How about listening and responding?

[notalwaysright]

BG: Okay, so most of you know I work at a fabric store, and generally do early morning stuff plus working at the cutting counter. I finished my internship so I have been scheduled longer shifts, meaning I'm working a lot more while the store is open.

Listen to my question and answer what I asked.
People today were not communicative AT ALL. And they were also irritable. For example, one lady was not sure about a fabric, and at one point she said that she "should get a yard" but she said this while I was measuring something else. Then when I get to that fabric, there is a cut piece of one yard. I ask if she wanted to take the yard and she says "this was a cut piece." I say "yup, it's a yard, was that what you wanted?" She says nothing, just pushes the fabric across the table at me.

.....Wtf? Just use your words and say ANY of the following: Yes. Yup. Yeah. Uh-huh. Or even just nod. Arg!

If you don't tell me, I don't know.
A lady is standing at the counter and I ask if she's number 5. (Or whatever the next number was) I was specific, I said "are you number 5?" And she mutters "there's no one else here." Fine, fine. I move to her, and see different lady who is holding a number. I immediately turn to the new lady and say "oh, are you number 5?" And before she could answer the first lady snaps in the most outraged tone, "I'm number 5!" and she unclenches her hand and number 5 falls out. So I apologize and say "I'm sorry, I thought you said you didn't have a number!" The rest of the time she just death glared me. Also, she's a regular, and I know I'll see her again. If she had responded to what I actually ASKED HER by saying "yes I'm number five" or even if she had shown me her number, everything would have been fine.

Bonus: "It's just so wasteful!" guy who was not getting his way.
First person I helped all day was so annoying! He was told the minimum that we cut is 1/8th yard. He wants me to cut him 1" (yes, one inch), but charge him for 1/8th yard. I say, I can't do that, I have to cut him what I charge him for. He then wants me to cut him an inch square out of the 1/8th yard I just cut him. I say, sorry I can't cut it for you. He then wants to use our scissors to cut the fabric (which he hasn't bought yet), and I say we can't let people use our scissors. The whole time he keeps repeating how wasteful it is, over and over. I so badly wanted to say "you are shopping at a national chain store. It is very, VERY wasteful. If you really cared about waste, you would not be here." He took his fabric and stormed off ignoring me saying to have a nice day. I got progressively more cheerful throughout the transaction, the more upset he got.

[chimera]

I think we're at the same/similar store. That job has just made me so mad lately. I can't take any more whining about sales and coupons. Usually, when I'm asked to do a price check to see if the item is on sale, if it's not, I'll mention that "but you can use a coupon." Since everything is so extremely overpriced and I'm just trying to be nice. Plus, a discount can encourage people to make a purchase they otherwise wouldn't. Well that was foolish because then I get roped into telling them how to access those preciousssssss coupons. People don't know how to use their phone, or notorious cheapasses will pretend not to be able to read what's on the coupons then try to twist my words around to get more discounts - and - AND! - they'll pull the same shit up at the registers and sometimes I'll get called down there to see if it can be explained why the customer seems to think they're entitled to some magical extra discount.

I've had it. I'll look up and let customers know if an item is on sale or not, but after that, they're on their own if they want to save a few extra precious pennies on their horrible cheap overpriced fabric.

We're constantly coached on ways we're supposed to get the customer to buy more...but most people either a) see right through that BS, b)are only interested in spending as little as possible, or c)are in a hurry and just want to get what they came to get and go. We get told that we'd make sales if only we got these cheap coupon goblins to spend a few more dollars apiece. That supposes we're successful in upselling to every customer. Or that we have time and enough people to schmooze everyone like a used car salesman.

I rarely work during peak hours anymore, but the take a ticket thing would totally get stuck in my craw, too. The way the system is supposed to work, you take a ticket and can go ahead and browse some more until you hear your number called. That's well and good until you've got several people lined up and staring you down, then you've got to page the next number and either wait there awkwardly for them to show up...or take the next person in line in the meantime and the paged person magically then shows up...or you page and page them, they never show up except later to complain "You skiiiiipped meeeeeeeee ((((" or "I didn't hear my number." You can't win.

Speaking of communication issues, don't you hate when people are carrying on a conversation over their bluetooth while you're trying to get their fabric order together? Oftentimes I don't realize until a few minutes into the interaction that they aren't actually talking to me...oops! Then you have to wait for this very distracted person to decide and tell you how much fabric they want.

Sometimes you get to have fun, genuine conversation with cool people about crafting. I enjoy that. The moment I try to talk to customers the way we're told to, I just feel like I'm being totally fake and dishonest. I think the company would make more sales if they were willing to a) staff stores enough to keep up everything clean, stocked, and customers served, b) quit playing bait and switch games by sending out half off coupons and then putting 25% c*** blocker sales on almost every item, c) fill the store with what customers want...like more fabric! and actual crafting and sewing items!...and getting rid of gimmicky crap like toys and home decor tchotchkes. Why try to be a crappy Pier 1 or Walgreens knockoff when you could be something that is increasingly scarce and in demand...like a craft store that has the stuff for sewing and crafts that you can't find anywhere else? It's all so backwards.

[MoonCat]

He then wants me to cut him an inch square out of the 1/8th yard

OK, who in god's name wants to buy a ONE INCH SQUARE piece of fabric?? What can you possibly use that for?? And why didn't he just find an old shirt or something at home, measure that out and cut it out of that? I mean WTF, people!!

[EricKei]

The sad thing is, it works that way at most any Corporate-run company. The people upstairs seem to have this delusion that the ONLY reason that fewer than 100% of all customers are buying suggested items/signing up for credit cards or other cards/etc etc etc, is due to a lack of worker effort, and the specific wording they use. Customers honestly not having enough time, or no interest, or wanting to protect their credit...? Pah! Pure fiction, and they know it! There's no such thing as a customer that can't be totally won over (and never get pissed at) by the hardest of hard sells....Right? Right?

[Marmalady]

tchotchkes

I had to look this word up, and I've decided that I love it

[Food Lady]

...and afterward all those people went to Royal Burger and refused to tell the cashier what size drink they wanted. (Some guy gave me death glare over that one because I decided if he wouldn't tell me he was going to pay for the extra large.)

chimera, that thought about carrying more actual craft supplies and fabric makes me think I know which store you work in. And it's exactly why I don't like shopping there. The fabric *is* overpriced and ugly! And there isn't much of it. And now that the other chain in town is closing, this one is all I'll be left with. Yeah, my sewing machine is just for repair projects. I don't make new things.

[Sliceanddice]

OK, who in god's name wants to buy a ONE INCH SQUARE piece of fabric?? What can you possibly use that for?? And why didn't he just find an old shirt or something at home, measure that out and cut it out of that? I mean WTF, people!!

I would say someone needing to patch something. But beyond that all i can say is why?

[notalwaysright]

I would say someone needing to patch something. But beyond that all i can say is why?

Yes, it was to patch a down jacket. He was the neediest customer, and he got progressively irritable. I think he just thought he'd walk in and find exactly the right item, at exactly the price he feels he should pay, and it would have a lifetime warranty and if the project didn't work all the employees would commit ritual seppuku. Lots of people think like this, and are dumbfounded that they might need to think for themselves and come up with a possible solution on their own! The horror.

Regarding stupid premade seasonal crap. I know I've said it before, but... We carry it because people buy it, and the profit margin is pretty high. I would 100% agree that the store should be ONLY fabrics and crafts. We shouldn't sell crap like quilted duffle bags, wind chimes, or decorative hourglasses. But we do, and now people are so used to it, they come and ask me for premade bedsheets and curtains and are so confused when we don't have them.

And the coupons are such crap. I feel like everyone should take a couple marketing classes in their life. I mean, I know that prices are inflated, so that the coupon takes the price down to where it should have been to start with. But people want coupons, so now you have to use it or you're getting ripped off. Don't even get me started on the 25% off sales. I hate them just as much as other customers do, but you know what I hate even more? Getting lectured or complained to about the fact that it's 25% off and they can't use their coupon. I did not do this, I don't care that the customer is just blowing off steam and not really mad at me. If these people complained to corporate (or just stopped shopping at this chain) maybe, maybe things would change. But no, they just complain to me and then buy a bunch of stuff anyway. So why would corporate change? They got their money.

[MoonCat]

Yes, it was to patch a down jacket.

Oh for god's sake.

DUCT TAPE

Yeah I know it's not exactly high fashion but most guys wouldn't care.

You can probably still buy those iron-on patches, too. But then you need an iron, which he might not have.

[workerbee222]

He's patching something so tiny a one inch square covers it?

Two words: baseball stitch.

[XCashier]

I think the company would make more sales if they were willing to a) staff stores enough to keep up everything clean, stocked, and customers served, b) quit playing bait and switch games by sending out half off coupons and then putting 25% c*** blocker sales on almost every item, c) fill the store with what customers want...like more fabric! and actual crafting and sewing items!...and getting rid of gimmicky crap like toys and home decor tchotchkes. Why try to be a crappy Pier 1 or Walgreens knockoff when you could be something that is increasingly scarce and in demand...like a craft store that has the stuff for sewing and crafts that you can't find anywhere else? It's all so backwards.

I also work for the same company as you and notalwaysright. And I couldn't agree more with your post, particularly this last bit. I hate stocking home decor items, they're almost always huge bulky things that take up way too much room on the shelves. If we got rid of those, we could carry a much bigger selection of fabric and more of the specialized craft items. I mean, nearly double what we're currently carrying. And prying open the company's pocketbook to pay for a little extra staff would make the store look lots better and the customers happier. But hey, if it makes sense, it's not allowed.

[depechemodefan]

...or you page and page them, they never show up except later to complain "You skiiiiipped meeeeeeeee ((((" or "I didn't hear my number." You can't win.

At the library, if a person wants to use a computer, they log in into the reservation computer, then stay around to see their number come up. The librarians started to call out numbers so people can look for books, not waiting at the reservation computer. Well of course it backfired. Librarians would get up to help people and we wouldn't call out numbers. Or people are so used to us calling out numbers they don't bother to check at all. So what happens? People bitching. One person bitched to me, "well, someone didn't do their job." Not our job, it was just a courtesy. You can guess how long it took us to stop calling out numbers.