To think this is ridiculous

[Sparkly212]

DS (18) works in retail at the weekends. He has had a hard time since he got This job last summer with his new manager who started a few months ago and another bitchy two faced colleague who thinks she is better than everyone else and who outshines herself to make her look the best.

Anyway, I’ll not get into that, DS has been told by his manager that as soon as a customer enters the shop, he needs to approach the customer and ask them if they’d like any help. AIBU to find this ridiculous?

I know myself that when I go to shops I don’t like the staff annoying me as soon as I come in, I’d expect them to give me a minute or two and if I’m still there and haven’t approached the staff myself, I’d have expected them to ask me if I’m okay and if I need any help.

DS’ manager has told DS that it is unacceptable to leave a customer for a minute or two when they come in as they may feel ignored and then leave. Yes nobody should ignore a customer - but is it really necessary to hassle a customer as soon as they enter? Surely that would piss them off more?

He needs another job. Or no job and an allowance from you instead.

Seriously op, he needs to do as requested. That’s their policy. It’s not his place, and it’s really not yours to question it.

If he doesn’t like it he can quit, but whilst he’s there he should do as requested.

You must know this, do you not work?

I hate it when shop staff do this but it is standard in many shops and is his job so YABU. I’m not sure why you are getting so wound up over this!

I worked in retail for years and most shops have a "greeter" who is stationed at the front of the shop specifically to say hello to customers and direct them to the right area/section/floor or help them straight away.

We live in a very demanding society, many people hate waiting for anything, and many who only face the shops if they're after something really specific. Having someone tell them straight away whether they stock what they're after or if it's available is actually very beneficial for many, many customers

It IS possible to do as the manager asks without annoying the customers. Plenty of shop assistants manage to breezily ask if you need anything without being in-your-face or annoying. I find our local Thorntons shop is really good for that. Whenever I go in, unless they're serving someone, someone will always ask if I need any help etc., but they never get close to you - always several steps away, and they always make out they're doing something else when they come over, i.e. after they've made contact, they carry on past you and straighten boxes on a shelf or something like that. I think they must be trained in not making the customers feel uncomfortable. I hate the way staff approach you in other shops, but somehow they make me feel welcome in Thorntons.

This is what it’s like in retail. Ultimately that’s what makes it such shit work - management are told by HO what to expect from staff, abc much of that will have little to nothing to do with what most customers prefer. Management will have to adhere to what HO decrees, whether they agree or not.

If retail doesn’t suit him he’d be better off finding something else to do rather than railing against what retail entails.

Does he work in Lush?

I'm sorry, but in a low paid retail (or any other large employer MW job) he's not being paid to make judgements for himself. He needs to do what his manager tells him to do, even if he thinks it's wrong. The business model is for a highly constrained job, so that you don't have to pay extra to attract people able to exercise their judgement. He has to work within those constraints, in this case to engage with the customer as soon as they walk in.

Look, bottom line is that you need to cut those apron strings. He's a big boy now and needs to start being independent, so back off a little.

If his boss has told h.to do something and he is not doing it the tough, he gets reprimanded, sacked etc.

If he was doing as he was told, is being paid to do then even the most evil, conniving colleague in the world wouldn't be able to report him.

As for the task, your opinion is of precisely no value, to him, the manage or the business. None!

He is an 18 year old part time assistant. He is not the store manager. He doesn’t get to dictate policy!

And you sound over involved.

I used to work for Lush and had to do this but I was told not to take no for a answer and if the customer was hostile it’s because I hadn’t discovered the right approach for them hmm.
I agree it’s shit. Having to make the decision between customers being aggressive to you or your manager telling you your not good enough is crap. The majority of people hate being pounced on and will make there displeasure known.

I don't know why people say yabu. Yanbu at all. You are looking after your son. I used to work in retail card shops/clothes shops and would be asked to go and ask customers if they needed any help. I used to hate this and feel so uncomfortable and awkward. Guess I was wrong that I did work in retail for a time. As a customer now I would walk straight back out the shop if I need help with something then I will ask a staff member. Yanbu at all.

I really don't understand what your first paragraph has to do with any of this?

If his manager tells him he needs to greet customers immediately, then he'll just have to get on and do it.

You are looking after your son.

She’s not paying his though is she, so he’ll have to do what the people who are ask him to.

It also depends on what is being sold, if it is clothes I would rather be left alone, but if it is something I may need advice on, like phones or other technology, or skin care then I appreciate some one approaching me and asking if I need help. It is a fine line sometimes whether to approach or not, and experience is the best teacher.

Um...you seem very involved in your son's weekend retail job...

Why does he care? He doesn't have to like it, he just has to get on with it.

More importantly: why do you care?

And why on earth are you calling someone bitchy and two-faced because your son has to greet customers when they come into the store???

Yabu.
This is actually ridiculous.
Your son is 18!!! 18!!
Fuck me.

His colleague is constantly on his back as though she is the manager and is clearly reporting everything back to the bosses. He was late back from his break by 1 minute recently and his boss knew all about it and she was off on the day in question! So it’s clearly the colleague that is doing this.

She has no right to gossip about him when she has the same job description.

She makes unnecessary and undermining comments all the time.

I’m really only making this thread because I want to know why he is being bullied Because he is putting the customer first

Helicopter parenting at its finest

@Wildthyme awk grow up

It's a weekend retail job. Why doesn't he just apply for somewhere different if he's unhappy there?

I don’t like it when store staff approach me like this either. But it’s what he’s been told to do and “My mummy thinks your policies are ridiculous” is hardly the way to handle it. He should either work towards getting promoted and change things from within when he’s senior enough to do so, or change jobs to a company whose ethos he (or you...) agree with. Or just suck it up and do as he’s told.

How are you going to cope when he has a more long term job? Are you going to be ringing up CEOs and telling them that their company policies don’t suit your son?

This would be very easily solved if he just does what his employer asks him to do.

How is asking a customer if they need any help harassing them?

Oh dear