Today I learned that the responsibility of "baby-sitter" somehow got tacked onto my job description....much to mine and my manager's surprise.
Around 5 today a kid came into the store to look at phones. It isn't unusual for 12 or 13 year olds to wander in for 5 mins and browse, then immediately mom or dad comes in behind them or they leave.
But this girl couldn't have been even 13...
Now, it's not like she was being disruptive, but it was quite awkward having a kid just literally hanging around. I asked her many times where her mother was, and she explained each time that she was shopping and would be done soon. She called her mother on her cell phone numerous times to ask her when she'd pick her up.
Finally, when I noticed it was going on 6:30, I explained to her that it was rather inappropriate that she was hanging out in our store, and that I didn't want to ask her to go out in the parking lot alone, for fear something might happen to her. I went on to say that her mother really needed to pick her up, as myself and my company can't be held liable for her.
FINALLY her mother shows up. They ask a few questions about cell phones and finally go to leave.
I didn't want to seem like a bully and only talk to the child, so I explained to the mother that leaving her daughter behind for an hour and a half really had me concerned. I told her I didn't mean to be rude, but the only reason I didn't ask the girl to leave was because I was afraid to send her out into the parking lot alone. I continued by saying that her daughter was not my responsibility, that my company and I cannot be held liable for her and that in the future, she should not be left unattended in our store.
As an aside-
While the kid was hanging around, the police were coming up and down the strip mall asking if anyone saw some suspicious behavior in the parking lot today. Apparently, someone noticed a child being forced into a vehicle, and the police were not sure if it was just a father with an unruly child, or something else.
I made sure to tell the mother about that, too.
I mean, really? Who leaves their kid alone for an hour and a half like that? And in a cell phone store of all places?
Around 5 today a kid came into the store to look at phones. It isn't unusual for 12 or 13 year olds to wander in for 5 mins and browse, then immediately mom or dad comes in behind them or they leave.
But this girl couldn't have been even 13...
Now, it's not like she was being disruptive, but it was quite awkward having a kid just literally hanging around. I asked her many times where her mother was, and she explained each time that she was shopping and would be done soon. She called her mother on her cell phone numerous times to ask her when she'd pick her up.
Finally, when I noticed it was going on 6:30, I explained to her that it was rather inappropriate that she was hanging out in our store, and that I didn't want to ask her to go out in the parking lot alone, for fear something might happen to her. I went on to say that her mother really needed to pick her up, as myself and my company can't be held liable for her.
FINALLY her mother shows up. They ask a few questions about cell phones and finally go to leave.
I didn't want to seem like a bully and only talk to the child, so I explained to the mother that leaving her daughter behind for an hour and a half really had me concerned. I told her I didn't mean to be rude, but the only reason I didn't ask the girl to leave was because I was afraid to send her out into the parking lot alone. I continued by saying that her daughter was not my responsibility, that my company and I cannot be held liable for her and that in the future, she should not be left unattended in our store.
As an aside-
While the kid was hanging around, the police were coming up and down the strip mall asking if anyone saw some suspicious behavior in the parking lot today. Apparently, someone noticed a child being forced into a vehicle, and the police were not sure if it was just a father with an unruly child, or something else.
I made sure to tell the mother about that, too.
I mean, really? Who leaves their kid alone for an hour and a half like that? And in a cell phone store of all places?
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