Didn't You Hear What I Just Said?

[purplecat41877]

Yesterday, I was on my way to the time clock to punch in when a customer stopped me. I told her I wasn't on right then. She asked her question like I never said anything. I told her what aisle but didn't bother walking her to the item and punched in not too long after.

One of my service desk coworkers had suggested not making eye contact if I'm going down the aisle and I'm on break/off the clock. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work.

[BrenDAnn]

SCs just don't care if you're on the clock or not. Hell, most don't even care if you actually work at whatever store you're in at the moment. All they care is that their royal ass gets helped. So tell me...Did he/she report you for being unhelpful? Sorry you had to deal with that before you were even punched in!

[Buglady]

That's why I ALWAYS go in the back (employee-only) door... someone at my work pointed out that not only do a lot of our customers shop often enough to recognize us, there's also a body language aspect to being spotted as a staff member as opposed to another shopper. Shoppers wander and look in lots of different directions. Staff walk purposefully and look straight ahead. So basically if you look like you're halfway awake and/or know where you're going, the customers will home in on you as someone who can help them

[PepperElf]

I usually tell them "i'll find someone for you" etc. and yes, i do try to avoid eye contact when i'm on lunch / break. sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn't.

when i'm off the clock though, i now try wearing my coat over my uniform. it's big enough to cover the shirt


although i did have one guy... he was polite. even apologized when he found out i was off the clock (i still had the uniform on) so i found someone for him etc.


but beyond that, we can actually get fired for working off the clock. i mean i'm not going to whine about directing someone to a on-the-clock employee or pointing out an item that's right in front of my face etc... but no more than that

[gremcint]

Just say you're already with a customer. When I'm going for my break and someone stops me I just say I'm with a customer.

[downforit2008]

A few days ago, I was on lunch break and heading down the aisle to the break room with my food purchase when some customer in a wheelchair stopped me and he asked, "Do you work here? I don't know where the bathroom is."
I wasn't wearing my uniform vest, so he couldn't tell if I worked here or not, so it wasn't a stupid question. I wanted to tell him I was on break, but his question was innocent enough and he looked very polite about the entire thing, so I pointed down one of the aisles and gave him the directions he needed. He thanked me with a sincere smile and wheeled himself away down the aisle. All I could think about was:

"THAT doesn't happen very often!"

In other words, this is the only kind of customer I would ever bother to help out on my break. And it only took about ten seconds of my time anyway!

[hotelslave]

When I am heading to clock in/go on break I have learned to power walk to the back of store staring at the ground. 9 out of 10 times you wont get stopped

[downforit2008]

And it usually helps to not use the MAIN aisles either, but some offshoot aisle in between the main ones that don't attract large numbers of customers. Be sure to remove your name tag too.

[earl colby pottinger]

SO?

That's why I ALWAYS go in the back (employee-only) door... someone at my work pointed out that not only do a lot of our customers shop often enough to recognize us, there's also a body language aspect to being spotted as a staff member as opposed to another shopper. Shoppers wander and look in lots of different directions. Staff walk purposefully and look straight ahead. So basically if you look like you're halfway awake and/or know where you're going, the customers will home in on you as someone who can help them

Why does than mean that when I take my lunch-break from fixing computers and dash into the local supermarket for some food, that I can't make it to the deli counter without someone asking me about a food product? Just because I dress neat and walk with purpose mean that I work there, it means I am hungry and want some food!

[EricKei]

Some of the customers just...KNOW, though. It's especially eerie when you're a customer *at a store totally unrelated to the one at which you work*, in civvie clothes, and you get stopped and asked for help anyway >_>

As for working off the clock -- I had reason to look that one up last year. Even "permitting" a non-salaried employee to work off the clock is legally considered the same thing as *forcing* them to do so, iirc. There's a reason they don't want you doing it ^_^

[ShadowTiger]

Yeah, I know. I really have to stop taking my breaks just to get things done uninterrupted.

This story reminds me of something that happened to me earlier.

If I'm in my civvies (I love how that's a term.) and someone just blurts out a question, I blink and say "Oh, I was just about to ask you the same thing. Oh well." And walk away.

[Pagan]

Some of the customers just...KNOW, though. It's especially eerie when you're a customer *at a store totally unrelated to the one at which you work*, in civvie clothes, and you get stopped and asked for help anyway >_>

Like the nitwit that I encountered a while back. I was in the bulk section of my local market getting....I forrget what. I'm stading there holding a hand basket, purse on my shoulder and on the side he was on so he could see it, fiddling with a plastic bag.

Nitwit: Currants?
Me: *looking confused* What about them?
Nitwit: Do you know what they are?
Me: Yes....
Nitwit: Well, do you carry them?
Me: *light bulb goes on* I don't work here. *picks up hand basket and walks by him and out of the aisle*
Nitwit: *huff* *cat butt face*

Mind you, this whole conversation took place while I sat my hand basket on the floor and got whatever out of the bulk container.

I still don't get it. The only think I was wearing that was like the staff there was jeans. They generally wear either gray or cornflower blue short sleeved t-stirts. I was wearing a crimson long sleeved t-shirt with "Aggies" emblazoned down the arm on the side where he was.

As for working off the clock -- I had reason to look that one up last year. Even "permitting" a non-salaried employee to work off the clock is legally considered the same thing as *forcing* them to do so, iirc. There's a reason they don't want you doing it ^_^

I swear, everytime you turn around, Wally World is getting fined and/or sued for this kind of thing.

[sweetj82]

I have worked at my store for over 10 yrs. People know me and boy oh boy does it get old.

Yesterday I was on register before I left. I was finishing up my last customer. My light was out and my close sign up. As i was walking away from the register a guy put 2 items down at my register. I was alittle upset I said a little loud oh I guess I'm not leaving. He said Oh come on its only 2 items. I rolled my eyes and took him. 4 other people showed up to be rung out. I didnt take them. The lady said oh just onemore customer. I said he was my just one more. I just walked away....i know bitching.

[ShadowBall]

I remember some old guy in the dollar store asked me where some thing I don't remember was and I said I didn't work there and had no clue. I thought that was kind of a given - I was wearing a hoodie, jeans, and combat boots. The employees wear uniforms. If I knew where the stuff was he needed, I'd have pointed it out to him, but why would anyone think someone wearing a hoodie with a skull and tribal design on it is an employee at a dollar store?

Just because I'm a woman (which that particular store prefers to employ, for some reason) doesn't mean I automatically work there.

[Food Lady]

ShadowBall, it's not that you're a woman and therefore an employee; it's that, as a woman, your sole purpose is to serve him. He's obviously a chauvanist.