"I Don't Work Here" megathread

[air914]

I've very rarely had anything like that happen - usually it only happens when I'm doing a sampling event in a store - I'm there to sample, but people think that I might actually work for the store - and when I tell them I don't, they usually just go away.

But I can't believe they ask "Are you sure?" I'd love to just stand there and hit myself over the head and go "Oh, you know what - you're right, I do work here - gosh it's a good thing you came along - I had totally forgotten!" And oh shoot, I totally forgot to wear my uniform & nametag too..... now where did I put those?? Wait, did I ever get a uniform and nametag??? hmmm - nope maybe I don't work here..." Either your saracasm or your conversation with yourself will hopefully make them think you're crazy and go away.....

The biker guy thing is too funny though - I mean maybe if you were at a bike shop - or a tattoo parlor...... or a bar.... but anywhere else, I would assume a biker would not work - or at least would not be dressed like that at work.

[Ezrockspants]

This happened to me in Sportsgirl once...
The girls there wear Sportsgirl clothes and jewellery (and shoes too, in some cases) as well as nametags.
I was waiting outside the changerooms for my sister wearing (old) clothes not from there, but I was *possibly* wearing Sportsgirl earrings. A girl was trying something on and needed a different size, and was talking to an *actual* employee about how another *actual* employee had gone to get it for her, but was taking a while. She then looked straight at me and said:
"It was her. She was the one I asked."
I just looked at the actual employee and i'm sure i had the same "WTF?" look on my face as she did, and i then said:
"I don't work here..."
The girl looked embarrassed, but tried to laugh it off, saying "haha, you look like you work here, and the girl i asked looks like you"

The actual employee she asked was short & skinny with long dark brown hair.
I'm tall, curvy with midlength red hair.



At least she was polite...

For some reason i always get asked for directions and information about buses while waiting at the bus stop. I guess i must just look approachable...

[Sandman]

SC: "So you won't help me with a bra fitting?"

I would love to, but I might become a sex offender afterwords.

[Requilum]

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.

Ugh... I get that all the time. Customers will come up to me and ask, Do you work here? And then they don't believe me, and so the inevitable Are you sure? gets asked after I say yes. Apparently the fact that I'm wearing the uniform, the nametag, AND most of the time putting away a giant stack of games, CDs or DVDs is not enough for them.

Worst off though, is when it's my day off and they just approach me and just start asking questions. If they can tell I work there when I'm wearing street clothes, then why do they need justification when im in the uniform?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I have never had the experience of someone being really rude to me when they thought I was an employee, though I have had many cases where they simply thought I worked there and asked me for stuff. Most just go "oh, sorry" when they find out differently.

A lot of you are getting a lot of rude, though, to hear you tell it. Don't miss your big chance here. I don't mean your big chance to be rude back. I mean your big chance to maybe make a clueless person give a little more thought to what they are doing and how they are treating people.

I am wondering at some of the continuence to be polite and subservient sounding to obviously rude people I'm seeing here. I certainly don't blame or condemn anyone for trying to be polite, but it might be working against you in some of these cases. Maybe you should be taking a firmer tact. After all, most rude people are only rude because they thing nobody's going to call them out on it.

I find the best disinfectant is sunshine. In other words, naming the problem will frequently end it. Why not try saying, in a polite but firm voice, something like "Ma'am, do you realize you are picking a fight with a total stranger right now?" That might snap them back into reality. I mean, I've read a couple cases here when someone, instead of apolgizing for disturbeinga stranger, say stuff like "Don't dress like you work here." WTF? Who are they to tell you how to dress? Even knowing you are not beholden to them in any way, these people are so out of sync with reality they think they can tell you how to dress.

These people desperately need a wakeup call. Give them one.

[Mixed Bag]

posted on the old boards:

They can't figure out that I work there despite the fact that my nametag bears the following: 1: a leash with the company name on it 2: a tag with my name and the company name 3: a Bug's Life Button 4: a Babe: Pig in the City Button 5: a Prince of Egypt soundtrack sign 6: a button with the name of the mall on it But when I come in on my day off, they all of a sudden know I work there. (I guess they traded in their common sense for sixth sense.)

[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.

[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.

[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"

[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!!!

[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]

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.

[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!

[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

[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).