Abuse at Sam's Club

[MamaMootz]

There is the sweetest, nicest person who is at the door of our local Sam's Club. She's an older lady, with salt and pepper hair, and her name is Edith. It's her job to check that incoming people have a Sam's Club card and if they don't, she sends them to the membership desk. It's her job.

Yesterday, I came in and said "Hi" and then as I was getting my ID out of my purse, said "You need to see my card."

She replied, "Only if you want to show it to me."

I thought that was odd and asked her why she said that.

The answer was: "I'm so tired of being yelled at, cursed at, and spit at every time I ask customers for this that I'm not asking anymore."

I didn't witness the yelling or cursing or spitting, but damn why are people so nasty? This is one of the sweetest people ever, and she's just doing her job.

I went to the snack bar and bought her a Coke. She seemed really happy to get it.

I should have asked her if she had the power to ban the spitters from the store.

[LostMyMind]

Yeah, I've seen folks get nasty with member greeter. I don't get it either, they need the card to shop. It's a nice time to find out if you have the card on you anyway.

[chainedbarista]

so have i; it's a part of the policy, yet asshats who don't think it 'should apply to them' will abuse an employee simply for doing their job. she has my commisery on that; i had the same issues with explaining the $2 fee the government tacked onto all clinic transactions when i worked for our vet clinic in the service-talk about headaches.

[Kogarashi]

Aww, now I want to give the poor lady a hug. People should never abuse the door greeters. Every store I've been to has had a generally pleasant person assigned to that spot.

[MamaMootz]

so have i; it's a part of the policy, yet asshats who don't think it 'should apply to them' will abuse an employee simply for doing their job.

I think this needs a psychological or socialogical study
.
Are people truly just so stressed out from their day to day lives that they have to *spit* at someone for doing their job? And why do they always have to abuse people in these positions? Does it make them feel more important or powerful? What miserable people and what miserable lives.

I just don't get how anyone could get off on abusing an employee who is just enforcing the policies or doing their job. They are shooting the messenger. If it REALLY bugs them, why don't they complain to the corporation who made it company policy?

I really hope karma comes around for the person that spit at that sweet lady.

[lordlundar]

There's a situation where you have a 6'4", 280 pounds pure muscle guy there or in the vicinity. Could be the nicest guy in the world, but I doubt ANYONE would try anything that stupid to him.

[Boulder_Bear]

not really handicapped greeter.

I knew a guy once that was a greeter and as a ploy to make people nicer to him, he got a wheelchair and started using it when he was greeting people. One SC started yelling at him, while he was in wheelchair, he stood up and walked the SC out of the store. When he told me about the story he just couldn't stop laughing when he was talking about the face of the SC when he stood up.

[Myra]

I don't understand why someone would be mean to a door greeter at Sam's. If you're someone thinking "I'll be sneaky and refuse to show them my card, then I can shop there!" Well, when you get to the register, you have to have the card. On that same token, if you're a whiney member, you STILL have to get the card out so the checker can ring you up. People make no sense. Really, it doesn't take THAT much effort to get your card out.

[MamaMootz]

If you're someone thinking "I'll be sneaky and refuse to show them my card, then I can shop there!" Well, when you get to the register, you have to have the card.

That's the thing that got me, too. If these people are regular Sam's members - they should know they have to have the card out when they enter the store. It's the way Sam's does business and has, as far as I can tell, since they opened. It's not like it's a surprise.

[blas]

Mama, I think it's more of a power trip than anything else.

We've all seen it everywhere we work. People who are pissed off because they didn't meet their sales quotas/husband cheated on them/kid got caught stealing a car and went to jail/family member is hooked on drugs, etc etc etc etc etc........the list could go on forever.

People tend to take their problems out on others. Throw in the fact that people NEED groceries, people NEED soap/shampoo/cleaners/furniture/clothes/gasoline. Even petty crap like cigarettes and beer......these things are all purchased from retail stores. Also throw in the fact that a lot of people don't know the power of a good nap, a cup of cammomile tea, a pint of ice cream, soothing music........people tend to focus on staying mad as long as possible, and trying to bring others down as well. It makes them feel better than they can make someone else feel as miserable as them. It's just extra brownie points that the other person is probably a cashier who can't fight back without getting fired. It's knowing that you can swear/whine/bitch/make everyone miserable and get away with it.

It's sad, it really is.

[Phone Jockey]

yet asshats who don't think it 'should apply to them' will abuse an employee simply for doing their job.

Yup, that's what most of my lovely, charming customers do to me. Get mad because I'm ENFORCING the rules that my company set forth. You don't like it? Write the CEO. I can't do a thing to change it, bucko.

[MamaMootz]

Mama, I think it's more of a power trip than anything else.

We've all seen it everywhere we work. People who are pissed off because they didn't meet their sales quotas/husband cheated on them/kid got caught stealing a car and went to jail/family member is hooked on drugs, etc etc etc etc etc........the list could go on forever.

People tend to take their problems out on others.

I just happen to believe in karma. I know that karma is just the universe re-balancing itself when an imbalance is produced... but - I do believe that you get back what you put out there, some way, somehow.

So even though I'm currently unemployed right now, (still looking for work) - I always make a point of treating other people with courtesy. A smile and a please and yes, a thank you go a long way. And I've found that if you smile and make eye contact with others, they will smile and make eye contact back... at least 95% of the time. The other 5% are just having uber-crappy days. Sorry if I sound like I'm blowing sunshine up anyone's butt with that comment, but courtesy usually works for me.

Just remembering that most people don't like their jobs and they are there to pay the bills.. just like everyone else, should be humbling enough and give people pause before they get all whacked out.

So I'd imagine the spitters and the abusers are getting something back, but we're just not around to see it when it happens. I can take comfort in that.

[blas]

I wish I could be a fly on the wall (or, in some of my ex customer's cases, a roach on the floor or a maggot in the sink) when some of these people get what's coming to them.

[Pagan]

These are the same dinks that get mad that they have to show an ID every time they rent a movie. Ok, if you want just anybody renting on your account and screw it up, fine by me!

I always get my Sam's card out before I get out of the car since I know I have to show it. Most people need to get a grip and grow up!

[siead_lietrathua]

I just happen to believe in karma. I know that karma is just the universe re-balancing itself when an imbalance is produced... .

i dunno, i think i prefer wyrd. doesnt wait for your next lifetime to kick you in the but.