For once, I'd like us to CLOSE on time...

[Pixilated]

One of my CW's tried that, and sadly the subtext is always lost on the people who most need the clue. I don't know whether the music can be controlled at the store level; there have been many suggestions to either shut it off at 8:45, or let an employee patch their MP3 player in ('goth' rock, metal, rap, techno/house...between any four of us I'm sure someone has something that's even worse than the normal Muzak. Taiko drums over the PA, anyone?)

How about some carefully selected works of John Philip Sousa?

[Kheldarson]

We've been dealing with shoppers like that recently. Our phone system just got updated, and so, the PA system, which was initially hooked to the phones isn't working

And for some godawful reason, the managers won't actually talk to the customers...just let them keep wandering around

So I've been going up, saying "Can I help you find anything", finding out they're just browsing and then letting them know our closing time and that the registers will close soon. Still didn't prevent us from having the last customer walk out at about 10 the other night...we close at 9:30.

[BuryMe]

Personally, I think the "store is CLOSED" announcement should be given at 8:55, so people can get their shit to the registers and we can close on time.

I have to disagree with that. Closing time, to me, means the doors are locked at 9. So customers can still come in and shop at 8:55.

Though if they are still in the store at 9, they are pushed out by the manager (he takes a walk through the store and ensures that there is never a customer behind him. customers can take additional products as they progress through the store, but they can't doddle, nor can they go backwards for something.)

And they schedule us until 10, so we have time to check out all the remaining customers, and cash out and get out when our shift is scheduled to end.

[Kheldarson]

I have to disagree with that. Closing time, to me, means the doors are locked at 9. So customers can still come in and shop at 8:55.

Just because you're giving a closing announcement doesn't mean customers can't still shop. Before our PA system became obsolete, we'd make a 10, 5, and 0 minute closing announcement. Basic point is to start herding those last minute people towards the door. Doesn't mean they can't shop, but does inform them that they're on a time limit.

[Dreamstalker]

The most determined SCs don't give a crap about time limits: WIC lady from the OP, two weeks ago we had an old 'flyer vulture' with a cartload of stuff who questioned every single price (using a flyer from the week before), etc. They are why I wish the registers would just shut down at a certain time; a manager could reopen them, but it's at their discretion.

Our entrance doors are supposed to be shut off at 8:55 (there's someone stationed at the exit doors who can still let people in if they promise to be fast). On Sunday nights there are pallets everywhere starting at 9, which could become a safety hazard for stupid SCs...knowing some of our clientele, they'd manufacture an incident just because they can.

[BuryMe]

Just because you're giving a closing announcement doesn't mean customers can't still shop. Before our PA system became obsolete, we'd make a 10, 5, and 0 minute closing announcement. Basic point is to start herding those last minute people towards the door. Doesn't mean they can't shop, but does inform them that they're on a time limit.

Yes, I agree with that. We give a 15 minute warning message, and then a closing message at 9:00.

It's when people say that the doors should be locked before the posted closing time, or when people are pushed to check out before the store is actually closed that I take issue with it.

[Peppergirl]

It's when people say that the doors should be locked before the posted closing time, or when people are pushed to check out before the store is actually closed that I take issue with it.

Sorry, but if the store closes at 9, they should be through the checkout and outside of the door at 9pm. This would mean, by very virtue of time, they would need to take their crap to the register by at least 855pm in order to be out by 9pm.

Also, I applaud your management for scheduling people until 10pm, which allows for closing duties to commense without having to rush. I take no issue with that, either. My issue is with the management who schedule people until 915p when closing is at 9p and they can't get out on time, because the same management does not 'manage' their customers and allows them to rudely stay until past closing time, meandering around. There's zero excuse for that.

[emax4]

I'd like to have my own grocery store just so that I had the power to force customers to go to the checkout when it's closing. It's pretty nice that there's a manager that says, "You have to bring your cart to the checkout NOW", but it's even ballsier to grab the cart (it IS the store's property), along with the food in the cart (it still belongs to the store since it hasn't been paid for yet), remove the shopper's personal belongings, and physically move the cart to the checkout.

[depechemodefan]

Years ago, an assistant manager on another floor of the library would tell people in German the library is closing in x min. He would speak German in such a way to scare people.

[Argabarga]

RAUSS MIT DU!!!!

[Jay 2K Winger]

He would speak German in such a way to scare people.

To be fair, German can sound pretty damn scary.

[AccountingDrone]

Taiko drums over the PA, anyone?)

Works for me, but I like festival drums

[Merriweather]

It isn't only SCs that can't seem to grasp logic, I guess, from how common it sounds for management or corporate to only schedule employees until closing time - what do they think, the retail fairy comes in and waves her wand and makes all the customers vanish and cleans up the mess the last ones left?

Makes no sense to not schedule employees "quitting time" for at least half hour to an hour after store closing hours (depending on size of store, and how fully staffed they are at that time to clean up quickly, etc). Enough to allow for stragglers, any clean up that can't be done with customers in the store, shutting things down, etc.

I also think they should announce not just the closing time but a "if you aren't in line at a specific time, you will not be allowed to check out" time.

Some stores are ridiculous, hubby and I were in a large warehouse store once, we'd forgotten they closed earlier than some other stores, and were leisurely looking around and discussing this vs that, etc. when an employee came over and very politely told us they were about to close, please head for the register. One of us said something like "oh, sorry, we didn't hear the announcement" and the employee says "oh, there aren't any, our manager won't let us announce that we're closing". SC's might not care at all, but there are lots of nice people that try to grab stuff quick before they close, or don't realize how late it's gotten, or forget to check closing time as they go in - and a "we close in fifteen minutes" is all it takes to get those types of people up to the register - and instead they have to go around one by one and tell people when it hits closing time? I can see having to go around and tell the ones that ignore the announcement, but to not have an announcement at all??

[MoonCat]

We've had to wait outside our favorite store for a cab a couple of times--made sure we were done and checked out at least half an hour before closing--and it was fascinating watching people walk in at 15 minutes to, 10 minutes to, 5 minutes and counting. I couldn't believe how many there were. Amazingly, most of them got out fast with just a couple of items.

One time a manager showed up and began to line up the carts to bring them inside. I offered to take out bags our of the cart so he could have it right away, and he said not to bother, he'd be there until at least 10 pm anyway...and it was before 7 pm at that point...I felt kinda bad for him. So we put our bags on the ground and next time he came out we gave him the cart. The cab showed up a few minutes later, and the weather was nice, so no big deal for us.

[Plague*Star]

To be fair, German can sound pretty damn scary.

"German, although unmusical, is among the most expressive of languages."
-Sherlock Holmes

P*S