Letter from a Retail Worker

Status
Not open for further replies.

rodriguezpoultry

Langshan Lover
11 Years
Jan 4, 2009
10,918
147
361
Claremore, OK
Since I cannot say these things at work, I will allow you to see into our minds for a very brief time.


Dear sir or madame,

First, I would like to thank you for selecting *insert retail store here* for your shopping needs. Secondly, I would like to remind you that while you are in our store, we are not babysitters. We will not watch your children while you go to the restroom. You had them, you keep track of them. We will definitely not watch them while you go get your car. We do not need your children so abandoning them at the local *insert retail chain* is not a good idea and you will be found by the door greeter you left them with. Your children are your responsibility so if they puke, poop or make a mess, we will not be willing to pick it up. Again, your children are your mess.

Yes sir or madame, we know the lines are long. We have been told repeatedly by customers, management and cashiers who have already been standing there for 6+ hours. You've been shopping for 2 hours? Take another 5 minutes and relax in the lines. It seems as though 28 cashiers, our total amount of registers in the store, cannot keep up with the demand of those shoppers who have decided to wait until the last week to complete their Christmas shopping. There is an easy solution to this and it is not "opening up more registers." You repeatedly tell me that you pay my paycheck. No sir/madame, you do not. *Insert retail chain* pays my paycheck and they pay me for a specific job to complete.

Sir or madame, yelling at me is not going to fix your issue. In fact, I will mentally shut down except I will warn every single worker in the entire place with a walkie as to what your intentions are and how you treated me when I followed company policies. Everyone WILL hide and you will have to speak to me again, which will only make you madder which will make me walk away. Do not follow me, it's company policy. If you follow me, I do have the authority to call the police. I've done it before and I will do it again.

Madame, you called me earlier in the day. No, your license has not been found. You say you left it in electronics when you were checking out? We have checked all of electronics and have checked our secure area where purses, wallets, WIC, credit cards, etc. are kept. It has not been turned in as of this moment. No ma'am, coming down here will not help us find it however you are more than welcome to look for yourself. No madam, you are not allowed to check behind each and every register. It is company policy as well as for your own safety and the safety of our vendors for you to not be allowed in "associate only" areas. Madam, it is not our fault that you did not make sure you had your license with you before you left the store. We rely on the good simaritans that are left in the world to return lost/ misplaced items. I realize you just spent $1,000 in our store madam, you have told me repeatedly. That does not change the fact that nobody has returned your license. You may want to contact the police to see if it has been turned in there. If not, you will not like the other place I tell you to look. Madame, I cannot look through the entire store in every nook and cranny. It's simply not possible unless we dismantle each and every part of the store, even then, we may not find it. Yelling at me through the phone is not helping you find your license is it? In fact, I believe our connection may be disrupted...

Madame, I have to walk all over the store. Just because I am in a certain area when you happen to need help does not mean I know the answers to what your question is. If I have told you that I do not have children and I have no idea what children like, why would you continue to ask ME what a 2 year old would like as a Christmas present? Asking me about children's clothing is like asking a store manager to check, I know nothing about it.


In closing, yelling will do you no good, screaming again, will get you kicked out. If you cannot play nice with the other shoppers, you will be given a time-out and will be taken to our "back room" where you will not like being held until the police come. Again, I know the police on a first name basis and know which ones are rougher than others. If you begin to be nice, I may change my mind as to which officer I ask to come help you relax.

Again, I would like to thank you for choosing *insert retail name* for your shopping needs and hope that you will please remember that our workers are people too. Please remember the golden rule, "treat others are you yourself would like to be treated."

Thank you for your time and cooperation during this stressful holiday season.





A Retail Employee
 
Last edited:
This is the part I deal with the most and believe me it gets stressfull at times. I just love it when I find nice people who understand that we have a lot to go and get done with while we are at work.







Madame, I have to walk all over the store. Just because I am in a certain area when you happen to need help does not mean I know the answers to what your question is. If I have told you that I do not have children and I have no idea what children like, why would you continue to ask ME what a 2 year old would like as a Christmas present? Asking me about children's clothing is like asking a store manager to check, I know nothing about it.


In closing, yelling will do you no good, screaming again, will get you kicked out. If you cannot play nice with the other shoppers, you will be given a time-out and will be taken to our "back room" where you will not like being held until the police come. Again, I know the police on a first name basis and know which ones are rougher than others. If you begin to be nice, I may change my mind as to which officer I ask to come help you relax.

Again, I would like to thank you for choosing *insert retail name* for your shopping needs and hope that you will please remember that our workers are people too. Please remember the golden rule, "treat others are you yourself would like to be treated."

Thank you for your time and cooperation during this stressful holiday season.
 
heheh!
lol.png


i've had those experiences around the holidays too and know where you are coming from! try working a 12 hour day with NO REAL BREAK due to it being constantly busy (good thing it was a restaurant in a mall where i could snatch bites of food occasionally while running for supplies.)

i always have to laugh and tell people that you had 364 other days you could have done your shopping, why do you feel the urge to stress yourself out on the last week trying to get junk that no one probably wants or will get used!
 
i used to tell them that there is a competitors store right across the street. feel free to shop there. i hated it when i was trying to help a customer and another would just walk up and demand that i help her/him. interrupting me will not get you any attention! it's rude.
 
I was in 7 different stores yesterday finishing my shopping and would you believe I didn't run into a single nasty person? Yes, the lines were long. Yes my feet were killing me. But I had some lovely conversations with complete strangers, one who even held my place in line when I realized the game I was holding was for the wrong sytem!
 
I hated working retail, kudos for those who do and do so with patience. I couldnt do it, then or now. I cant stand rude, stupid people and that seemed like all I helped. I went shopping yesterday. The poor cashier looked like she could kill the next person who asked her a question. I know just how she felt. The restaurant business and retail are just about the only things I could never do, and yes, I've done both.
 
I guess it's just wearing on me. Everyone says "Oh I love the holidays!" Then they come into the stores and turn into lions ready to rip someone's head off over a Zhu Zhu pet. What on earth??? It's a FAKE HAMSTER!!!
 
I worked at Target for 7 years - customer service. While I truly enjoyed helping people who were pleasant to me - couldn't stand the ones who were rude and even if I knew a way to get around their issue - I would never offer it up if they were being nasty.

What does it tell you when people say "So, how long ago did you work at Target?" and I answer I haven't worked the last 4 Christmases
big_smile.png


ETA :Spelling issues...
 
Last edited:
In March, I retired after 21 years with Safeway.

I guess it is an understatement when I tell you that this is the first holiday season (Thanksgiving through New Years) that I am enjoying.

ETA I worked in a very wealthy community. Basketball players, doctors, news anchors, etc. My Favorite was ""Don't you know who I AM??????"

I would say (with the Safeway mandated smile) "Yes, I know who you are..... you are NEXT after this lady I am helping now."
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom