Curse of the Retail Uniform or Customer Recall

Most of us in retail have been there. You're on your break in the mall walking or shopping and people come up to you and want help, either cause your in uniform or, worse, they recognize what store you work in.

From Reality Pixie in Australia:

I work in a CD/DVD retail outlet in a major shopping center out in Soul-Rotting Suberbia, Western Australia. I often hang around and do my shopping before and after my shifts, still wearing my uniform.

I was in a shoe store one day, doing what you do when you look for new shoes: picking them up, trying them on and walking around, all the usual "I'm a customer and I'm looking to purchase a snazzy new pair of footwears" sort of behaviours, certainly not "I work here and am looking to serve customers" behaviours.

Anyway, after a short amount of time another customer approached me and asked if I could please find x shoes in x size her her.

No dramas, it's common mistake.

I laughed it off in a friendly way and politely pointed out that I work for a different retail store. She did the usual customer thing, acting all embarrassed and spewing apologies, so I went back to trying on shoes....but she just stood there watching me.

After a while she approached me again, this time looking a little annoyed, and said, "Well? Can I get these in a size 7??"

The rest of our exchange went something like this.....

Me: "Umm...no ma'am, yet again I don't actually work here..."

Cust: "Well can you go and get somebody who does??"

Me: "....No. I'm buying shoes."

Cust: *insert here a random tirade of how customer service is going down hill, how sales assistants never want to go the extra mile for the customer, rarararara*

Fortunately, somebody who actually worked at the store overheard her harpy screeches and took her off my hands.

But the story doesn't end there, RHU, oh no.

A couple days later I got a call from the area manager of the company I actually work for. The same dipshit actually took note of the name and store I worked at on my name tag, and filed a complaint against me!

Fortunately the area manager thought it was hilarious. Oh, but still, the story goes on.

Not only did Ms. Dipshit complain to my company, but to the manager of the shoe store. Apparently she was quite upset when she was informed that the manager there could not take disciplinary action against staff from other stores....

God I have so many of these stories. I have rather distinctive shoulder length dreadlocks and wear purple-framed glasses, so I'm pretty recognizable. Unfortunately the shopping center is also my local, so I'm constantly getting customers come up to me when I'm doing my shopping on my days off (so I'm obviously not in uniform) saying "Hey! You're that chick that works in -----, aren't you? Is it your day off? Oh, could you help me with this anyway?"

Short answer? I will break your fucking neck.

 

Comments

[Joe]

That's like recognizing someone from the local hospital ER out shopping, dropping trou, pointing at your penis and asking,
"Hey Doc, this has been really burning lately! Could you give me
something for it?"

[Sian]

When my aunt worked for one of my town's three grocery stores, she would get that all the time. She'd be helping a sick friend shop and she'd even be wearing the uniform of the other store, and someone would ask her where something was or if she would help them! Her response was similar, and if they pressed the issue, she'd tell them off.

[Jit]

I've only had that happen once to me where I was in my uniform and forgot to take off my nametag (I was wearing a sweater instead of the tyical vest-age we have to wear) at a competitor's store. Someone STILL came up to me and asked if I worked there. When I told them I worked for the other company, they then proceeded to ask me where the health and beauty section is. "I don't know, I don't work here." "Just because you don't work here, you're going to dismiss me?!?!" "Yes." "...Oh. Okay! *walks off* " *Confused*

[Magical Shrimp]

Customers will NOT leave me alone when I' either coming into work or going home. I have my jacket, my purse, and sometimes a lunch bag and despite obvious visual clues, they're asking my to find something for them. Shouldn't be surprised, I guess, they can't read the signs or the fliers either!

[kstar]

Ask them what their profession is.
'Oh you're a dentist? My gums have been bleeding a bit lately, can you take a look?'
'Oh, an accountant? Well I need you to help with my taxes, is now a good time?'
'A receptionist? Awesome, I need someone to help sort out my date-book right this second, it's a real mess.'

What do you mean, you're not at work? Neither am I!!

[N/A]

I had a guy come up to me over a year after I quit my Unique Grocery Store job in an entirely different store and ask me about a product that had been discontinued. I tried explaining that I hadn't worked there in many months and really didn't have any more of a clue than he did, probably less since he shopped there at least once a week and I go in every couple of months now. Apparently he thought I'd still be in the loop. Does he think there's an alumni newsletter or something?

[Eric]

Could I go and get someone who does work here? Sure, for ten bucks.

[RaleighRob]

Exactly why I quickly got in the habit of putting my nametag in my pocket the minute I walked out the door...even for a half-hour lunch break.
It's like a sign that says "I work retail--ask me any question about any product in any store in the entire world!"

[OMGShoes!]

The store on the other end of the plaze I work at requires its managers to wear black polos and black pants. We wear black polos and khaki pants. Nevertheless, we still get stopped and asked for help while we are shopping there, which we often do on breaks and to buy miscellaneous supplies for our store.

[Nat]

I had a co-worker tell me a story of how she was shopping at a Big Lots store and a customer asked for her help. My friend said she didn't work there and she had a shopping cart in front of her to boot. The lady then said, " Well, you look like you should work here."
????????

We never could figure out why or what would make her look like she works at a Big Lots.

People...sheesh.

[Anna]

I just looove that "Well can you go and get somebody who does??" phrase (I work at supermarkets and other shops but don't work for them but for a separate company; nor am I there for customer service but for theft control). No, I have no idea where they are at present, in fact I think you can find someone as easily as I can, and then I don't have to drop my work and try and locate someone?

And I wonder what it is people don't get about people who don't work for a store not having, like, you know, any authority there? Like, you know, I can't just do the work of the staff because I'M NOT ALLOWED TO?

[End on rant.]

That customer...wow. Just...wow. Of course, retail staff aren't people, they're robots built specifically for the purpose of serving. Reality Pixie, I think you should have told her, "Well, can you first go and find me these [show random pair of shoes] in red?"

[Bebe]

Two weeks ago I was on break. Had on my coat, handbag over my shoulder, food in one hand, phone in the other and not making any eye contact with anybody. Almost made it to the break room when I heard "You work here?" AYFKM???!!!

[Matt]

I remember once I was on my break (although I was partly in store uniform, and I was on the phone talking. As I was walking around getting my food, drink open in one hand, and talking on my cell, a customer comes up and starts talking to me asking me something! I glare at him, and continue walking, and he follows me and asks "well, are you going to help me or not?" I took the phone away from my ear (saying loudly into the phone..."Sorry, I am being INTERRUPTED), and tell him that I am on my break, and on the phone at the moment. I then walk away and continue my conversation.

Even if I WAS working while on the phone (store-related calls), you still shouldn't go up to a worker who is on the phone, and start firing off questions. It's incredibly fucking rude!!!

[Dan]

I don't work retail and yet I get this all the time. People come up to me and ask me where is this and that and can I see if they have the other in the back stockroom.

Sometimes, just for giggles, I tell them where things are. I totally make it up. Or I tell them I will look in the back to see if "we" have what they're looking for and just walk away. If I run into them again and they ask me about the item I tell them I've never seen them before.

Evil, but fun. Yes, fun.

[Anne]

It's happened to me too. Why do customers track you down when you obviously don't work there?

And if you say you don't work there, they think you're lying to them or something.