Some people are better equipped to handle these kinds of jobs. A good friend of mine has been a manager in a few different stores and she has even better stories than I do. However she isn't as jaded about her time in retail and is also more of a people person who can roll with the punches that you take in that line of work. Not every day in retail is a nightmare but when your work hours are generally pretty boring and routine, it makes those times when things get really bad stand out even more vividly.JUMBO PALACE said:
275: Confessions of a GameStop Employee - Part Three
- Thread starter Scott Jones
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I've been in retail for about 3 weeks(cashier at a very large, 2 floor sporting goods store) and I've gotta say, I love it. I've had one angry customer, who threatened to "tear me a new one" because I asked to see his I.D with his credit card. One day someone is gonna take his card and buy like 3 treadmills. See if he ever gets pissed about someone asking for his I.D again.JeanLuc761 said:
I think it's important to remember not to take it personally. I get rude people, but they're generally forgotten about as soon as I get that next customer.
I play by the rule that if you're nice to me, I'm nice to you. If you're nice, I'll take that expired coupon that I really shouldn't take, or give you a discount on an item that is listed on the "not valid" section of the coupon.
If you're a prick, I kill you with kindness, and make sure to tell you to have a nice day in the most cheerful way I possibly can. And keep your coupons to yourself. Even if they are valid; "I can't use that coupon on this item.".
Great story at the end, i always feel a kind of selfish smugness whenever i read stuff like this when it indeed involves soccer moms, thirteen year old adolescences, and other idiots.
Minus bending over backwards for the idiot though of course.
Minus bending over backwards for the idiot though of course.
It takes a bit of time to wear on you. Wait until you can see problem customers a mile away and you're pretty much doomed to live out the little drama that they create.-Samurai- said:
Only decent strategy I've ever developed it pass the buck to management when things start getting bad and hope you have reasonably cool management. Because irrational people will make up stuff about you to get you in trouble, just because they're annoyed with you for doing your job. Having management that can think "hmmm, Steven has never acted this way before with a customer, maybe this person is bat-shit insane" helps smooth over those bumps.
But mostly, don't take anything personally, even when management over-turns you... because 9 times out of 10, that's what they're going to do when dealing with a difficult customer and if they're a good manager, they'll just give you a handy hint on how to deal with that next time and that'll be that. You just don't want to ever get in a shouting match with a customer because you'll lose... possibly your job.
Word.Brandchan said:
I used to manage the games department of a department store. I say manage, I was technically a "supervisor", which magically gave me all the responsibility and workload of BOTH a manager AND a till monkey, while still only paying me minimum wage. I lost count of how many people called me over just to ask me to fetch one of my male underlings so they could ask him a question.
I do, however, recall each time said underling then had to refer back to me for an answer. With some relish.
I know it's not limited to retail, but he's talking about how a guy who doesn't even know him did that, yet my bosses who consider themselves my friends bend over backwards and fail to back me up just to please one customer.vxicepickxv said:
There's actually a whole website of stories about that, just Google "Customer is not always right" or something like that. It's amazing how stupid people can be.
This tale exemplifies why I have never worked retail...well, except for one summer in 1995 when I worked the fuel desk at a truck stop....and the experience was essentially the same. Retail workers really do get to see the lowliest of beasts: the consumer, in action.
We don't have Soccer Moms here as such, but I do know exactly the kind of customer Ben is describing. These financially comfortable ladies, with a couple of spoiled kids, who have this absurdly inflated sense of entitlement, and live with the assumption that all retail staff are failed human beings fit only to provide them with a punching bag. We used to call them Pippa Funnells, because for whatever reason, the Pippa Funnell game series attracts them like some sort of crazy ***** magnet. You see a copy of that game coming towards you, you run or hide or break your own arm, anything, just get the hell away from that customer.
Once upon a time, I had one such customer launch into me for wasting her precious lunchbreak time, by refusing to hold stuff she'd already paid for and bought somewhere else behind the counter. Now, there's a bazillion reasons we can't do that, not least among them the fact that we would have to be literally stepping over her shopping until she saw fit to retrieve it. But the point is, there was no way I could magically reimburse her time. Indeed, so precious was it to her that she could only spent an extra fifteen minutes of it hurling abuse at me, and only after she was done with the first staff member she'd berated.
Then she took a break from the normal, everyday ranting we're used to, to hit me with:
"Well you know what; Ducks quack. Eagles soar."
Then she kind of waited, like that was supposed to make me cry or something. Caught off guard by what was, I have to say, the weirdest argument ever aimed at me, and not even entirely sure if she was insulting me or not, I could only counter with
"...
Great?"
Then she swore at me some more.
But then she said it again, and then she kept saying it like it was supposed to teach me a clear lesson about my conduct. She even said it, conspiratorially, to one of the other customers, like they were supposed to agree with her. He just looked as confused as I did. Gradually, all my coworkers drifted over to see what she was yelling about; none of them knew what she was on about either. Until there we were, four grown adults, staring wordlessly at a clean, healthy, and otherwise coherent, woman babbling about ducks over a shop counter.
I just don't get it. Am I the duck? Does that make her the eagle? If "quacking" means "complaining", doesn't that make her the duck? Do I get to be the eagle then? If eagles are so great, how come they're all so fucking endangered? Ducks get to swim too, doesn't that make them the cooler bird?
....Is it some sort of spell?
I still don't know exactly what the fuck she meant. But I'll never forget the look on her face when she said it. Like she expected that to be the kicker, like "Well, I wasn't going to cry before, but now you've broken out the weird birdy metaphors, I have nowhere to run!"
By then, we'd spent far longer arguing than the transaction itself had taken. I couldn't give her that time back either, even with all those birds on her side.
Once upon a time, I had one such customer launch into me for wasting her precious lunchbreak time, by refusing to hold stuff she'd already paid for and bought somewhere else behind the counter. Now, there's a bazillion reasons we can't do that, not least among them the fact that we would have to be literally stepping over her shopping until she saw fit to retrieve it. But the point is, there was no way I could magically reimburse her time. Indeed, so precious was it to her that she could only spent an extra fifteen minutes of it hurling abuse at me, and only after she was done with the first staff member she'd berated.
Then she took a break from the normal, everyday ranting we're used to, to hit me with:
"Well you know what; Ducks quack. Eagles soar."
Then she kind of waited, like that was supposed to make me cry or something. Caught off guard by what was, I have to say, the weirdest argument ever aimed at me, and not even entirely sure if she was insulting me or not, I could only counter with
"...
Great?"
Then she swore at me some more.
But then she said it again, and then she kept saying it like it was supposed to teach me a clear lesson about my conduct. She even said it, conspiratorially, to one of the other customers, like they were supposed to agree with her. He just looked as confused as I did. Gradually, all my coworkers drifted over to see what she was yelling about; none of them knew what she was on about either. Until there we were, four grown adults, staring wordlessly at a clean, healthy, and otherwise coherent, woman babbling about ducks over a shop counter.
I just don't get it. Am I the duck? Does that make her the eagle? If "quacking" means "complaining", doesn't that make her the duck? Do I get to be the eagle then? If eagles are so great, how come they're all so fucking endangered? Ducks get to swim too, doesn't that make them the cooler bird?
....Is it some sort of spell?
I still don't know exactly what the fuck she meant. But I'll never forget the look on her face when she said it. Like she expected that to be the kicker, like "Well, I wasn't going to cry before, but now you've broken out the weird birdy metaphors, I have nowhere to run!"
By then, we'd spent far longer arguing than the transaction itself had taken. I couldn't give her that time back either, even with all those birds on her side.
I work at a clothing retail store and it's virtually the same thing. Swap every word of "game" for some clothing item and you've nailed it. We have policies, they don't follow the policies, they try and return a shirt after 6 months, after it's been shredded along a dirt trail (her son probably bmx's, there was dirt smears all over it from a dirt path) and she didn't even have a receipt, yet she went ape-shit after I told her there was nothing we could do. I told her I skateboard and ruin shirts after about a month or two, I ruin jeans as often as that too, sometimes, and yet she still freaked out. Saying I was calling her a liar and that I was turning down one of our biggest customers. Funny thing is, I work a bit above 40 hours a week, I'm at our store nearly every day, and I've never seen her.
Customers can, and will, be terrible people. The higher ups get paid more for doing less work, it's a harsh reality. I'm gonna get out of it soon because people take things too seriously at my store. I really relate to these articles (I'm also an avid fan of Reviews on the Run, awesome seeing Scott posting here), because my job is a job that everyone thought would be the "shit". It was the top tier of job positions, everyone thinks. But it really isn't, the pay is terrible, the job growth is virtually non existent, the managing staff is on a power trip and considering we're a skateboarding retail store, practically none of the workers skate. In that regard, it's almost the same. I have a passion for our product, and I'm on the bottom. Everyone on top has never even stood on a skateboard. Everyone above me is overweight, or just not interested in it, and I found myself wondering how they ever wound up where they are. Sure, we sell clothing too, but it's funny when we'll sell Danny Way pro model jeans, and they think Danny Way is the fashion designer or something.
Whatever your passion is, if there is a retail job of it, I can almost guarantee you it is not the dream job you think it is, especially if it's a large chain. If it's a local shop, chances are, a local guy with just as much passion as you started it, but sometimes, they lose their spark. I've been thinking about going to a local skate shop, or even a local game shop, because I've heard these same stories first hand, and experienced them in my own job.
Can't wait for the fourth part of this, it's really put a lot of my own thoughts into words I couldn't find myself.
Customers can, and will, be terrible people. The higher ups get paid more for doing less work, it's a harsh reality. I'm gonna get out of it soon because people take things too seriously at my store. I really relate to these articles (I'm also an avid fan of Reviews on the Run, awesome seeing Scott posting here), because my job is a job that everyone thought would be the "shit". It was the top tier of job positions, everyone thinks. But it really isn't, the pay is terrible, the job growth is virtually non existent, the managing staff is on a power trip and considering we're a skateboarding retail store, practically none of the workers skate. In that regard, it's almost the same. I have a passion for our product, and I'm on the bottom. Everyone on top has never even stood on a skateboard. Everyone above me is overweight, or just not interested in it, and I found myself wondering how they ever wound up where they are. Sure, we sell clothing too, but it's funny when we'll sell Danny Way pro model jeans, and they think Danny Way is the fashion designer or something.
Whatever your passion is, if there is a retail job of it, I can almost guarantee you it is not the dream job you think it is, especially if it's a large chain. If it's a local shop, chances are, a local guy with just as much passion as you started it, but sometimes, they lose their spark. I've been thinking about going to a local skate shop, or even a local game shop, because I've heard these same stories first hand, and experienced them in my own job.
Can't wait for the fourth part of this, it's really put a lot of my own thoughts into words I couldn't find myself.
I did retail at Autozone and Home Depot in the Kitchen and Bath Dept. Luckily though, they were both just part time jobs because I was in between relationships and bored when not at work due to a lack of hobbies. I was always one of the most complimented upon employees because I was polite and I did everything I could to make a customer happy..... unless they were a jerk to me first. At that point, the job not mattering one sniff to me came out and I would tell them exactly what I thought. I quit Autozone and was termed from Home Depot at my 90 day review. Both times I left my Manager's office with a smile and a wave.
Now, last week I was at Wal-Mart and they had an unopened copy of Eternal Sonata for sale, last one in the store. I was surprised to say the least. I got the guy to open up the case so I could buy the game and this is what he said, "Hmmm, I have never heard of this game. Looks like the kind of thing I would buy for my daughter." I don't think that is exactly the kind of thing you want to say to a customer doing you the favor of taking a 3 year old game off your shelf for $30.
Now, last week I was at Wal-Mart and they had an unopened copy of Eternal Sonata for sale, last one in the store. I was surprised to say the least. I got the guy to open up the case so I could buy the game and this is what he said, "Hmmm, I have never heard of this game. Looks like the kind of thing I would buy for my daughter." I don't think that is exactly the kind of thing you want to say to a customer doing you the favor of taking a 3 year old game off your shelf for $30.
I've dealt with crazy people in retail, too. Stupidity, ignorance, and self-entitlement inevitably result in people who are virtually impossible to reason with and want everything without compromise. Instead of yielding to these people, retailers should stand firmly behind their policies. The short-term gain of appeasing a bad customer is easily offset by the long term dilemma of always having to appease morons who don't read signs, the backs of their receipts, or make any effort at all to determine on their own what deals are going on or what policies are in effect. Or worse, they may selectively read those deals and policies and foist their version on you even after you point out their mistake.
I'll give an example of what I was talking about in my earlier post: I once saw a customer who was trying to purchase some pottery at a reduced price. Trouble was, the deal was for ceramic pottery, not the lighter, foam pottery she was purchasing. Even after this woman was shown the sign which clearly explained which pottery was for sale, she became irate and demanded the reduced price. Sadly, the assistant manager caved.
Another time, I had to explain a particular deal to a customer and her mother or whatever she was, and they didn't believe my version, so the mother went to grab the sign she saw. Now, these signs are really heavy, and this dumbass carried it across the entire store just to show it to me. I was shocked when I saw this, and tried to demonstrate that she didn't need to bring the entire sign over by removing the little paper insert. Then these two idiots assume that I'm implying that they forged the sign--forged it!--and only by bringing the entire sign could they prove it's legit. Nevermind they probably don't have the necessary font on their computer anyway, or that slipping a paper into the sign is so easy a child could do it, no, obviously I was casting aspersions on their character, which I could understand would be insulting if they had any character.
Then there's crazy black woman, who, after being told something--I don't even remember what it was she was angry about--became absolutely furious with me. She even made an implied threat to me. Of course, she demanded the manager, but her explanation over what she was angry about made no sense. In hindsight, I should have called the police, but I was going "wtf" at the time and trying to avoid a scene. Later, I asked a co-worked what the hell happened, and suggested that this woman probably thought I was being racist towards her. That sort of thing, in fact, happens all the time in retail, and that wasn't the only time I saw it. Can't get what you want? Make false accusations of racism! Haha... I hate our culture sometimes.
Another time, I had to explain a particular deal to a customer and her mother or whatever she was, and they didn't believe my version, so the mother went to grab the sign she saw. Now, these signs are really heavy, and this dumbass carried it across the entire store just to show it to me. I was shocked when I saw this, and tried to demonstrate that she didn't need to bring the entire sign over by removing the little paper insert. Then these two idiots assume that I'm implying that they forged the sign--forged it!--and only by bringing the entire sign could they prove it's legit. Nevermind they probably don't have the necessary font on their computer anyway, or that slipping a paper into the sign is so easy a child could do it, no, obviously I was casting aspersions on their character, which I could understand would be insulting if they had any character.
Then there's crazy black woman, who, after being told something--I don't even remember what it was she was angry about--became absolutely furious with me. She even made an implied threat to me. Of course, she demanded the manager, but her explanation over what she was angry about made no sense. In hindsight, I should have called the police, but I was going "wtf" at the time and trying to avoid a scene. Later, I asked a co-worked what the hell happened, and suggested that this woman probably thought I was being racist towards her. That sort of thing, in fact, happens all the time in retail, and that wasn't the only time I saw it. Can't get what you want? Make false accusations of racism! Haha... I hate our culture sometimes.
I think, as a society we have a duty to inform people (like that nutcase soccer mom) when they're being retarded. I really wish the manager hadn't done that. Realistically though, the best approach here would have been to have kept to neutral responses, quoting store policies and never giving an opinion. No one likes to told they're wrong (even if they are).
I would have said "okey" to her demand for a refund (the kids only played it once) & just deducted the $2 to replace the shrinkwrap, & another $5 if she damaged the box...Or at least explained to her that the game was now used & no longer in mint condition, therefor not warrenting a full refund.
I once had a customer get extremely angry with me because I didn't speak Spanish. And this happened a lot at the store I work at, but usually to employees who look like they could be Spanish.
Of course, this is the easiest one to deal with. You either stand there not understanding anything they say or hand them off to someone who can. It ends up being rather comical in its own way. It's like America has been invaded by Americans who speak another language.
Of course, this is the easiest one to deal with. You either stand there not understanding anything they say or hand them off to someone who can. It ends up being rather comical in its own way. It's like America has been invaded by Americans who speak another language.
The retail end of selling games to moronic parents who never should have been parents in the first place. Not to mention they don't bother to familiarize themselves with the game rating system from ESRB. Humans go figure!Cassita said:
I had that happen, it wasn't his card (his name wasn't Shirley, and he refused to provide ID), and he told me his signature didn't match because he was drunk. At this point I thought to myself "thank god, I can get some back from this ass who's been a dick the entire time ordering", told him I was calling the police because it wasn't his card, and closed the window. He raged and raged, called the store number and threatened me, but I was inside, with several other staff, and a crapton of hot oil should he be that stupid. His mom then called to rage at me for confiscating her card, and I told her I would be happy to hand it over to HER if she showed up with some ID. The police got there first, and explained to her that had it been stolen, she would have been THANKING me for doing what I did. The guy got dragged off for DUI, and I handed the mom her credit card back. My DM ended up talking to her, and I got called into the office. The DM then said that had he been in my place, he would have done the same.Synonymous said:
This right here. I feel sympathy for my local GAME employees whenever i'm in there and I see this, so I just wait until that person has left and put it back. I'll normally get a thank you and (very) occasionally a small £1 discount.JeanLuc761 said:
It adds up over time and if I ever apply there i'll know the staff.
Edit:
Tips for anyone who likes their game store employees. You're perfectly allowed to call them out for being a douchebag for the employees. They can't do it, you can. Best thing? You can explain in better terms.
"Stop being such a twat, he told you it was a non-refundable game because it's a PC game, deal with it and get the fuck out the way" normally works.