AIBU to think work are BU to put me on a ‘performance plan’ for this?

[DissertationDrama]

I work for a retail company that are renowned for ‘pushy’ customer service. If a customer tells me they’d prefer to look around on their own, or if they outright tell me to leave them alone, I completely respect that and leave them to it. I’ve had feedback from management telling me to ignore that and to stay with them, to show them things, and where possible to get them to try things. I haven’t been doing this as much as I’m supposed to, customers hate me being forced on them, and I hate it myself. It’s just so uncomfortable and I respect their wishes. We’re told to approach customers immediately as they walk in the shop, they generally hate that too. I’ve now been told that unless I do these things I’ll be put on a ‘performance plan’ where I’ll be monitored by management. AIBU to think that they’re being unreasonable? And AIBU to not literally harass customers?

I used to work in an accessory shop that also pierced ears (sure you can all guess), don't think they hand out baskets anymore, but that was a thing. The idea being you'd put more in a basket than hold in your hand. Also those little items at the till, add ons, we were marked on that. If they were crap ones that month we'd get to the end of the day and buy however many we needed to hit target rather than deal with upper management rollockings - far less stress.

I also worked as a bank cashier and the pressure to book in appointments for loans/mortgage/savings etc was ridiculous. We were always short staffed and I just wanted to serve and get the queue down but nooo. The manager (who used to sit in a back room on her phone all day) would sometimes venture out and sit behind us with a clipboard. If she didn't hear enough sales bollocks from me, she'd go "now YouBetter, what do you think you could have said to that customer to make sure all their needs were met" (as in, be seen by an advisor they didnt want to see. I'd meet their needs by doing what they asked me to do ffs). This was IN FRONT of the next customer who'd already come over to my window and wanted serving. The only job I ever walked out on was that.

I actually like this tactic in Lush too because I can never remember the name of the bloody things I buy, so I appreciate someone being able to decipher "the exfoliating scrub that smells like I want to eat it and has popcorn in it" to what the bloody hell I'm waffling about. i should just memorise the names of the products I use

But , anywhere else it puts me off. I usually wear headphones to avoid this but that's probably really rude

I hate it, I walk out.

I hope you finish your MA soon and get a job doing something you love!

However, in the meantime I’d look for another job to get me through...life’s too short to do that shit.

Thank you all for your responses, they’ve all been really helpful and interesting.

The earphones thing doesn’t wash where I work, management still make us approach, and talk at, customers who are on the phone or who have earphones in.

My degree will be finished very soon, so I’m considering now handing in my notice and just concentrating on that for the time being, and looking for graduate jobs once I’ve finished.

Yanbu its a crap technique and a part of the reason i use online shopping now.

I hate that they do it when you’re on the phone! I was on a business call (self employed so I don’t reallt have set hours, clients call anytime) so I was chatting to them and as assistant kept talkin at me and following me. I ended up almost shouting “will you get away from me” and they looked very sad... but I’d asked them politely to leave me alone quite a few times.

They seriously force you to give the sales drivel to people on the phone! Or those wearing earphones; presumably to deliberately tune out those around them
I’d turn my back on you in those circumstances, however rude it may seem.
I’d think you were far ruder.

Yes they absolutely do. I don’t do this though, hence I’m being threatened with a performance plan. We’ve been told before now that when someone is on the phone or listening to ear phones to just start talking and to show them things. This particular expectation drives me mad.