My Shopping Adventure At TARGET This Morning....

[rsmith6621]

....Wife and I went to Target to get a few items...we split off at the main entrance to get our list completed quickly and get out of there.

I went to the Home Improvement section to get a new deadbolt lock and drill bit....on my way back almost every aisle I walk past an associate sprung out to ask me......'IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN HELP YOU FIND OR WITH" at each and every time I said No I know what I am looking for Thank you.... Th fifth time it happened it was the stores Manager so I finally had enough of this and said... "I appreciate the enthusiastic willingness of your staff to be helpful but retail stores in an effort to be more profitable over the past 20 years have done a good job training the consumer to find it and help themselves so with that I will find it myself until I see it a measure of being genuine and not a desperate measure to seem to care about the customer as much as what goes in the register at the end of the day"... He said OH!!! thanks for shopping Target like a little ROBOT..

[Lerkfish]

1. must be nice

I can never find an associate when I need one, in a variety of stores. I would never complain about too many.

[Bunny]

2. Well, I guess you told him.

[The Wielding Truth]

149. It's annoying ,but they could lose their min. wage job if they don't ask.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. Why Are You Upset With People Trying To Be Helpful?

~

[liberalhistorian]

6. I know, really! First people complain about

there never being any associates at retail stores to help them and now they complain that there are too many of them! I'd rather have too many than none at all or too few of them when you need them. And not everyone knows what they want when they go into a store; many people appreciate some help. The associates are just doing what they've been trained to do and are trying to be helpful, what is the big deal? Sheesh, some people just look for things to complain about, I guess.

[Gman2]

25. Glad you enjoy the stepford associate insincere gauntlet.

[Raineyb]

53. You really think they pay associates enough to elicit genuine concern?

You're lucky they bother to fake it.

[Quantess]

105. It's obvious the underlings just had "a talking to" from management

who were still in the store, watching the associates, and taking notes.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

66. Well, I Didn't Have My Glock With Me

Or I would have taught them to be friendly...

[DefenseLawyer]

130. I demand sincerity!

What? You don't REALLY, DEEP DOWN want to help me??? You ask me if I need any help, but I can see that you really don't care. It's too much. You don't even love working at Target. You're just going through the motions! Pathetic. Don't ask me if I need help unless you really, really sincerely want to help me. Cause I can tell the difference. Trust me on that, bucko.

[npk]

102. Did you miss the part where she was asked five times

Whether she needed any help. I would have told the manager to stfu as well.

[jmowreader]

114. That's probably part of their "training"

At Home Depot they train the associates to greet every customer, and they send people into the stores to make sure they do. It is, believe it or not, a Termination Offense to not greet a customer there. These people they send into the store have the authority to fire--FIRST OFFENSE!!!--someone for not greeting a customer.

So those poor Target associates are greeting customers as if their jobs depended on it, because they do.

[Codeine]

122. You're assuming each person knew he'd already been helped.

Each of them was doing an individual job. That they were unaware of something that happened elsewhere in the store is not their fault.

[npk]

156. I get what you are saying

And you are right, the other employees may not have known that this person had already been asked for help and declined. But some people are making it sound like this wasn't an inconvenience, and it most certainly was and would have been if it had been me. I think the poster telling the manager off, was the only way to get the sales people to understand that their primary job is to make the customers experience an enjoyable one. It seemed, at least from the posters comments, that his manager was clueless to that little aspect of customer service.

[tkmorris]

7. I think his point is that it isn't genuine

That said, still seems rather unclassy to handle it as he did.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. In This Crappy Economy They Might Be Happy To Have A Job;Even A Target One

~

[tkmorris]

18. Couldn't agree more

That is why I'd never treat the employees as he did. Whatever the sins of the company might be the employees are just along for the ride. They need support, not to get shat upon from both directions.

[demosincebirth]

35. What they overdue at Target, they lack at Home Depot

[Hassin Bin Sober]

47. Home Depot has changed their game as of late. Believe it or not.

I don't know how they did it but the same people who actively hid from customers now bug the shit out you when you are in the store. I wouldn't mind so much but they STILL don't know where anything is and are just as likely to give you a wrong answer on how to do something. They may be able to direct you to the general area/isle but good luck getting help finding something like a specific plumbing fitting or electrical part.

I guess I shouldn't complain. The other day an associate asked ME if I needed help loading some heavy backer-board. I once had to wait over a half hour to get a piece of buy-by-the-foot oak cut.

[demosincebirth]

115. I went there a week ago looking for a part, and still couldn/t find..

anyone to help. Had to go to the front desk.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

118. Of course it's not genuine...

Human beings by nature do not stand around in department stores trying to help people find the stuff they want to buy. You pretty much have to PAY people to engage in this activity and so, yes, it's not genuine.

I'm not criticizing you -- just the author's oddball aversion to being offered assistance.

[rsmith6621]

15. Because it is NOT GENUINE HELP...

...and most of them don't know anything about the products the stock or sell..... I find it offensive that NOW when the economy is rising from the bottom of the barrel they now want to be seen and help..... The stores Lowes,Home Depot and Walmart as well have done a good job training me to find it myself.....

[prolesunited]

19. You're easily offended

Sounds like they can't win with you.

How do you define/determine genuine help?

[cbdo2007]

20. It is if you need help.

Imagine if the situation were reversed and you actually COULDN'T find something you were looking for? You ask the first person who says, "no I don't know where that is, go ask that gal."

You walk over to her and she says, "Nope, go ask the manager" so you go up to her and she says, "cd players? They're in the electronics department, duh! You don't even have the time to look around the store yourself to find them, you just have to ask like all we're here for is to hold your hand and guide you through the whole store?"

Then you'd just be on here complaining, "I can't believe they were so unhelpful at Target...blah blah blah..."

I personally can never find anything in Lowes or Home Depot. At least at Walmart I can go to a specific section but at Lowe's it's just like one giant "home improvement" section that I get lost in.

[Obamanaut]

34. Perhaps not. But the response was genuine rude. Did it make your day? nt

[Fire1]

46. It damned sure would've made mine! n/t

[Name removed]

86. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Fire1]

95. Nah. I kinda like being me. But thanks for the concern. n/t

[Fire1]

44. My sentiments, exactly. NOW, that the economy is in the toilet

and they're scraping for every customer they can find, they're everywhere!! My question: Where the fuck were YOU when your cup runneth over??!! Ummmmm?

[Raineyb]

54. If you want genuine help, find a charity. Look they're just trying to do

a rather thankless job. Why be a dick and make it more difficult? You're asking a bit much to expect genuine concern.

[Hansel]

155. +1

Some people are not happy unless they have something to complain about. No one in any store genuinely wants to help anyone. They would rather be at home with their family or having fun somewhere than catering to thankless people who cannot be pleased while earning a pittance in income for their troubles.

I worked at Target for 10 years and got tired really quickly of sanctimonious customers who believe that the world revolves around them. Want genuine attention, then get a dog or go to a 5 star retailer. You want to pay low prices for crap merchandise, then don't be surprise that the people directing you to them aren't really enjoying being at your beck and call. But they are doing the best they can.

[AnArmyVeteran]

63. Why aren't their product finders in stores?????

There should be 'product finders' in stores so you could type in a product and it would tell you where to go in the store to find it. It could even give you the row and the shelf level. I don't know what Target the OP went into but the last time I went to a Target with a friend we didn't see one person to assist us. It took us forever to try to find something. If they had product search stations around the store it would make it easy to find things. But maybe their plan is to keep you lost so you have to walk down aisle after aisle so you can fall victim to impulse buying. Since most stores only care about making a quick profit, they couldn't care less if it took a customer 10 minutes to find something they should have been able to locate in 1 minute.

Corporations are anti people...

[Obamanaut]

87. Dog food is in the pet section. Peanut butter is in groceries. Nails are

in hardware, as is spray paint. It isn't rocket science, nor is it a grand conspiracy to confuse the senses.

[AnArmyVeteran]

141. Not true Obamanut. You cited generalizations. Every store has different configurations.

Ever shop for horseradish? It's not in spices in most stores. It's not with condiments. It's usually in an obscure place, the last place you'd look. That's just one example. Perhaps you just shop for staples, like beer, cigarettes and tv dinners. That's fine, but if you cook and use a lot of different ingredients good luck.

And you don't think the stores use product placement to maximize their profits? Milk is always at the back of stores, even though it is usually the highest item on shoppers' lists. Stores want you to walk as far as possible in hopes of enticing you to impulse buy. You can attack or ridicule me if you choose, but before you do I suggest you do a little research on marketing. And yes, there are people who get huge salaries just to create product placements that will get you to buy more.

BTW, did you realize when you buy frozen chicken breasts they are 15-18% water? That's expensive water isn't it? You are paying more and more for products because they keep shrinking the quantities inside the containers. Sixteen ounce cans used to be the norm. But now they are 12 or 10, sometimes with the same sized can, but with less product.

[Obamanaut]

152. Staples are either in office supplies or hardware, depending on the

type of staple.

As far as "You can attack or ridicule me if you choose..." well, ok, thanks.

[SidDithers]

120. Replacing staff with computerized product finders is anti-people...nt

Sid

[AnArmyVeteran]

142. That's not what I advocated at all. But why not use tools to make it easier for shoppers.

Workers could still be there to assist you and to do other functions in their jobs.

[uppityperson]

110. If you turned down EVERY offer to help, how the fuck do you KNOW it wasn't "genuine" help?

Seriously, if people ask "do you need help"and you say repeatedly NO, then you haven't given them any sort of chance to see if it is real.

Good grief.

[Puglover]

119. Huh

Well now that's just odd. I've asked the folks at Target to find me things several times when they have asked me. And each time the pointed me in the right direction. Seemed very genuine and helpful to me.

[Gman2]

24. Same with those that have eggs and a small milk asked if they need help out.

The store, in their zeal to own corporate image, command their emps to act in that way. It is not genuine.

Wnat a real look behind the curtain?

My sister was a checker. The policy was to give away any food item that was misrung. So, my sister gave the item to the customer. She was told, if you ever do that again, you WILL be fired. The goal is to allow the manager make the customer feel like a scum, trying to get free stuff, due to their loose morals. Then, if the scum still feels entitled, they can get their can o what for nothin.

This, to get customers to accept no shelf pricing, and code reading registers.

[NeedleCast]

48. Do you really expect someone to genuinely care at a grocery store?

There's no winning with attitudes like this. If no one offers to help, you're offended. If someone offers to help, you're offended.

Is it any wonder that retail people quickly come to resent customers when faced with can't win scenarios?

[Gman2]

55. Take any marketing class, We are the suckers.

All the layout of the store is to manipulate us. To forget that, and to believe they CARE about us, is the height of self deception.

[NeedleCast]

59. Of course it is, a retail outlet is in business to make money

And no, I don't believe most of them care about us, but I applaud those who extend good customer service whether they're sincere or not.

[Gman2]

101. I helped start Fedmart, worked also at Target, and Lucky's, and

we didnt accost our customers, but were always eager, once tasked at any time. And RUNNING price checks, had us sonstantly available to customers. As at a decent restaurant, transparent offering of service is quality.

[HughMoran]

135. ...and the associates are paid shit for wages...

There really is no winning here...

[HughMoran]

134. Because you can make 2 assumptions depending on you mood

There's no way to know if the assumption was correct in this instance.

[NoNothing]

4. Wow.

You're one of *those* customers. "STOP BEING NICE! I KNOW YOU'RE FAKING IT!"

[Toucano]

14. +1 n/t

[DemocratSinceBirth]

117. +2/nt

[HughMoran]

136. just a little too cynical eh?

I agree

[ellie]

5. My husband and I went

to Home Depot last weekend and the same thing happened to us. An employee was showing us where the trash bags were and while we were walking toward it, another employee asked if we needed help. Er, no.

[liberalhistorian]

9. And how was that employee supposed to have known

that you'd already been helped? If you hadn't been helped and he hadn't said anything, you'd probably be on here ocmplaining about it.

[ellie]

39. Because we were following

another employee.

[NeedleCast]

51. I'm going to guess you've never worked in retail so let me explain

Many stores have corporate policies that dicate that employes who come within (x) feet of a customer offer assistance. Let a store manager or higher level person see an employee ignore a customer and they could be looking at a write up or worse.

I know it's HORRIBLE having multiple people try to help you, but give them a break, yeah?

[City Lights]

8. Some people are never satisfied. nt

[vi5]

11. So let me get this straight....

..if they train the customer to do it themselves, and that results in downsizing and corporate profits at the expense of jobs, then based on your tone....that's bad.

..if they hire more people to try and be helpful......that's bad as well?

So presumably they should....what? Hire more people but just make sure they are sincere enough for you?

I'm really confused by your post.

[Sherman A1]

42. +1, Agreed & Well Said!

This seems to be a person who just isn't going to be satisfied. It is possible that the offers to help were insincere, but how does one know? I can't read minds and I suspect that neither can the OP. :banghead:

[Vickers]

12. Wow, you're a total BADASS, dude!

:rofl:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. Thank God He Wasn't Packing

~

[arcadian]

13. A guy at Home Depot helped me replace a screen

I told him I had never done it, I had the frame from the old screen, He said, "It only takes about ten minutes" and then just did it for me. It was cool.

[demosincebirth]

36. You were lucky to find someone to help you at Home Depot. nt

[Toucano]

17. Do you REALLY expect another human being to SINCERELY care about your drill bit?

The simple offer of assistance, proffered in a polite manner, is all you have a right to expect.

Sincerity is something you can't command at any price.

[Telly Savalas]

107. You need help finding a drill bit, you say?

Why sir, I remember a time in my life when I was without drill bits myself. It was one of my darkest hours, but I stood strong and eventually filled the emptiness by purchasing the drill bits. Sir, to hear your express your need makes me feel as if we are kindred spirits. Nothing would give me more fulfillment and give a sense of completeness and meaning to my life than to help you. So come, take my hand, and together we shall find your drill bits!

[Toucano]

111. Exactly.

You belong in my friend pile.

[LanternWaste]

21. Helpful people piss me off too...

Helpful people piss me off too... :eyes:

[demosincebirth]

37. Perky waitresses I don't care for. Every five minutes asking "is everything alright?"

[Obamanaut]

88. And just today one of them refilled my tea without me having to ask.

Don't you just hate it when they do that?

And she did it twice.

[demosincebirth]

103. Still don't like perky waitresses. When I need 'um, I'll call them

[sinkingfeeling]

22. Is that you Oscar? Sesame Street is looking for you.

[NeedleCast]

23. You sure told those helpful people, way to go!

You should like someone who should be shopping online.

You didn't really think you were going to get a pat on the back for acting like an ass, did you?

[DrDan]

26. can't find an associate - we complain . . . too many helpers - we complain

seems to be a theme there

[Ignis]

27. "I don't shop with you."

:hide:

[Contrary1]

45. I read the post before I looked at who the author was.

I had assumed it was who you are referring to. ;)

[Ignis]

116. I think we need a specific tag or smiley for this DU reference.

But then, I'm a bad, bad man. :evilgrin:

[dionysus]

52. rofl

[RayOfHope]

77. LOL!

:thumbsup:

[SidDithers]

121. Not the same poster...

but the attitude is the same :)

Sid

[Ignis]

146. No, but I was lightly treading around the ...

"call out" rule as it was. ;)

[Codeine]

124. AAAHAHAHAHA!!!

My hat is off, sir. :evilgrin:

[Ignis]

147. ..

http://ep.yimg.com/ip/I/yhst-6661698760614_2052_2419622

Own it! :evilgrin:

[Codeine]

164. That is quite simply perfect, sir. nt

[chrisa]

28. Uncalled for.

They're just trying to do their jobs.

How much effort does it take to say, "No, I'm fine?" Retail workers get crapped on all day. No need to contribute to it.

[Sherman A1]

43. +1

[HughMoran]

137. +2

[Catherine Vincent]

29. Hey, they're only doing their jobs

What a grouch!

[TlalocW]

30. That was ME!

And you hurt my feelings.

Jerk. :)

On edit: Whenever I've asked for help - mainly just finding the damn thing I came into their gigantic store in the first place - I don't think I've ever failed to have someone tell me the exact aisle and location (halfway down, on your left, bottom shelf) it's at. Always impresses me.

TlalocW

[Ikonoklast]

31. They were just hitting on you.

Get any numbers?

[Dreamer Tatum]

32. Have you ever made a post on any thread, ever, lamenting unemployment?

I'm guessing not.

Interesting how you tossed "profitability" in the manager's face when profitability is what allows them to hire people who are trained to do nothing but help people like yourself find what you're looking for.

Not that this actually happened, of course.

[Ikonoklast]

41. Performance Art from the OP.

Like Mr. Benchley.

[tammywammy]

33. Yes, I always enjoy treating retail workers like shit

I mean holy crap, they're DOING THEIR FUCKING JOB. Get over yourself. So what if you didn't feel it was "sincere" enough. You know what when I worked retail for years, even if I did sound sincere, I didn't give a shit, but it was my damn job.

BTW, the last time few times I've been in Home Depot I've had multiple people ask if I needed help. If I did, I took them up on their offer, if I didn't I just said "no, thank you" and moved on.

[peacefreak]

38. I can always tell when word comes down from the

district managers about "numbers". The team members are in full mode doing the dance you mentioned. I don't take offense, they're trying to keep their jobs. I shop at my local Target enough to recognize the staff members. They are good people for the most part & the times I did need their help, they've gone out their way to provide good service.

[AnArmyVeteran]

40. It's sad when corporations force their employees to mindlessly recite crap.

I never blame the poor guy working for repeating the corporate line, word for word. I blame the idiots at the top of the corporation none of whom probably ever worked with customers. They dream up all their idiotic ideas and pass them down forcing people to say things like robots. No one likes fake smiles or fake slogans. If those idiots at the top of organizations were more concerned with people they wouldn't need to force employees to say the same thing over and over again. Hell, it's almost abuse to force employees to repeat the same line 2,000 times a day. I like sincerity and honesty. You don't see that in very many corporations. That's because the executives at the tops of corporations have no clue what it means to act like a decent human being to others.

[Dreamer Tatum]

61. So it's simply not possible that anyone at that Target was actually trying to help

And you trace the helpfulness of a few employees to the lack of humanity at the top?

I'm sorry, but that is utterly ridiculous.

[AnArmyVeteran]

81. Dreamer Tatum... were you reading someone else's post? None of those claims against me are valid...

You need to re-read my post. I never said anything to warrant your accusations. People who work in stores are helpful all the time. But it's easy to spot whether someone is reciting the current corporate line, or using their own words to greet and assist you. You said "I trace the helpfulness of a few employees to the lack of humanity at the top", but that's not what I said at all. People treated fairly and who are in a good working environment are more apt to be cheerful and 'want' to help you. The top of an organization forcing employees to recite the same insincere line over and over again doesn't add to good morale or good customer service. I also never said that it was impossible that 'anyone (working) at Target was actually trying to help'. It is the natural human response for one person to try to help another. That is the same regardless of where the person is working, as long as they are predisposed to wanting to help other people. Even the people who are forced to recite corporate-mandated verbiage will help you, but it's my belief that if a person is left to use their own ingenuity and personality, they will always have a better greeting than one forced on them by a corporation. If a worker spontaneously notices something about you, or says something to bring a smile to your face that is much better than a customer hearing a force-fed corporate line reeking with insincerity. Who would you rather help you? I am great with one-liners and when I approached a customer I always immediately brought a smile to their face and it kept them returning to the store. The more you let an employee be themselves, the happier they will be at work and because they would be allowed to be themselves, it would pay off by creating a good business-customer relationship. Robot talk turns most people off.

MY PREVIOUS POST:
"I never blame the poor guy working for repeating the corporate line, word for word. I blame the idiots at the top of the corporation, none of whom probably ever worked with customers. They dream up all their idiotic ideas and pass them down forcing people to say things like robots. No one likes fake smiles or fake slogans. If those idiots at the top of organizations were more concerned with people they wouldn't need to force employees to say the same thing over and over again. Hell, it's almost abuse to force employees to repeat the same line 2,000 times a day. I like sincerity and honesty. You don't see that in very many corporations. That's because the executives at the tops of corporations have no clue what it means to act like a decent human being to others."

[Dreamer Tatum]

84. You weren't there. You don't know what they said, looked like, or sounded like.

You haven't the slightest idea whether those clerks were sincere or not. My Target is AWESOME. Its clerks WANT to help me, and they are super-pleasant people.

(Do the "idiots at the top" get any credit for that?)

[AnArmyVeteran]

143. I have seen the identical tactics used in many stores.

I found most of the people repeating corporate forced jargon to be insincere. I find when people use their own language to greet you it IS sincere. Would you like to mindlessly repeat something a higher up told you to say hundreds of times a day? Or would you like to ad lib with your own honest and sincere greetings specifically tailored to the individual customer? Parroting is not sincerity.

I'm thrilled you like your Target and I'm glad clerks are there to help you. Most stores don't hire enough people and I often go to stores trying to find help and find no one, except at the registers. And at Target stores why do they have 30 registers with only 2 open? Even during Christmas season all the registers are not open.

Welcome to Target... Thank you for shopping at Target... Come again... Have a nice day...

[Obamanaut]

90. self delete

[fishbulb703]

49. Sounds like you were in a bad mood. nt

[ScreamingMeemie]

50. Are you serious????

"as to what goes in the register at the end of the day?" Yes, because hourly employees care so much about that.
This is the reason why we're all so content to treat each other like shit all the time. Why couldn't you just say "no thanks" and move along? Better yet, shop online, that way no one will bother you...

:( :( :(

[Soylent Brice]

56. it's astounding that you're still here. n/t

[Lucian]

57. Of all the things to complain about...

you pick this?

[renate]

58. yeah. I hate it when people are nice to me

I hate beautiful, sunny days, too. And puppies! Don't even get me started on puppies!

[AnArmyVeteran]

60. Target has higher prices than every other chain I know of. Why shop there?

Their foods are expensive. Their clothes are expensive. And their bedding is expensive. Everything I see at Target is priced higher than other stores. Yes, they do have a handful of things cheaper to get you to come into their stores, but if you want to keep more money in your wallet, don't shop at Target.

... Besides, I hate red. My retinas start to bleed if I'm in their store more than a few minutes.

[nickinSTL]

133. really?

every time I go there, versus our local Kmart, Target is cheaper.

Except for the closeout clothing Kmart has sometimes for $2.99 an item.

Other than that, Target is cheaper.

Maybe Walmart is cheaper, but I won't set foot in there regardless of the price.

I'm not aware of any other options that are comparable in my area.

[HughMoran]

139. I agree

I also won't step foot in WalMart and there is nothing comparable.

[HughMoran]

138. Target sure beats WalMart, even if a few items are a few pennies more

What I buy is not any more expensive, so I really don't know what you're talking about.

[Sherman A1]

62. Let me tell you about trying to shop at Micro Center last week

Went to the store to sign up for one of their workshop & ask a question about an Apple Desktop.
Went to their Apple Center and the the two staffers where busy talking with one another, couldn't be bothered to offer to help.
Went back to their Service Desk and the staffers were busy talking with one another, couldn't be bothered to help.
Wandered around the store for about 30 minutes, was passed by several employees, none asked if I needed help.
Heading out the front door, it was hard to get out as 3 staffers were busy talking with each other and pretty much blocking the doorway.
On the Parking Lot, four staffers (they had on name tags) were stretch wrapping a car (I guess they were pulling a prank on a co-worker)

Got in my car, drove to Best Buy, got my question answered quickly, noted a package 0% finance deal. Was out of the store in about 5 minutes.

Called the Micro Center Manager later that evening told him of my experiences at his store.... He apologized and asked me to be sure to ask for him, next time I was in the store, so that I could receive good service. My response was to ask, "In your mind, just why would I want to come back to your store?"

Went to Best Buy the next day, bought the new desktop.

There is a old saying in Retail.... "You Can NEVER Make Up Lost Sales".

Had I been simply asked if I needed help, I probably wouldn't have driven to Best Buy to ask my question and would have purchased the Desktop at Micro Center. So service at the Retail Level is important to me.

[Raineyb]

65. So why didn't you just ask?

I bought my last computer at Micro Center. They helped me go through motherboards, processors, and all the components needed to put together my system. And for what I paid for it an equivalent brand name system would have been less powerful with less storage.

When I need help I have no qualms about asking someone and I always get what I need.

[Sherman A1]

74. Well, I might have done so, however

the employees were much more interested in talking with each other than asking if their customer might need help and I just hated to interrupt them. It's their job to ask me, not my job to ask them. I believe the term is called "customer service".

[Raineyb]

79. Well you can't complain overmuch if you didn't bother to make your presence

or needs known.

:shrug:

[Sherman A1]

96. Gosh, I guess it was all my doing after all.

Thanks for setting me straight on that. It is not the store employees that were too busy with their own conversations to take notice of a customer within just a few feet of them, to acknowledge the presence of the customer and simply ask if the customer needed assistance or had a question. It was my mistake in having expectations of even the most basic customer service. One wonders why if it was my mistake that employees of Best Buy greeted me when I walked in the door and again at their Apple Kiosk when I approached asking me if I had a question or needed help? Golly Gee, I should return my desktop to Best Buy (where I was treated exceptionally well & emailed their corporate office acknowledging the several employees who were helpful ) and go back to Micro Center (where I was ignored).


Nah... I don't think so.....

It's their job to help me and earn my business, not the other way around.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

100. You should have banged on the desk.....

and yelled.....EXCUSE MEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Then later, they could have had a conversation about the asshole customer they dealt with this morning.

Man, I loved the downtime working retail. Had all sorts of great conversations. But we always knew when a customer was nearby.

[Raineyb]

104. It's customer service not worship the customer.

:shrug:

God forbid you should actually say "hello" for all you know they were discussing something about work and just didn't see you.

[Sherman A1]

112. Been in Retail for 37 Years myself and I know enough to put my conversations

(work related or not) aside when a customer is in the immediate area, because the customer is my job. If they don't shop at the store where I work, the store becomes just that little bit less necessary (along with my job). I wasn't asking for worship just a small measure of respect and service (which again I got at their competitor just moments later). So Micro Center lost the sale, Best Buy got the sale, based upon how I was treated and I wasn't asking for any great service, simply acknowledgement from a person's job who it is to do so and was ignored by 5 different groups of them while in their store.


But, again it appears from your point of view it was my fault for not doing their job for them.

[HughMoran]

140. I'm exactly the same as you are

When I really need help, I'll make an extra effort to stand and stare at a busy associate & will try to get their attention, whether they want to talk to me or not. If I am not taken care of after a couple of attempts (or the person is an idiot who doesn't know anything), I go to another store - sale lost.

[KonaKane]

64. Maybe I'm missing something here, but

I have been noticing customer service taking a nosedive in this country over the last couple of decades. Now you're complaining because it's finally showing signs of improvement?

[AnArmyVeteran]

70. Customer Service = LOLOLOLOLOL

Corporations don't really give a damn about customer service. All they care about is getting as much money as possible and to hell with tomorrow.

They farm out customer service to slave countries where people can't even speak English.

They spend millions on surveys, but if you mention a problem or a way of improving their stores directly to an employee or manager they ignore you.

I remember when writing a company carried quite a bit of weight. Someone actually read your letter. But now you get back form letters with an auto signature and their response has nothing to do with your original letter.

GET RICH QUICK, and fuck tomorrow is the business plan for most corporations.

[NeedleCast]

73. You're talking about two different things

There's a huge gap in customer service at a restaurant or retail floor and customer service as it pertains to corporations as a whole.

[Jane Austin]

67. At Dogstuff, I train our retail staff to say

"Let me know if I can help you find anything."

That usually gets either the response "OK" or something like "Well, do you have anything in Shih-Tzu's (or whatever)" which gives us a starting point.

The "May I help you?" question almost always elicits "No" for an answer.

If the customer wanders around for a while, we ask "What kind of dog do you have?" and that gets the conversation going.

I personally hate having clerks follow me around, so we just try to be aware of them and ask useful questions.

[earth mom]

68. One thing I like about Target is that the employees are nice and helpful.

I can't say the same for Walmart where the employees seem miserable for the most part.

And Home Depot is a like a ghost town where it's near impossible to find an employee to help and once you do they are abrupt and not so friendly.

That said, I don't want to be bombarded with help or hovered over either, which is pretty much why I hate shopping at the mall and prefer Target.

[zorahopkins]

69. Did You Stomp Your Foot While You Said This?

I'm probably mistaken, but the mental image I get from your story has two people:

One person is a polite store manager trying to be helpful.

The other is of a petulant person stomping a foot while being just a tad rude to the polite person trying to be helpful.

It must be the way you described what happened, though.

[Name removed]

71. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[salguine]

72. yeah, it can be annoying, but was it really worth making a giant tool of yourself over?

[rox63]

75. They were just trying to do their jobs

Most of the time I can't find anyone to help me in retail stores.

[donco6]

76. I don't mind it.

I normally find them pretty helpful.

:shrug:

[11 Bravo]

78. My goodness, you poor bastard! I suggest you begin drinking heavily.

Lord knows that would be my response were I cruelly assaulted by an army of people offering assistance.

[Dappleganger]

80. Thank goodness they ask me...

I'm constantly unable to find certain items and have no problem asking a rep to help me find it. Happened in Lowes twice this week, one girl took nearly 20 minutes w/me finding an item and was very helpful the entire time. They earned my respect and business, we've spent a lot of money in there over the past few months as we re-do our landscaping.

[DRoseDARs]

82. Clearly you've never worked in any kind of customer service position. IT'S NEVER GENUINE.

Customers are often stupid and annoying, but the workers have to deal with them and jerks like you anyway so they suck it up with a smile. It's worse when they're forced by management to actively intercept whatever dregs walk in the door. They'd much rather punch you in the face for being so goddamned insufferable and full of yourself, but management frowns on that. Hate to break it to you princess, but Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny aren't real either. Any more self-important delusions of yours I can shatter for you, my delicate flower?

The workers at Target and frankly ANYWHERE don't get paid enough to care, only enough to fake it until the end of their shift. "I appreciate the enthusiastic willingness..." blah blah blah NO YOU DON'T, you lying sack! You complain about disingenuousness and here you are BEING disingenuous to that manager and to us here. You need to get over yourself, elitist jerk. :eyes:

[laughingliberal]

83. Have had the same experience at Home Depot, many offers of help on my way through the store

but I think it's more about there being so few customers there to focus on.

[Naturalist111]

85. They ask too much, they don't ask at all. They seem to never

get just the right amount for the mood I am in either. It seems that when I need it, no one is around. When I am in a hurry and don't want to be bothered, they're in my face. I don't get it either.

[Love Bug]

89. This must have come from a directive on high because I had a similar experience

in Target the other day. I don't mind at all, frankly, as long as they don't follow me around thinking I'm going to steal stuff.

[DawgHouse]

91. OMG, The horror!

[moondust]

92. Were they monitoring you?

Do you look like you could be somebody's stereotype of a shoplifter? A terrorist? A meth lab owner?

I've had some odd things happen to me in Target that have never happened anywhere else. Like the checkout person asking me for an ID to buy a couple 10-ounce cans of air for computers. ?? And another time to buy something else but I can't remember what it was. I *suspected* they had stereotyped me for some reason based on my appearance (long hair) and were trying to dig for some personal information. Very strange.

[iris27]

154. Depending on where you live, any sale of under-pressure aerosols is restricted by

age to cut down on kids "huffing". I think it is 18 around here...so then they probably have to ask for ID to verify. Spray paint, roach spray, compressed air...I've been asked several times.

[moondust]

166. I'm over 50.

But glad I now know that.

:hi:

[xchrom]

93. So don't shop there. Nt

[lynne]

94. I hope you got some sand paper and maybe a saw while you were there -

- to help get rid of the gigantic chip on your shoulder. Poor guys trying to do their job - especially considering how hard it is to find and keep a job - and you give them a ration. Hell of a job there, Brownie.

[Synicus Maximus]

97. It seems to me that your response was very rude and uncalled

for. I bet that if you couldn't find something and no one had asked if they could have helped you, you would bitch about that too.

[Mother Of Four]

98. Uhm...

This reminds me of when my kids were really little, stomping their foot or pouting and saying "Mama I can button it MYSELF!"

Taking that attitude and putting it in an adult, shopping in a grownups store, buying with all grown up money...doesn't work so much.

Put it another way, you wouldn't allow your 4 year old(if you have kids) to be rude to an associate(I hope)...why on earth are YOU going to be?

If you missed my point: Grow up a little. :yoiks:

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

99. They probably got a tounge lashing this week

Some district manager thinks they should be bothering the customers every two minutes so they can "meet" some imaginary "standard".

[Quantess]

106. I can almost guarantee that's what happened.

High level managers had just visited the store and lectured the associates to be more helpful to the customers.

I guess only a few DUers on this thread have ever worked in retail...?

[uppityperson]

108. Do you want to find what you are looking for, or do you want a caring person to interact with

Yes, I get that the offers weren't "genuine" or they really weren't "caring" but wtf is it with people? People doing their jobs don't need to be your friend, they don't need to be friendly, they need to be competent.

You said you turned each offer down so how the FUCK DO YOU KNOW they didn't know where things were or weren't actually offering to help you.

If you want a friend, go get one. If you want to shop without any input except from caring newageguys, hang out at the crystal store.

[Name removed]

109. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

113. That's Why Friends Don't Let Friends Drink And Shop

~

[Iggo]

123. It's their job, man.

Be nice.

[Codeine]

125. OH NO!

Somebody was doing their job without being sufficiently servile for me!

Asshat.

[DefenseLawyer]

126. I once killed a coffee vendor with my bare hands

I asked for a large coffee but she called it by whatever silly name the coffee shop had for large. I felt bad about it later, but geez. Large is large. Now that I recall the episode again, I clearly overreacted.

[aikoaiko]

127. Do you want them to think you're sexy and handsome as well?

Go to Walmart and you'll never be bothered by an floor associate again.

[ima_sinnic]

128. too late to unrec for general unworthiness

I have been frustrated to the point of outrage sometimes at Lowes and Home Depot because I couldn't find something and had to wait and wait at the "service desk" to ask for help. Even when I got "help" in one of those stores, I was sometimes directed to a completely wrong part of the store.

at Staples, on the other hand, I have very much appreciated the associates asking me if I need help, even when I don't. Their offers of help have led to very interesting and informative conversations about printers and slide scanners.

I have always liked Target and after reading your comments will make it a point to go there more frequently. Hopefully their training includes the admonition to ignore the a-holes.

oh, and I have been a clerk in a department store and (when I was much much younger) in supermarkets. I was always pleased to help. My help was "genuine" and I had many interesting and gratifying conversations with customers as a result.

[gulliver]

129. It's called "eye contact."

If the customer makes eye contact and appears to need assistance, you assist. If you try to make eye contact and the customer declines, you leave them alone. You don't just robotically ask people if they need help. That can be anywhere from annoying to offensive.

A much worse problem, IMO, is when the customer tries to make eye contact for assistance and the associate looks away like they want to avoid being bothered.

[AngryOldDem]

131. And when you WANT assistance....

...they all disappear.

I hate to go in to music stores to browse anymore. Every time I turn around a sales associate is in my face, asking if I need help. There are times when I'm tempted to say, "Why? Do I look like I'm going to rip you off, or something? Do I, at nearly 50 years old, fit some sort of profile for people you're supposed to badger?"

More often than not, their hovering kills any kind of interest I have in just looking at -- and by extension possibly buying -- what they have to sell.

[Stevenmarc]

132. I see you've been fully indoctrinated ....

into the Culture of the Mediocre, good luck with that.

[noamnety]

144. Don't you just hate it when the servant class

isn't genuinely happy to be subservient to us?! I expect my cashiers and stockers to truly care about me as a person. I don't want them to offer to help me in a professional manner merely because it's their job. I want them to feel that the paycheck is secondary to the innate joy and fulfillment they receive just from making my life a little more pleasant.

Luckily, as the class being served, it's not our job to genuinely care about them in return.

[Paladin]

145. Bullseye. Nicely Put---And Well-Deserved...... (n/t)

[proud2BlibKansan]

148. You behaved like a jerk

I can't applaud that.

[DonCoquixote]

150. This article gets 100 + replies

A lot of it done by people who defend their ability to be jerks to the minimum wage workers whose low salaries and nonexistent job security allow them to troll around Retail stores buying things, while many articles with genuine news that affects people's lives gets ignored.

If and when civilization goes, take a snapshot of this article, and put in it the exhibit "Why the left could not mount a credible offense", because many of them wasted too much time gratifying their own egos and justifying whatever little piece of the pie the system allowed them to steal.

[Hamlette]

151. nailed it

a tad harsh, but right on point

[SidDithers]

153. But many, if not most of the replies are calling the OP to task...

for being a jerk to employees just trying to make a living.

Your complaint is way off-base.

Sid

[4 t 4]

158. It Is so bugging but be nice

they have a job. Better for you and me. Shut up and be patient.

[npk]

157. And yet you just contributed to one of those 100+ replies

Some people just can't resist unleashing their "better than thou" spirit from the safety of their padded leather chair.

[DonCoquixote]

165. maybe so, but

I also saw way too many that were FOR the OP, and frankly, if opinions like that are not called to task, then they thrive. And yes, I am someone who has worked retail and worse, to the point where, even though I am not Middle aged, I look the part.

[npk]

167. I actually thought most people were taking the OP to task

I just wonder how many of those same people would have responded the same way. They most likely just would not have shared their encounter, as this OP did.

[iris27]

159. The average front-line employee doesn't care what goes in the register at the end of the day.

We care about not getting fired. Customer service requirements at my store (not Target) are that we have to engage any customer we see within 30 seconds and offer assistance in an "open-ended" fashion...like "How can I help you today?"...NOT anything that could be answered with a "no" like "Can I help you find anything?"

If you had been a secret shopper, anyone who didn't approach you to offer assistance could be disciplined or even fired. This applies to supervisors and managers every bit as much as the general associates, since they are supposed to be the models for best practices and all that.

So if there is any desperation there, it's desperation to continue being able to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. SO SORRY if that puts a cramp in the "genuine", non-desperate service you feel you deserve.

[libtodeath]

160. You went off on...

... a probably minimum wage young employee?

Did you have a DU shirt on too so that they think all progressives are assholes?

[Jakes Progress]

Ever work retail?

For some time now I have thought that everybody who will ever go to a restaurant or store should have to work for 6 months as a floor clerk and/or a waiter/waitress.

What does it say about me if I pitch a big old hissy because too many people asked if they could help. If a floor jockey is rude to me, I may have a reason to bleat. Or maybe not. Life on the shiny floor is hard, I mean maybe they just dealt with a fussbot who was angry for being asked if he needed help.

Sheesh. What a grouch.

[Jakes Progress]

161. Ever work retail?

For some time now I have thought that everybody who will ever go to a restaurant or store should have to work for 6 months as a floor clerk and/or a waiter/waitress.

What does it say about me if I pitch a big old hissy because too many people asked if they could help. If a floor jockey is rude to me, I may have a reason to bleat. Or maybe not. Life on the shiny floor is hard, I mean maybe they just dealt with a fussbot who was angry for being asked if he needed help.

Sheesh. What a grouch.

[Codeine]

162. Such posters are far too good to sully themselves with

service sector work. They're above that sort of thing, don'tcha know. :puke:

[rucky]

163. Service workers learn to put up with all kinds of shit from customers.

like the "little robots" they are. :eyes:

[Imajika]

168. So basically, you were rude...

...to some random Target store manager because you suspected his offer of assistance wasn't genuine enough?

How does that accomplish anything?

Perhaps Target is just not the place you and your wife should shop?