Every time I go into a certain store, I want to grab a shopping bag before I begin shopping (if I'm shopping green and wisely, I could use my canvas bag). The reason I want this bag is so that I can put it on my head in order to avoid looking at the employees stocking cans and boxes or working behind the meat counter or sweeping the floor. I don't want to say "Hi." I don't want to answer the question, "Are you finding everything okay?"
Trust me, if I don't find what I need, I'll hunt someone down until I do, but I don't want to be asked the same question five times while in the store. And I don't want to smile and say "Hi." I'm busy, I'm an isolated, 21st C person in her rushed life trying to find ketchup and milk, so just let me be.
And no. No thank you very much. I don't need help out to the car with my toothbrush. I think I can make it. If I fall when halfway there, I'll let you know. You'll hear me screaming! But for today, I think I'm going to give it a go. Yes, it's brave of me, but I'm strong.
Stop being so damn nice, okay?
Once when I went into the back of one of the stores, I saw a sign posted above the door that said "Smile!"
It's worth frowning to think that people needed to be reminded to smile.
At my gym, the young people at the desk have been instructed to greet us warmly and to tell us all upon leaving to have a great day. To "Take Care." Or to at least say "Goodnight" or "Goodbye."
Once in a while, I wish someone would just say "Ciao." Or what about "Don't ever darken this doorstep again." More interesting would be, "Get the heck out of here, varmint!"
It is sad that manners and niceties such as greetings have gone by the wayside, but to bring them back (business in social clothes) for the sake of customer retention is slightly sick. Does anyone believe that the stock people at the store give a rat's rear about the people rushing down the aisles? If you do, I'm sorry to bust your bubble. The kid with the acne and the bright blue eyes will get reprimanded if a supervisor doesn't hear him him say hello to you. In fact, a couple of my students have told me that there are "secret shoppers" who come into the store to seek out those employees who don't ask all the nice questions.
So the employees aren't saying hi to us--they are trying to keep their jobs.
So let's just go back to our normal, unobtrusive rudeness. It's a lot easier to take, and I can get out of the store much more quickly that way.
Jessica Barksdale
2 comments:
We used to have that at Border's too-secret shoppers. I still have to deal with it at my current job, but it's a different type of shopper and trying to be pleasant to a$$hats at 7am isn't easy.
Pop earbuds in from your ipod or other player. Or even a fake pair in your pocket,and if you ignore them, well you just can't hear them can you?
I hate it when someone at the checkout gets personal. Things like: Have you done anything interesting this morning? What are your plans for the weekend? I'm not playing that game.
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