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!!"

Don't worry you're not special, when you work in customer service it's like second nature to greet or try help ANYBODY who comes near or into the shop. It's drilled into us!

Or at least any decent customer service worker

duck

We usually go and check just in case

But the management especially are very on the ball when it comes to stock

But our shop isnt very big, even though its part of a chain

I also work in a very small shop and not speaking to someone who came in would be the height of rudeness, unless I am actively serving someone else. I also work alone quite a bit, so have to have eyes in the back of my head, so if saying hello (which is usually what I do then wait to see if there are 'help me' signals) helps deter shoplifting, then I am going to keep on doing it. And also because I know I will get marked down by a mystery shopper (who are bloody erratic enough as it is) and don't want to face being disciplined.

Do you honestly think people aren't capable of asking if they need help?

Well, apparently they're not able to say "hello", or "thank-you very much for offering to help but I'd much rather browse alone", or have general polite normal day-to-day human interaction without complaining, so I guess not

I quite often say

Let me know if you need any help

As it doesnt piss my manager off and its quite hard to say NO to

I don’t think the problem is just being approached or greeted - it’s more when you’re followed around the store, bombarded with questions or comments or generally just aren’t allowed to be left alone for a minute to browse.

The excessive customer service is awkward and draining honestly. And I used to work in retail and was constantly left fab feedback from customers - I’ve been there and I have never hassled a customer like this.

Well, apparently they're not able to say "hello", or "thank-you very much for offering to help but I'd much rather browse alone", or have general polite normal day-to-day human interaction without complaining, so I guess not

Why be sarcastic? Not everyone is the same and some people find enforced interaction stressful. Most of the time it’s not a simple response, but open ended questions, chatting, small talk and being followed around.

Well, apparently they're not able to say "hello", or "thank-you very much for offering to help but I'd much rather browse alone", or have general polite normal day-to-day human interaction without complaining, so I guess not

But it's not "normal" interaction is it? It's artificial and insincere. And apparently it's done to deter shop lifting.

'Normal' is when people have at least a passing and genuine interest in you. Not when, "hello, can I help you" actually means "I'm under orders to greet you so you know I'm watching you and don't attempt to steal anything"

To be fair I am specifically talking about my experiences with lush, I haven’t had intense customer service anywhere else.

Ive never hassled a customer and i dont think ive ever been hassled

To be fair i might not have noticed

I worked on Next a bit under 20 years ago and we were expected to use our common sense and I wouldn't have dreamed of bugging customers. But nowadays you just get stalked around a shop and I just leave. Also hate the fake 'How are you today?' at the till. As for 'Thank you for waiting' - aghhhh!!

@blueskypink I have frequently heard customers saying to whoever they're shopping with 'oh its not here lets try somewhere else' or something similar at which point I will ask what they're looking for and either find it or a suitable alternative.
Obviously I couldn't provide a specific figure.

But it's not "normal" interaction is it? It's artificial and insincere. And apparently it's done to deter shop lifting

How is it not normal to say hello?

I say hello all the time in virtually ever interaction

Or morning sometimes...if its the morning obviously

Always amuses me when they do this in shoe shops. Who would want to steal one left shoe in a tiny size?! (I expect someone will tell me)
And I was a mystery shopper and hated the fact I had to score on this aspect of shopping because I don’t like it myself. Makes those of us who aren’t planning to steal anything feel watched. Or guilty for ‘just looking’.

If they automatically assume everyone is a shoplifter and they have to stare at you and follow you around then it’s probably going to cost more in lost sales than the odd shoplifting event. Perhaps shops need to improve their security so items aren’t so easily stolen.

Oh for goodness sake

90% of times people say hello to be polite

They dont just say hello to potential shoplifters

They say hello to everyone

How is it not normal to say hello?

Rufus - I explained that in my earlier post.

Yes they say hello so anybody who’s thinking of shoplifting knows they’ve been seen entering the shop and will therefore feel more self conscious and less likely to steal. Apparently.

Of course it's normal. Someone comes into my place of work, I say hello and ask them how they are. I know everything we have, where it all is, and everything about it, so ask if they're looking for anything in particular. Also all of our stock isn't on display, and I can order stock from other branches.
I have never felt harassed or bothered by sales assistants, but if they are literally following you and asking several times then I can see how that would be annoying. But I am going to defend myself against PPs saying they would leave a shop if a sales assistant dared say hi to them too quickly. I get a lot of crap customers who treat me like a sub human so am feeling very defensive!

Which previous post? This one?

ormal' is when people have at least a passing and genuine interest in you. Not when, "hello, can I help you" actually means "I'm under orders to greet you so you know I'm watching you and don't attempt to steal anything"

But as ive said in may posts 'hello' is a very normal thing to say

I would say hello to the shop assistant or a friend or good morning to someone in the street

Just because i work in a shop doesnt mean that my hello is automatically insincere or that i think your a bloody tea leaf

Someone said that acknowledging has the added bonus of showing a POTENTIAL shoplifter that there are staff in the shop

Not that every customer is a potential shoplifter

But there was no point me typing that

I know

Night all

Fabric - when people come into my office I say hello. But nobody has ordered me to do that and i'm not saying it to make sure they know I've got my eye on them.

I get a lot of crap customers who treat me like a sub human so am feeling very defensive!

Oh tell me about it! I get so much when customers aren't happy. In the last week I've been sworn at, called names and had my appearance mocked all by different customers who weren't getting their way. I find it hard to bit my tongue when I see retail staff criticized just for doing their jobs properly.

I think a lot of store assistants feel defensive due to criticism, but it’s the policies from management I object to and not individuals. I also feel defensive because I don’t like people to assume I’m rude or unpleasant just because I don’t want to chat.

I definitely agree that customer service deters shoplifting, but there’s a line. You can be attentive and greet every customer, but you don’t have to essentially harass them or be very pushy with sales - common sense should dictate what approach to take.

For example at my old job (at Topshop) I would give very intense customer service to someone that I suspected of shoplifting, but not to each customer that I came across. Whereas a retailer like Lush are more than likely pushy and intense, by default. I was very busy outside of talking to customers (managing staff, till queues, clear rail etc) so having customers comfortably browse then ask me for help when they’re ready was actually easier. I could recover the store during hectic periods and keep an eye on suspicious individuals inconspicuously instead. And again, I received countless positive feedback from customers and even had a lady write a letter to my store manager, so giving intense customer service isn’t necessarily the perfect approach.