Warning from a retail veteran: It might be a very good idea NOT to publicize your polite-language

[blondeatlast]

annoyances.

I was in the thick of it when the "Happy Holidays" vs. "Merry Christmas" fires were stoked by the wacky RRR. Some of those wacky RRR wear their beliefs on their sleeves (almost literally).

When you've worked a 10 hour day and are hungry and tired, it's a small but important delight to send someone off doing something they can't really gripe at the management about doing (ie, issuing a polite, friendly send-off to a customer).

Obvious zealot: "Happy Holidays!"

Obvious Grinch: "Merry Christmas! Have a great day!"

And it was PURELY a sweet, spiteful little moment for my colleagues and me.

Average people just enjoying shopping (as the vast majority I worked with were): Polite, un-agenda-ed chat and send-off: "Thanks; have a nice (holiday, day, etc)."

Except in the rare instances I mentioned above there was NOTHING implied in the exit salutations except friendliness and politeness. But the exceptions for a zealous or overly cranky customer--VERY deliberate; the retail equivalent of drive-thru shenanigans.

Happy holidays, thanks for reading! :hi:

[Cronus Protagonist]

1. I always assume the retail veteran is being snarky and infantile when they do that

I'm glad to see this confirmation.

[blondeatlast]

3. You missed the part about the "pleasant customer."

Or maybe just don't GET that part.

[Cronus Protagonist]

6. No, I got that LOUD and clear

I just don't know why someone with such an obviously snarky, infantile disposition would want to work in retail in the first place. I guess that's the only place that will hire such a person, but I would think there are jobs, like say, floor sweeper in a hair salon where customer contact could be minimal and the snarky complaints could be said in the broom closet.

[Javaman]

12. Have you ever worked retail?

if so, then you are a rare breed that can keep their sanity.

if not, then you haven't a clue as to what you are talking about.

[Quantess]

13. Have you ever worked in retail?

You haven't, have you...

[yardwork]

11. Something tells me that this is a case in point, right?

[Cronus Protagonist]

14. haha

I ain't buying anything.

[SoCalDem]

2. From ancient retail-history...mine

I spent MANY years in retail, and MY bosses stressed the need to remain "neutral", especially at holiday time..

I guess people have morphed into beings who have no intuition..no sense of neutrality any more..

Every single place I have worked basically held to a few sensible policies:

1..your customers are NOT your pals..you are not there to make small talk or to engage them in conversation.
2.. you are there to facilitate their purchase..to answer questions they may have..about the merchandise or the business
3..Make eye-contact..smile at them..say hello..complete their transaction as quickly as possibly..say thank you
4..Tolerate their children

Obviously there are exceptions:

you work in a Christian bookstore...it's probably a GOOD idea to schmooze with the faithful in Biblical terms.

you work in a maternity store..you're likely to get lots of "specialty" customers who expect some "baby-talk"..

you work at a car-care place/tire-store/auto-parts store..you would expect to hear car-talk..

Generally though, if you run a register, or a customer service desk, it's good policy to NOT assume that everyone who walks into the place is of your political/religious persuasion..

If you cannot restrain yourself from talking politics or religion, perhaps you are in the wrong place.

There's a reason that the phrase "The Customer is Always Right", has lasted so long...even if we all know that many customers are a royal pain in the ass.

Businesses are usually striving to cast a wide net, and cannot afford to piss ANYONE off..

The customer who is treated well, will come back over and over, but the one who's pissed off will not only NOT come back, they will tell all their friends about their awful experience at your establishment.

[alfredo]

4. Enjoy the holiday season. Now get the fuck out of my store.

[SoCalDem]

5. not really..unless you are really into hyperbole

:)

[alfredo]

7. I only think the last part. That's why I got out of retail. I started

hating people.

[SoCalDem]

8. I worked at a supermarket near palm Springs, and we had "snowbirds" every year

these people entertained a lot..and at the end of the season, we could always count on some of them bringing back expensive things they bought MONTHS earlier, and never used..

Of course they never had receipts...most of it was just tossed into the dumpster after they left, but the manager always gave them their money back...stuff like imported cheeses...They assumed that , since it had sat in their refrigerator for 4 months, but was unopened, we'd be happy to take it back:grr:

[alfredo]

9. Some were playing you, some just didn't remember buying it.

[pipi_k]

15. I already wasn't real happy with people anyway, but

I really started hating them after working as a secretary/administrative assistant to the owner of a small company.

I don't know if people realize the abuse that's heaped on people in that position. There were a few times when my boss actually had to intervene and tell the person on the other end that they should respect the people answering the phone (me and the part time bookkeeper).

Some of them really got pretty nasty.


Oh, unless they mistakenly assumed I was the owner's wife...then they'd try to shamelessly suck up to me...hahahahaha



Anyway, sort of in reply to one of the posts above which says that "the customer is always right"....my ex boss could be an obnoxious asshole at times, and very often was...but he didn't stand for anyone abusing his employees.

[alfredo]

16. I can handle a boss that can do little annoyances if when the chips are

down he is on our side.

When I got injured at work I made sure that I was always very courteous to the case workers. I developed a relationship with them. It took three years, but I got everything I was entitled to and more. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.

I'm now a triple dipper. I'm living well on SSI, my pension, and VA disability. I got SSI disability and VA disability on the first try. The three years is what it took to work through the red tape at the Post Office. Others were waiting six or seven years for a resolution.

[yardwork]

10. Well, bless your heart!