His Manager Kept Making Him Check In on Customers—And He Was Embarrassed to Keep Bothering Them
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If there’s something that really grinds my gears when I’m shopping, it’s this: an employee checking in on me…over and over again.
Once was enough, sir!
I’m good…and I’ll let you know if I need anything.
Ugh!
The worker who wrote this story realized how annoying customers found this, but their boss kept making them do it.
Check out what they had to say about this.
Customer has my back about annoying policy. Years later, I return the sentiment.
“One of my biggest pet peeves when I worked retail was my manager’s insistence that I had to check up on the customers like every 5 minutes.
The store I worked in was small enough that you could see everyone and what they are doing from the register. It was especially annoying when I had stuff to do behind the register.
So in this instance, several years ago, I’m in the store, and it’s very slow. No one is in there at that moment. But inventory is in so I have something to do. Someone walks in, I greet them “Hey my name is Sam, let me know if you need anything lists some sales.”
The customer’s like, okay, and they go about browsing.
What’s the point of this…?
Manager comes out from the back, probably not even 10 minutes later. Walks over to me and ask if I helped the one person in the store. I told him I greeted him and if he needed anything, to come get me.
Doesn’t satisfy my manager, so I am forced to walk up to the guy and ask him, again, not even 10 minutes have gone by, if he needs help. He says no, he’s just looking around and seeing what’s on sale. I leave him alone and he continues to wander about the store.
Again? Really?
Only roughly 5 minutes go by, when my manager himself walks up to the guy and ask him if he needs help. Dude is now clearly annoyed but politely tells my manager he’s fine on his own. Manager comes over to the register and stands next to me.
Just a little over 5 minutes goes by, and he tells me to go again and ask if the guy needs help! I walk over to him, and I can clearly tell on his face that he’s ultra annoyed.
So I say low enough that my manager can’t hear “Hey I’m sorry I know you don’t need help but he’s making me ask.”
Thank you!
The guy is still annoyed, but there’s a look of understanding now. So he goes rather loudly so my manager can hear “Thanks I’m fine! I don’t need help! If I do I can find you, I’m not a baby who needs to be walked around the store!”
I smile and go back to the register, where my manager is standing there now with this look I can’t even describe. But he finally goes to the back and for the rest of the day he didn’t bother me about bothering customers.
Cut to present day.
I’m a customer, wandering the mall. I go into a clothing store. There’s like four people working there. I’m greeted and proceed to wander the store, because I’m just browsing. I’m barely in the store for 10 minutes, and every single worker there has come up to me and asked me if I needed help.
After 2 of them had come up for a second time. I finally go “You know what? I’m not okay, could you get your manager please?”
The girl I asked looks confused but goes and gets a manager. Manager comes out middle with that standard overly strained customer service smile, and ask me what’s wrong.
How do you like them apples?!?!
I told her that I’m annoyed with the fact that I’m basically being followed around the store. I don’t need to be asked 20 times if I need help.
If I need help, I can find someone. I’m just browsing, and all this badgering is making the experience less enjoyable, and now I don’t want to shop here anymore.
I understand that this is a policy you guys make your employees do, but I’m letting you know right now it’s a very bad policy. I’m going to leave now, and I want you to know it’s because of that.
Her smile very much dims and it’s clear on her face she’s trying to process a proper sentence to respond. Meanwhile, I noticed a little off to my left, two employees watching us, both smirking and smiling, one doing their best to hold in laughter.
And the other one is quickly texting on their phone, I’m assuming to some kind of sales associate group chat or a friend.
Before the manager can finish her apology, I just politely tell her I’m leaving again, and exit the store.
Also, I know some stores do this to prevent theft. But you don’t need to hound your customers.”
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This person had a lot to say.
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And this reader shared their thoughts.
I actually think this is a huge turn-off for customers and it makes them not want to go back to a place that does this.
It’s too much!
Let people shop in peace and at their own pace.
Hey workers…leave shoppers alone when they’re in your stores!
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