What do you mean you can't help me in another dept???

[retailwrkralum]

From my dept store days.
M = Me
C = Customer

C: There's no one in housewares!!!!!!
M: I'll be glad to ring sometihng up for you.

C: But I had a question about something.
M: Let's take a walk over and I'll see if I can find someone to help you with that.

we walk over to housewares and they are really busy, and there are about 4 sales people.


M: Here are a few sales people, I'm sure they will be happy to help you .
C: But they are all busy!!!!!! WHy can't you help me???


M: I don't have the product knowlege for housewares, I'm trained on bed and bath items, but I'm sure if you'll be patient, someone will be happy to help you.

C: I'm not going to wait for this, this is ridicilous etc etc

and she storms out.

First of all, don't come crying to me and say there is "No one" there to help you when there are clearly 4 or 5 people there, they have other customers to assist.

Secondly, don't expect me to leave my dept, with "NO ONE" there to help you with something that I would not have the first clue on.

[Slow-Jo]

I had tons of people do that to me when i was a cashier at my old job. they would drag me over to hardwear and demand that i tell them what kind of thing they put in there toilet, what size, and how. after about 5 min of me stairing at them blankly and trying to tell to them that i dont have a clue they would bitch that the company only employees idiots.

where does it say "never ending waterfall of knowledge" on my badge beside cashier?
worst part was that the company encouraged this, and would get mad at you if you didnt help the customer.

[roguesqd]

SC's seem to think that if you are in the store you should know every item, every feature of that item, how it is used and where and who made it. I was moved to hardware from electrical about 2 months ago, I know the basics about most items, if you want a hinge or a ladder or a drill I can get you to the right place.

If you want to know what lumber you use to build a shed or which stain you should use for it, or how to repair your plumbing(shudder the evil of the plumbing dept) then I am gonna refer you to people in that department and will flat out tell customers that I have no idea. Since I am still learning the hardware products(probably 6-10,000 items in the department alone) there are some questions that get into such detail of a product that my answer is either not sure or I tell em I can read the info on the box.

[RetailWorkhorse]

SC's seem to think that if you are in the store you should know every item, every feature of that item, how it is used and where and who made it.

Actually, when I worked at Dollar Tree, since I had a small store (the ignored bastard store so to speak) I knew it all. Along with the Wally World next to us and the Ingles in the same Plaza.

"never ending waterfall of knowledge"

^ And that is why. I've had so many people ask me questions they didn't think I'd honestly know the answer to that it was quite a shock when they found out that YES I DO KNOW.

The teachers in the city couldn't keep up with me.

[BookstoreEscapee]

For some reason I was reminded of this:

The CEO of my company writes a blog on the company intranet site, and employees can post comments, and he actually responds to all the comments as well. I was reading earlier in the week, and there was a quote that I really liked: (paraphrasing)

Working customer service in a bookstore is like playing a giant game of Trivial Pursuit.

It really is true. Booksellers don't have just one department that they work in all the time, so we have to learn where to find things. You start to know a little bit about everything after a while.

I've often said that cleaning magazines at the end of the night is like playing a giant game of Memory, but that's a different issue...

[Ree]

In our store, staff are supposed to be interchangeable and have enough product knowledge from every department that they can help a customer.
That's the corporate theory anyway.

Then, when we do move out of our department, we get our butts chewed off because we aren't covering our own area.

If I'm not busy, and feel I know enough to answer questions, I will usually try and help. If I reach a point where I don't know the answer, then I will look around for someone in that area.

[greensinestro]

This also happens in call centers. I work in the technical support department for the internet, plus phone repair. I am not a billing rep, collections rep, or anything else. Yet, I still have those that pull the "you work for that company and should be able to help me with this problem not related to what you do there" shit. And, it's because they know the department they really need won't cave in to them, or is too busy to assist them in three seconds or less.

[Becks]

"never ending waterfall of knowledge"

I should see if I can get that made into a nametag for myself.

[Peppergirl]

In my company, they try to cross-train us on the various departments, so that we can answer a question if asked.

In the case of the OP, I think it was more that she didn't want to wait her turn (like big boys and girls are taught as children) than being upset that the person couldn't help in that department.

Personally, I don't blame the OP for feigning ignorance. It's not like there weren't many emps in that department to help...they were helping other customers and she just had to *gasp* wait a second.

[Whyme]

I was a cashier at a the DIY store where orange aprons are worn by employees for a very short period of time. I learned quickly to dart from the breakroom to the front end as quickly as possible lest a customer pull me over and demand to know what size screw they need for X project or show me an item the size of a fingernail clipping and want to know the the exact name of it. A few understood I was just a cashier, but the majority would get angry saying that "wasn't an excuse".

The worst one was when I was in mid dart from breakroom to front end when I lady stepped in front of me, demanded I walk with her and help her in lumber. She ended up taking me to the machine that cut the lumber in the very back and wanted certain sizes. It was completely over my head. I knew the lumber guy was on break and was pretty sure I knew who the back up for the department was, but she wouldn't listen to reason. I worked there, I should know how to use it. It was probably the end of my second week and no way was I attempting to use that thing. I told her to come with me and brought her to the manager's office, he took it from there.

I also hate when I can't get through to people I don't do the ordering for the store, I'm just a cashier. The management doesn't tell me what they order, how much and when it comes in. And no, I can't just "look it up" on my register either. I might be able to tell you if it's in stock, but not if it's enroute to the store.

I just figure these people have never worked retail. I have had a few customers rant about how they worked at XYZ store for years and if they worked in this store it wouldn't be such chaos, blah, blah, blah. It's fascinating the scared look they get in their eye and how quickly they shut up when I say "We're hiring. Would you like an application? I'm sure we could use someone with your skills here.".

[LadyAndreca]

Working at the service desk, I actually DO know where 95% of the stock in the store is, because I have to know which department to send reshop to and where to send people if they ask me where an item is. I can't give you aisle numbers, but I can at least get you within 2 aisles of where you want to be. I used to dread being caught on the way back from taking hangers and defective stuff to the back room, but now it's kind of fun. I had a guest yesterday catch me and ask me if we had pillowcases for body pillows. It's a seasonal item--only available for back-to-college and while winter bedding is out--but I knew exactly where they were.

When I don't know, I lead the guest to the 'need assistance' button for the department they need. The looks on people's faces when I apologize for not knowing an answer and assure them I've just paged someone to their location is often quite comic. They're never sure if I'm unusually stupid, unusually lazy, or in fact unusually helpful.

The exception is clothes. I know NOTHING about softlines, all inquiries are directed to the fitting room, as I know someone who can help them is there.

[Becks]

In my company, they try to cross-train us on the various departments, so that we can answer a question if asked.

At my store the only people who are cross trained are people who used to work in one department, then switched to another (for example, used to work in the front end, but now work in grocery).

And me. But I'm special.

[Librarybabe]

Long ago and far away...

Back in 1991 I got my first REAL credit card (on account of I had a real, full-time, respectable job). My favorite husband and I went to Montgomery Ward (I said this was a long time ago...) shopping for, of all things, a snowblower (as we live in upstate NY). It was a Sunday, as I recall, and we were chatted up by a very nice older fellow, who spent more than a quarter hour with us explaining the "ins and outs" of the various models available. We thanked him and explained that we were "shopping" and he graciously gave us his business card.
The following Tuesday was a national holiday, and is had snowed about 6 inches. Being as I had the day off, I made my way back to the Montgomery Ward store in the nearby mall. I knew which snowblower I wanted to buy, but for some reason, none of the salesmen (they were all male in "big ticket hardware") wanted to assist me. They were engaged in a very animated discussion with one another, however. I even tried to engage one of them in conversation, only to be brushed off. I knew sexism when I saw/felt it, and wandered over across the aisle to the microwaves and other small appliances. It wasn't 30 seconds before a saleslady (yes, gender-specific roles again) was at my elbow.
"Is there something I can helo you with this afternoon, miss?"
"Yes. I'd like to buy a snowblower."
"I don't sell snowblowers, Miss."
"Neither do those gentlement standing around over by big-ticket hardware." Do you think you could find someone who CAN sell me one?"
"Yes, of course! Let me page the department manager for your."
Long story short, I got may snowblower (a sale of $700), and the sale was credited to the nice chap who took the time to explain all the bells and whistles the previous weekend. Don't cheese-off the Librarybabe.