Whoooa boy, talk about entitlement!!

[Despina83]

So I wasn't working Friday night, but everyone was telling me about what happened. The store closed at 10, as usual. We make plenty of warning announcements over the loudspeaker that we are going to close in so and so minutes. At 10:20, there was still a crowd of about fifteen or twenty people back in the easter section . The manager had to march back there and tell everyone to get out. Their response? "Well, we're not finished shopping yet!!" Oh my freaking God. So then they had like three or four people on registers ringing everybody up and then someone at guest service as well. Keep in mind that it was twenty minutes after close. What in the name of Moses do these people think gives them the right to shop 20 minutes past closing time?? Do the retail peons not have lives too? Do we just live to serve you until you leave, and then unfold our sleeping bags on the floor and spend the night in the store? WTF????!

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Do the retail peons not have lives too? Do we just live to serve you until you leave, and then unfold our sleeping bags on the floor and spend the night in the store? WTF????!

No. We have cots in the backroom.

But seriously now, that would be a good time for aggressive customer service. Keep bugging the lookie-loos and asking them if you can help them find something. Hopefully they'll get the hint.

Or all the employees get together and herd the post-closing shoppers out the door.

[Despina83]

Perhaps we should have just locked them in the store . Actually, tonight I found out that our cart attendant, who is...somewhat special needs....has been locked in the store numerous times and I guess had to use the fire exists (wouldn't that have set off all the alarms??). I felt bad for him, but I couldn't help laughing my ass off at the same time.

[Kiwi]

I remember talking to a friend once, she is a preacher who tries to "treat everyone like jesus did". I only mention the religious aspect because it was her job/lifestyle.

I ranted one day about customers who wouldn't leave until we practically pushed them out of the door and how it made a long day seem to last forever when all I wanted to do was have some dinner and relax!

Her responce was "The shops close when I have finished shopping, if workers don't like it tough"

I remember thinking that her answer was one of the most self centred thing I had ever heard someone day. I asked her if thats how jesus would treat retail employees... she looked a little shocked and then stammered that no he wouldn't. She always was on her best behaviour in stores after that.

[tropicsgoddess]

I would start doing any closing related duties (i.e. sweeping, etc. ) right in front of the SC and then have somebody else '"effusively help" the SCs until they get the hint so they can GTFO of the store.

[Giggle Goose]

I asked her if thats how jesus would treat retail employees... she looked a little shocked and then stammered that no he wouldn't. She always was on her best behaviour in stores after that.

Nice zing! I couldn't think of a better way to get that point across.

[Jester]

I would start doing any closing related duties (i.e. sweeping, etc. ) right in front of the SC and then have somebody else '"effusively help" the SCs until they get the hint so they can GTFO of the store.

That's just the thing. This type of person DOESN'T get the hint. They just don't care, and are quite adept at ignoring and tuning out even the most obvious of hints.

Back in college, I worked at this one restaurant. This was back before Sundays became my semi-official day off. So I worked Sundays. Usually with Rock & Roll Rhonda.

And on many Sundays, we would get these two guys in (sometimes with a friend or two) that would hang out for a while. A long while. Until close. Past close. To the point where we would literally put up chairs and vacuum around them. But did they get the hint? No, of course not. They ignored us, until finally we politely told them it was time to go. To their credit, they always politely left at that point...and then continued their interminable conversation in the parking lot, for a long, loooong time. They were almost always still there when we left the restaurant, and a couple of times, when we went to the bar next door, they were still there hours later when we left the BAR!

So, if they were so compliant with us when we asked them to leave, why not ask them to leave earlier, you may ask? Well, that is to our management's DIScredit. See, they wouldn't allow us to. Meh. I've worked for better.

[StanFlouride]

Someone else here posted a great idea- tell them your new computerized cash registers shut off at 10 minutes after closing so if they want to buy anything they have to hurry to the front.

[Erin]

I'd shut down the registers and then when they come up front to pay, tell them there were numerous warnings that the store was closing, they should have paid attention.

But, then they'd just abandon their carts right there for you to put away, and they'd also be bitching about how you ruined Easter...

[ArcticChicken]

What in the name of Moses do these people think gives them the right to shop 20 minutes past closing time??

Your manager, who didn't throw them out when the store closed?

Seriously, if I ever own a store, if you're not at the very least in line when the store closes, you ain't gettin' checked out.

[Despina83]

A person would have to point a gun at someone in our store to get thrown out. We had a lady in 30 minutes after close once.

[Amethyst Hunter]

Three words: Electric Cattle Prod.

Failing that, rig some chainsaws to the fronts of those electric carts, then have employees drive around with 'em chasing - I mean, herding - the dillydallyers out the door. Gun those cart motors a couple of times, they'll get the *ahem* point.

[wraiths_crono]

I can say this honestly, At wallgreens, when we closed we left one register open, but not manned, while we cleaned, if a customer were in the store still we usuall broke out the floor buffer... that seemd to scare em away.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Sorry, 20 minutes after closing is not the time for hints. When I worked in the stores we didn't bother with that crap. "I'm sorry, but we need to lock up. If you would like to purchase something, do it now, otherwise you need to leave the store." We were polite, but the message was clear: Pay up and get out.

[GiftShopGirl]

I'd shut down the registers and then when they come up front to pay, tell them there were numerous warnings that the store was closing, they should have paid attention.

Man, that's exactly what we do in my gift shop. We warn people 15, 10, and 5 minutes before closing on the loudspeaker. We'll warn folks verbally tool if we think they're the type to stick around. No matter what, at exactly closing, the registers get counted down. And if the deposit is complete by the time they come to the register, then they are SOL. People throw the biggest shitfits over this, but all we can do is offer our most sincere retail worker condolences and invite them to return the following morning.