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I put "customer" in quotation marks because this person was in my store for over TWO AND A HALF HOURS and didn't buy a thing!
This lady came in at about 6:20 PM a few days ago (we close at 9). It was only myself and one CW working and it had been a busy day so there was plenty for us to do.
So she comes in and asks if we carry something, I say we do and point her towards it. While she is browsing I resume my busywork.
Not long after she walks up to CW and starts talking his ear off about games and movies and what not, but it wasn't long before she started talking about our jobs and company and in no particular order said the following things: We don't get treated well, our company rips people off, we should feel bad about "Sticking it" to people and we should have more respect for our fellow man.
This discussion (which my CW barely partook in) lasted at least 25 or so mins. Sensing he was getting frustrated, I told him to go take his break (I was the MOD so I was allowed to do this) because then the "SC" would have only me to deal with and with any luck, she'd be gone by the time CW got back anyway.
As my CW left for break, the "SC" launched into another tirade about how it was ridiculous we had to clock out to take our breaks and we were getting screwed by the company.
She then said that we should hire some more [people of her race] to work here because they are known for being hard working and according to her "don't even need breaks". I will mention here I am not going to identify the race because it's really not that relevant and I don't want to start a fratching thing.
So CW goes off on break and I proceed to ignore SC (fortunately other customers were in the store so I had plenty to keep me occupied). The SC grabbed several of our strategy guides and began leafing through them. Ok, maybe she's waiting for a ride or something, I'll let it go, at least she's being quiet...
CW comes back from break and Ms. Wonderful is still in the store. As soon as she sees CW she starts in on him again, asking if he likes to party and says [people of her race] and known for their parties and she can "Hook him up" with all kinds of stuff if he wants. Once again CW ignores her.
At this point I was extremely close to asking this customer to leave the store if she was not going to purchase anything.
A few minutes later, the SC starts bothering other paying customers by doing the following:
- Asking a girl who came in WAY too many questions about the noticeable marks on her legs. She was apparently curious if they were burns or birthmarks or lesions.
- Telling a guy who came in that his facial piercings were ridiculous looking and wondering where he got them and why he decided to the them.
- Telling another man buying a system from us not to bother with our "piece of shit" warranty because it's a waste of time and he won't need it. She said this just after CW offered the customer the warranty.
The piercing guy I thought looked for a minute like he was going to take issue with her, but he decided to leave the store instead.
by this time SC had been in the store a long time and had NOT PURCHASED ANYTHING, nor even made it clear she was intending to purchase anything.
I was ready to kick her out but we were near closing time and I didn't want to cause a scene. She might have been a lady but she was a bit bigger than I am.
Finally when closing time came, she left without protest (thankfully). The whole time CW and I closed the place up we were talking about how bothersome that lady had been.
In retrospect I really should have said something. I talked to my store manager about it and she said I should have at least asked her to leave the other customers alone but said it's always kind of a crapshoot when risking a confrontation with a customer. If it had escalated and gotten to corporate I could have easily lost my job if SC claimed I shoved her or hit her or was otherwise abusive or harassing, even if I wasn't. Corporate is like that, even a mere mention of something that could result in legal action against the company and they'll fire the supposedly responsible party in an instant.
However, if she comes in again and acts like that, I WILL be saying something, corporate be damned.
This lady came in at about 6:20 PM a few days ago (we close at 9). It was only myself and one CW working and it had been a busy day so there was plenty for us to do.
So she comes in and asks if we carry something, I say we do and point her towards it. While she is browsing I resume my busywork.
Not long after she walks up to CW and starts talking his ear off about games and movies and what not, but it wasn't long before she started talking about our jobs and company and in no particular order said the following things: We don't get treated well, our company rips people off, we should feel bad about "Sticking it" to people and we should have more respect for our fellow man.
This discussion (which my CW barely partook in) lasted at least 25 or so mins. Sensing he was getting frustrated, I told him to go take his break (I was the MOD so I was allowed to do this) because then the "SC" would have only me to deal with and with any luck, she'd be gone by the time CW got back anyway.
As my CW left for break, the "SC" launched into another tirade about how it was ridiculous we had to clock out to take our breaks and we were getting screwed by the company.
She then said that we should hire some more [people of her race] to work here because they are known for being hard working and according to her "don't even need breaks". I will mention here I am not going to identify the race because it's really not that relevant and I don't want to start a fratching thing.
So CW goes off on break and I proceed to ignore SC (fortunately other customers were in the store so I had plenty to keep me occupied). The SC grabbed several of our strategy guides and began leafing through them. Ok, maybe she's waiting for a ride or something, I'll let it go, at least she's being quiet...
CW comes back from break and Ms. Wonderful is still in the store. As soon as she sees CW she starts in on him again, asking if he likes to party and says [people of her race] and known for their parties and she can "Hook him up" with all kinds of stuff if he wants. Once again CW ignores her.
At this point I was extremely close to asking this customer to leave the store if she was not going to purchase anything.
A few minutes later, the SC starts bothering other paying customers by doing the following:
- Asking a girl who came in WAY too many questions about the noticeable marks on her legs. She was apparently curious if they were burns or birthmarks or lesions.
- Telling a guy who came in that his facial piercings were ridiculous looking and wondering where he got them and why he decided to the them.
- Telling another man buying a system from us not to bother with our "piece of shit" warranty because it's a waste of time and he won't need it. She said this just after CW offered the customer the warranty.
The piercing guy I thought looked for a minute like he was going to take issue with her, but he decided to leave the store instead.
by this time SC had been in the store a long time and had NOT PURCHASED ANYTHING, nor even made it clear she was intending to purchase anything.
I was ready to kick her out but we were near closing time and I didn't want to cause a scene. She might have been a lady but she was a bit bigger than I am.
Finally when closing time came, she left without protest (thankfully). The whole time CW and I closed the place up we were talking about how bothersome that lady had been.
In retrospect I really should have said something. I talked to my store manager about it and she said I should have at least asked her to leave the other customers alone but said it's always kind of a crapshoot when risking a confrontation with a customer. If it had escalated and gotten to corporate I could have easily lost my job if SC claimed I shoved her or hit her or was otherwise abusive or harassing, even if I wasn't. Corporate is like that, even a mere mention of something that could result in legal action against the company and they'll fire the supposedly responsible party in an instant.
However, if she comes in again and acts like that, I WILL be saying something, corporate be damned.
Eric the Grey
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