforms. He was nice about the whole thing, but clueless!

[Tito]

Believe me, they would call you at home if they got ahold of your phone number.

That's exactly why I used to refuse to give my last name if someone asked for it. Sure I ticked off a few people, but do you think that I care? I did not need them being able to look me up in the phone book.

[Mixed Bag]

i think i've figured out why so many people mistake us for employees, not necessarily because we look like them (cause quite a few cases people are wearing streetclothes) but maybe it's cause we actually don't have our heads where the sun doesn't shine and we look like we know what we're doing. >>

I love those moments when someone brings our hazy thoughts to a fine point like you just did. It also highlights that even though I have more memorable experiences as a customer than in service, we share a frustration with "SC"s no matter what our actual roles at the moment.

I got asked the question a lot in bookstores (probably a combination of several reasons it was mainly there: I didn't spend so much time elsewhere, didn't seem as confident in or familiar with other places, and I don't wear polo shirts).

[Confuzed-Monkey]

This is my story.

My dad is a store manager for Eckerd Drug Store.

I would go to visit him often since our work schedules usually didn't allow for us to get together. Their uniform at the time was a navy blue polo style shirt and khaki pants. I never worked for them, but I was at his store a lot so I did help him while I was there. This day I was wearing a light blue polo shirt and khakis.

Well this day was my day. My dad was busy staightening the magazine rack that was down the aisle in the store. I was kinda half-helping him while reading a few of them. He got called to the front. The whole time he was there, there was a lady standing about 10 feet away. Now she comes up, Of Course.

SC-Stupid Stuckup Customer
ME- me

SC- "Where is the (random medicine)?"
Me- "I don't know"

SC- "Well why not?"
Me- "Because I don't know"

SC- "Well if you could drag yourself away from your reading long enough to help me"
Me- (Ding - bells going off in my head)
Me- "I'm sorry ma'am, but I don't work here." "I'm here helping my dad."

SC- "Well, you shouldn't dress like you work here then."
Me- "Sorry, but this is what I like to wear."

SC- (Huffs, then turn and stomps off)

I told my dad about it as soon as he came back. He laughed, then said he noticed she waited till after he left also. I guess she never complained, or at least he never said anything.

Good little afternoon chuckle.

CM

[WHShit]

I was visiting my mom in NC and decided to go to the mall. I was wearing a tube top (not a trashy tacky one btw), a long skirt and flip flops. I had my purse on my arm and sun glasses on my face. I was also holding a lemonade and eating a big pretzel. I did not AT ALL look like I worked anyhere. I looked like I was doing just what I was doing...shopping (and stuffing my face with pretzels)

I am walking through the shoe dept. at Belk (big department store) and this woman comes up to me and asks where the socks are. I say "sorry, I don't work here" And I get a huff and she stomps away. No "sorry or anything". Ok.....so I am still walking, looking at shoes and I pick up a pair of flip flops (the ones I am wearing now, infact ) and look at them. This old bag storms up to me and starts yelling at me that I went to get her shoes 15 minutes ago and she has been waiting! I tell her that I was not the one who went to get her shoes, as I do not even work there. She says "it was you, now get my shoes". I tell her that maybe I look like the person who went to get her shoes, but I am shopping just like her! I even hold up my pretzel and my purse! She says "nevermind" and stomps off too!

WHAT THE HELL? I must have the reatil smell on me, I swear! This happens so many times to me.

I was in Wally World one evening, looking at dvd players as I wanted to buy one for my mom. This lady comes up to me and starts saying "I don't know anything about these things, can you help me please" I thought that she was just casually asking a fellow shopper for advice. I ask her what she wanted to know. She says that she wants one for her grandkids. Nothing to hi-tech but just to play movies on and cheap. I tell her that I am not too sure which ones do what and that I am not too clued in on dvd players. She says "well, why not. I think all employees should know their departments"! OMG!!!! Again, I had my purse and a drink in hand. I tell her that I am not an employee. She says "sorry" and then starts asking me questions again. It took ME going to get an employee for HER to help her and get away from her.

It makes me laugh. It pisses me off at the time, but it IS funny. I can't believe people still get angry at you even though you are just a customer like them!

[Ree]

I live in a small town and have been in retail since I graduated high school back in 1978.
People know me. I go out in public and they recognize me.

Our store used to have the same corporate colours as the grocery store beside us, and it was really confusing for customers, but now, the colours are different, yet they still ask for help if I go in wearing my uniform.

Last year, I was shopping at the grocery store one Sunday afternoon...not even in uniform.
Some lady (one of my hardware store 'regulars') came up to me and pointed out that she had dropped a yogurt on the floor and it had exploded.
She said, "I'm sorry, I dropped that. Could you get something to clean it up?"
I said, "I don't work here. I work next door at the hardware store."

The lady felt pretty stupid.

[Lehk]

She said, "I'm sorry, I dropped that. Could you get something to clean it up?"
I said, "I don't work here. I work next door at the hardware store."

The lady felt pretty stupid.

at least she went to tell someone.

that, above all else pisses me off at work. i really don't mind cleaning up broken glass, pudding, eggs, whatever. cleaning up pudding egg or soda that has had a few hours to dry because whoever dropped it didn't have the cajones to admit to it ticks me off real bad.

we certainly don't charge people for items they break accidentally and we never have so i really don't understand where the fear comes from.

The other thing that gets me is when i am clearly in the middle of a hazardous cleanup people asking me to go look in the back for something.

No i will NOT leave this puddle of olive oil and broken glass unattended to see if we have any diet caffine free coke you will have to either wait or find someone else to help you. No your inconvenience is not more important than the safety of other shoppers

[Ree]

at least she went to tell someone.

True...but I suspect she only told me because I happened to wander into the dairy section with my shopping cart, and she recognized me.

That bugs me too when people make a mess and leave it. Just tell someone, for crying out loud!!!

[RecoveringKinkoid]

SC- "Well, you shouldn't dress like you work here then."
Me- "Sorry, but this is what I like to wear."

SC- (Huffs, then turn and stomps off)



CM

We'll, you shouldn't dress like you work here, then. "

"And maybe you shouldn't dress like a pushy . ma'am"

[ArenaBoy]

I have been mistaken for an employee at some bookstores but I look like someone who works at one anyway.

C:Excuse me, where can I find Dostoysky?
Me: Ma'am, I don't work here.
C: I'm sorry, you look like you do.

[biscuitchan]

I kinda had the opposite yesterday. I was giving Ladieswear some of their clothes back from returns, and this womans looking at me kinda apprehensively. I'm about to go "Can I help you?" when I hear her mutter "Does she work here...No, she can't do." and walks off. I was kinda confused. There I am in work uniform carrying loads of Ladies clothes (trying to put them back on hangers as I walk), and...yeah.