To be irritated by Asda card woman?

[ExitSandyman]

At our local Asda there is a woman who hangs around the cards - she’s ALWAYS there. She doesn’t seem to do much other than tidy up the shelves and bother customers. She wears a badge that’s says volunteer.

Anyway whenever you go down the cards aisle she will come over and ask if you need any help. No matter what your answer is, she will ask who you’re buying for and start pulling out cards that you might like.

I personally like to shop in peace. If I’m buying a card, I know the person I’m buying for and I know what kind of thing they’ll like.?having this woman pushing various cards into me is a distraction and an annoyance. Has anyone ever heard of these volunteers at Asda? Is it some kind of scheme? She’s been there well over a year. My heart sinks everytime I need a card and I see her stood there as she just won’t leave people alone.

and yeah I know people will say shop for cards elsewhere but I shouldn’t have to!

Well now that you know she is most likely SEN you can look at the situation differently.

You can’t be in the card section that often that it’s become such a hassle surely?

I too think it is a bit odd that the OP is in the card section so often to be honest. I mean no judgement….maybe she has a lot of friends/family members to buy for 🤷‍♀️. Or maybe she is just exaggerating 😂

She could always buy the cards in one go if it’s causing her that much hassle.

Definitely not appropriate to discipline her. I think it would be sensible for someone to explain to her that if someone says no thank you she should leave them alone. If it were me I'd just feel very stressed and uncomfortable, but would always be polite. However, eventually she's likely to meet someone who will have a go at her which could be devastating for her. It would be better for the manager to explain when to back off to protect her from such an incident.

It's funny how kindness, empathy and understanding only seem to work one way according to many posters on here.

No one here knows what else the OP (or anyone else saying they wouldn't like this) has got going on in their life, or what mental health conditions they may suffer from themselves.

It also seems that many pp are missing the fact that OP is politely saying, "No, thanks" to the help offered, but that this woman continues to pester and will then start giving OP cards to look at, when OP's already said several times that she doesn't require help and wishes to be left to look alone.

@ExitSandyman I think all you can do is have a quiet word with the store manager and say that whilst you appreciate her role, she needs to be given further training to understand/accept that when customers decline her offer of help that she accepts this and leaves them alone.

Dear god she is likely to have issue making work impossible .
So hard to get meaningful opportunities to experience a working environment for some people.
Suck it up be grateful that you don't know someone in this position who needs this support .

Maybe they put her on the cards because they didn’t envisage someone shopping there so often, like say the milk or bread aisle?

I would hate this, I have autism and hate unexpected social interactions like this and I’m a people pleaser so find it hard to articulate no thank you, especially to someone who doesn’t take the cue. I would probably end up buying a card I don’t want from her because I would find it hard to say no. I think I would just shop elsewhere.

I think that it is a really good thing that Asda is doing, but I agree that the card section may not be the best place for this individual. That is not to say that they could not be invaluable elsewhere in the store. We obviously do not know if other shoppers are finding her approach to be overbearing either. That would depend on whether shoppers engage in any feedback to the store.

I didn't know Asda did this, I love this!!

As soon as you mentioned the volunteer badge I guessed that she might have SEN, can't believe you didn't twig op. Easy solution, buy your cards elsewhere. If you want cheap and cheerful (which is what Asda offer) go and stock up at card factory.

Or just be polite to this lady. Going to Asda is hardly my idea of a relaxing shopping experience anyway.

I think that's fair enough. You should not shop at places that don't suit your needs or align with your values.

The level of sneering 'not for me thank you' posters in this thread is utterly depressing.

Yes, you might have autism/a bereavement to cope with/social anxiety but if you're in ASDA, independently doing your own shopping, without the need for a support person then you are obviously 'functioning' in the world in a way that the woman in the ASDA card aisle is not and never will be able to.

Her job (because it is a job) is very important to her and it makes her feel proud of herself. It gives her some self esteem and makes her feel less 'different'.

My advice to all the people who find ASDA's approach to giving adults with LD/SEN jobs would be to 'get over yourself and look at the bigger picture.

Yes, you might have autism/a bereavement to cope with/social anxiety but if you're in ASDA, independently doing your own shopping, without the need for a support person then you are obviously 'functioning' in the world in a way that the woman in the ASDA card aisle is not and never will be able to.

But... she IS out there functioning without a support worker?

Because if she had a support worker with her then they would be able to gently dissuade her from continuing to harass someone who has clearly expressed their desire not to be bothered...

So it’s fair that ASDA exclude some people with disabilities then?

The OP seems to have the insight and sensitivity of a gnat.

It's easy, just smile, say hello (not weird to do this as you see her frequently) ask her how her day is going, tell her something about yours, and then say "Right, it's great to see you again, but I've a million things to do today, see you next time?". It will take you 30 seconds and may make her day.

But surely after that she will start trying to help with the card selection? I think interacting with her will make her think you want her help?

I would be concerned to cause her no upset and would do the chat ect. but i would find it awkward.

If she was there all the time it would make me do my card shopping elsewhere.

My choice/my loss ect. but that is very much not the desired outcome of the scheme.

The scheme is a very good one, and deserves to succeed. In order for this to happen improved monitoring is obviously needed in this case to avoid anything negative coming out of it.

Call me a heartless bitch but I would say something to a manager OP. Even if she has SEN she can be taught appropriate ways to behave (ie. not speaking to every single shopper that comes down the card aisle). Or perhaps they need to swap her round different areas so she’s not always by the cards? There are things that can be done here.

Not everyone wants to be harassed

I understand what you mean - that's why I'm suggesting having a closing line, e.g. "Right, great to see you but I must go now" or even "I don't need any help choosing a card today, but thanks for offering!". Either way, I think I'm just saying smile, chat and be a bit more patient. Believe me, I'm no saint, but this is what I'd do.

And that would entirely negate the whole point of her role. Maybe ASDA thought that, on the whole, shoppers to their store are kind and supportive of the people they place in volunteer roles? The volunteers do have someone assigned to 'manage' them in the same way you have a manager at your place of work. Presumably your manager doesn't shadow you constantly but allows you to go about your day doing your job and intervenes when it's deemed appropriate.

Your second paragraph is vile.

OP definitely needs a badge like that since she can't even spare 30 seconds from her extremely hectic lifestyle 🙄

So it’s fair that ASDA exclude some people with disabilities then?

I think people should be able to choose where they shop.

If @MolkosTeenageAngst doesn't want to buy cards at Asda because they don't want to talk to a volunteer who is chatty then they should shop for cards in another shop where they feel comfortable.

I wasn't aware that Asda did this volunteer scheme but the benefit to those people who are in the scheme must be absolutely enormous. I'd rather go elsewhere for my cards if it made me uncomfortable to talk to the volunteer and live in a society where big corporations are implementing schemes like these.