Shop assistants asking if I need help

[blueskypink]

I probably am just being an intolerant bitch but I wish shop assistants would just leave me alone.

If I'm standing in a shop looking around with a puzzled/confused expression THEN, by all means ask me if I need help. IF, however, I'm walking purposefully towards some merchandise, am deep in concentration studying a label or an item, or have literally just walked through the door (avoiding eye contact and keeping as far away from you as possible) could you please just leave me alone?

If I want your help I'll ask for it.

I also don't want someone saying hello as I cross a threshold and saying 'bye - thank you' when I leave 5 seconds later because I've realised very quickly it's not my sort of shop.

I presume assistants are obliged to do this? Or maybe everyone else likes this sort of attention and doesn't snarl the way I do? I'm being unreasonable aren't I? But after a day's shopping I just wanted to scream "leave me the fuck alone!!"

For the shop assistants here who have all said you have to do it, what would you do about a customer who has headphones in?

I'm wondering if I can do this to avoid you having to say it and me having to deal with it

I have read that many lonely /elderly people like going shopping to have some human contact and see a friendly face.

That is undoubtedly the case. But a customer (ie me) who enters a shop avoiding all eye contact with staff, keeps as far away from them as possible, is actively studying items ...... not so much.

Dunno where you're from but 'hello' is the most normal/average greeting here, in Ireland basically everyone says hello to eachother so no a hello wouldn't be insincere. Just in our blood. 'How can I help you' now that would be influenced from 'standard procedure' in the work place for customer service

I would leave someone with headphones alone, yes. Also people who look through me tend to be left alone too. Luckily for me I'm usually not there to help customers, I do merchandising and am busy but everyone is told to be friendly and helpful to customers in our path.

Easy know most of you are probably not irish. most would be happy to have someone say hello

Easy know most of you are probably not irish. grin most would be happy to have someone say hello

it’s like an automatic reflex to say hello to strangers here isn’t it?

I don’t mind a hello though, I don’t think most people here are saying they mind a hello, it’s the pouncing and following, and repeated staff members approaching.
I hate being asked if there’s anything I need within 2 seconds of entering. Can I look first ffs.

One assistant (or even all) saying hello wouldn’t bother me. Every assistant I pass asking me three questions (Lush, I’m still talking about you) pisses me off enormously.

Are they told to ask THAT many questions?!

grin it’s like an automatic reflex to say hello to strangers here isn’t it?

When I moved to the SE of England I said hello to people on my way to work. Now I’m a bit about that, as I didn’t know it wasn’t the done thing! One day, one of my regular “hello” / “morning” people handed me a note asking me on a date! Clearly thought I’d been coming on to him the whole time .

so thats what we’re all at! We’re all running around flirting with everything that passes us!

Definitely AWoman. Can’t control ourselves.

The shops that I prefer are the ones where the staff do just ignore you - Primark, B&M Stores, Wilkos for example. These are all cheap, lower end type shops, but they’re always packed with shoppers. Could be because they’re cheap and cheerful, or it could be because you’re left alone.

Retail training doesn’t explain how I can be asked the same thing by 3 different sales people in the same shop, in the same 5 minutes. Happens frequently. Nowadays I say ‘I’ve already been asked’ and often get that ‘well no need to be rude’ face in return! It won’t be long before I show them ‘The Hand’ to ward them off.

There’s a local shopping centre where I purposely call a friend on my phone before walking in. Stay on the call as I browse. I smile and make hand gestures to indicate I dont need assistance. Sometimes that works. One woman recently tried to talk to me 4 times when she could clearly see I was on the phone. She was actually giving me her spiel and wouldn’t be put off. I pointed at my phone, no good. Finally I stepped outside the shop by 1 foot, deliberately, to continue my call. She followed me to the doorway and kept going!!

I like it when people are friendly and helpful

I need a t-shirt that says: "I'M AUTISTIC. PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE."

Some shops seem to have switched to saying "let me know if you need help" and then walking away

This is what i do and most of my associates

Thats not a shop rule though its just how we do it, quite often i just say hello

We did have a someone who could be considered pushy...that was her personality

Balthazar it is pushy if I’ve got my headphones in or I’m on the phone.
That means I don’t want to be disturbed and I want you to leave me alone.

Oh, and there’s a trend I’ve noticed in our local big ‘mall’. They’re so bored with their corporate spiel that they make stuff up. For months now I’ve been asked plaintively ‘What’s the weather like outside?’ as an opener.

When you hear it in 16 consecutive shops it makes you want to scream. Or answer, ‘Listen love, it’s an air conditioned shop, not a fucking gulag’.

And all the while the Retail Owners lobby are moaning to Govt about declining sales. We lost access to Amazon US this month because of these morons . They should spend their time making retail shopping a less incompetent, teeth-grinding experience instead.

Oh christ

Now commenting on someone's clothes is fake

I do that if i like someones outfit or shoes or something, not even once a shift

Im making a checklist

Saying hello is insincere, compliments on peoples clothes is fake

Goodness this is depressing

My god, some of you are clearly missing the point. No one minds ‘friendly and helpful’ or a greeting - we are specifically talking about sales assistants that bombard you with questions, follow you around, demo products on you without permission, are very pushy with sales etc - it’s to the point where it’s a tiring social interaction. Customer service isn’t an all or nothing skill - there is a middle ground where you can be helpful but not harassing. If you can’t understand that, then I just don’t know how to clarify it any further.

I like it when shop staff say hello when I walk in and find it rude if I’m ignored completely.

There is also a hood readon to do it (other than manners). When I worked in retail we were taught greeting customers reduced the likelihood of shoplifting.

If you don’t like interacting with people there is always the Internet, but I appreciate good service.

My mangers ofetn ask if the person ive been chatting to is a friend of mine

Its not that i have to stop being pushy or rude to do my job

I actually have to stop being me

(And before anyone says anything...i only chat to chatty customers, if you ignore me when i say hello....fine....if you say hello and thats it....fine....if you are chatty or dont speak to many people and you want a chat....fine)

The store is always complimented on our excellent customer service, we are told we are very helpful on a frequent basis and people have cried with gratitude...AND NOT WHEN THEYVE LEFT

I went into a small NEXT on a retail site recently, just been in for about 5 mins and 3 staff approached and asked if I needed help, FFS let me get over the bloody doorstep.

name

My god, some of you are clearly missing the point. No one minds ‘friendly and helpful’ or a greeting - we are specifically talking about sales assistants that bombard you with questions,

Yes lots of posters are talking about that...even retail staff have said they hate that ...as all retail staff obviously shop

But some posters have complained about people saying hello...and its those posts ive been replying to

@AWomanIsAnAdultHumanFemale absolutely! We do it so much I remember sometimes I'm kinda happy when you visit a country where nobody does that. I remember being a child walking with my grandfather and he said hello to everybody, following with me asking 'how do you know them? He didn't