I hope you're kidding.

[raine_naoe]

I'm not sure if anyone remembers me since it's been a really long time since my last post. Since then I have a new job with cellphones at walmart. (I also noticed someone else with the same position here ^_^) The job's fine, and most of my customer's are great, but I do get asked electronics questions all the time. If it's something I can help them with I do, if not I tell them that I'm not electronics but I will try to find someone for them.

Just one short story for now...

During this I'm trying to straighten out our cds since they're a horrible mess because the person who is supposed to come by and do it never does and electronics are too busy most of the time to get around to it. So i'm on the floor sorting them when I notice two guys looking at the tvs not too far away. They are talking to each other and I don't like interrupting people when they're talking too each other so I usually don't ask them if they need help then.

SC: So are you going to help us pick out a tv or not?
Me: oh, I'm sorry sir, I'm actually in cellphones so I wouldn't be much help, but I'll go get someone who can. (gets up and goes and gets electronics person, who comes straight over)
EP: Can I help you, sir?
SC: Yea, we want to pick out a tv and this girl said she wouldn't help us.

okay, so maybe I didn't make it quite clear, next time you ask me a question I'll be certain to explain that I know absolutely nothing about the product you're looking at unless it's a cellphone, charger, or video game (last one just because I play a lot myself).

To be fair, he didn't sound angry, so I think there may be a chance he was just trying to be funny...but I wasn't laughing.

Sorry the story is kinda lame. I'll have better ones another time.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

1. If you need help, you can ask for it instead of expecting the nearby clerks to read your mind, and getting snarky when they don't.

2. People really need to understand that training and product knowledge vary from store to store, and may be nonexistent. A person working at an in-store phone kiosk probably isn't going to be trained on other stuff in electronics.

3. There's no suck in finding a customer a different employee who's more knowledgeable on something than you are. IMO, better to do that than try to BS and bluff your way through the customer's questions, and get called out on it (which has happened to me personally).

So I'm on the OP's side on this one.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Strange...I would think saying "I don't know anything about the product but I will get someone who does" and then going to get said person would constitute "helping"...

I'm weird, I know...

[Kristev]

I agree. It's actually quite common to go and get someone who knows how to give the consumer what they think they want.

[raine_naoe]

I know where the tvs are in the back room, but I don't know anything about the tvs themselves besides what I'd be able to read on the box, and I'm not expected to. I don't mind at all being confused for electronics. I know there's no way to know until you ask, but I would expect you to believe me when I tell you I'm not.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Regardless of how things used to be or how they should be, there is the simple fact that the poster said that she didn't know anything about the product in question and she said that she was going to find someone who can.

In my mind this is called "helping"

An example. I am the Night Time Help Desk person at the hospital. My job description is that I am responsible for the network and the hardware. I am not trained in Cerner (our Electronic Medical Record software) and its inner workings. I am not required to know. There are superusers every shift that can help with the HOW to use the software. My responsibility ends with making sure that the users can log into it.

So when someone calls me and says that a medicine is not showing in their MAR (don't ask, don't know), I tell them that I do not know how to fix that issue, but let me contact [coworker trained in Cerner's inner workings] and she'll call you right back...I have helped them.

I may not have been the one to help them personally, but I made sure that help was given.

Or another example. A woman comes into the ER very pregnant and fixing to not be pregnant in the REALLY near future and the admin clerk greets her. It is not her job to deliver the baby, it is her job to assess the situation and call the proper team to the ER. In this case, she called the Birthing Center Team to the ER. She has helped by GETTING help.

Same as me, same as the OP.

Personally I find it rude that the customer told someone that the OP was not willing to help them when she made sure that someone who could answer their questions was found and summoned.

[Whiskey]

The OP did help. He/she found a person who was knowledgeable about the product to further assist the customer. Its not the OP's fault that management doesn't find/schedule time for them to use the CBT to watch training videos about product. It also sounds like the OP is put into a specific area to work (cellphones). I'd imagine they'd get written up for leaving their area to go into another when there was an associate available in that area to help the customer.

[raine_naoe]

If there was nobody from electronics around, I would have tried to help, yes. But somebody was standing right at the counter about 10 feet from the customer. It took a total of maybe 15 seconds to get her attention and direct her to the customer. And I am actually on my forth week, so technically I'm in my first month. I've been doing the cyber scholars when I've had time, but I've just finished the prerequisites and I'm going to be doing the ones on cell phones first before I worry about the tvs. I have been told by several managers that if I don't know about the electronics, it's okay.

[Peppergirl]

If there was nobody from electronics around, I would have tried to help, yes. But somebody was standing right at the counter about 10 feet from the customer. It took a total of maybe 15 seconds to get her attention and direct her to the customer. And I am actually on my forth week, so technically I'm in my first month. I've been doing the cyber scholars when I've had time, but I've just finished the prerequisites and I'm going to be doing the ones on cell phones first before I worry about the tvs. I have been told by several managers that if I don't know about the electronics, it's okay.

You dont have to defend yourself. We are here to rant, vent and listen. What you did was perfectly acceptable, but even if it wasn't - we aren't here to judge.

Welcome back!

[raine_naoe]

Thank you. and it really did sound like the customer was trying to make a joke. just grated on me a bit.

[NightmareishRain]

some of the stores like walmart are bigger and therefor not all associates are trained for departments that are similar. Its odd, but true.

[Marmalady]

IMO, it's the old customer problem of selective hearing.
You say 'I don't work in this department, so I wouldn't be much help, so I will find someone who can.'
They hear 'I-wo-n't-help.-Find-someone-who-can.'

[ravevolution]

It's like when I get SC's asking me mechanical questions about their car, I'm just a Sales associate, I'm here to advise and sell you a product. I know my fair bit about cars but I couldn't tell you abut why your car makes a squeaking noise every time you turn left in wet weather at night when it is a full moon.

[Whiskey]

IMO, it's the old customer problem of selective hearing.
You say 'I don't work in this department, so I wouldn't be much help, so I will find someone who can.'
They hear 'I-wo-n't-help.-Find-someone-who-can.'

Thank you for the new signature.

[Marmalady]

Thank you for the new signature.

You're welcome! Would you like a fresh raspberry cupcake too?