Retail workers: What little tricks do you play on customers?

Deaf LeppardDeaf Leppard Posts: 2,682
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Do any of you actually 'have a look in the back' when you say you will to a customer? Or meerly walk through the back, stand with your hands in your pockets for a few moments, before returning and saying 'no, sorry' ?

Also, if a customer is really annoying.... do you ever offer to help pack their bags, and crush any objects you can as you put them in with a big smile on your face. Objects like cakes, bread and eggs get extra punishment.

And have you ever double-scanned something and intentionally just left it on the reciept without voiding it off?

And as a final point, why oh why do 70% of the british public smell of mould? There are some really vile people around...
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  • version30version30 Posts: 651
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    Do any of you actually 'have a look in the back' when you say you will to a customer? Or meerly walk through the back, stand with your hands in your pockets for a few moments, before returning and saying 'no, sorry' ?

    Also, if a customer is really annoying.... do you ever offer to help pack their bags, and crush any objects you can as you put them in with a big smile on your face. Objects like cakes, bread and eggs get extra punishment.

    And have you ever double-scanned something and intentionally just left it on the reciept without voiding it off?

    And as a final point, why oh why do 70% of the british public smell of mould? There are some really vile people around...

    there are bad apples in every industry, and how do you come to an exact point of 70%. What is this based on, which scientific research exactly? Oh you mean the dead beat on the till. right :D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 456
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    And as a final point, why oh why do 70% of the british public smell of mould? There are some really vile people around...

    Have you noticed that some people smell of fish?

    Genuine question, because I can smell it on people sometimes.
  • sarahcssarahcs Posts: 8,734
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    Once someone whistled for my attention. He asked me to find something in a different size so I stood on the stairs with my hands in my pockets while I pretended to look for it.
  • Echo1Echo1 Posts: 7,673
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    "Retail workers: What little tricks do you play on customers?"

    As a customer I love to re-arrange the goods in shops, it does so piss of the shop staff...
  • Deaf LeppardDeaf Leppard Posts: 2,682
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    Echo1 wrote: »
    "Retail workers: What little tricks do you play on customers?"

    As a customer I love to re-arrange the goods in shops, it does so piss of the shop staff...

    You want to see what happens to your F&V before you get it home :D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 764
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    When I worked in sainsbury's the produce manager shared a couple with me. If a customer asked him where something was he would always tell them it was in aisle 26, which was the farthest aisle in the store from the produce department. He reckoned that by the time they got there and realised they were in the wrong place they were unlikely to trek all the way back to produce to ask him again.

    A younger lad told me that if a customer asked him something on a busy day, he would mutter something that didn't make sense, like "squibble flobber". The customer would ask again and he would just repeat it until the customer walked away bewildered.

    Both these were obviously before we were forced to show the customer to the product every time.
  • Echo1Echo1 Posts: 7,673
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    You want to see what happens to your F&V before you get it home :D
    I don't buy from those particular stores, just like to piss off shop staff. Tis great fun.:D
  • OreoOreo Posts: 1,145
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    People who work in supermarkets shouldn't be so stuck up their own backsides!

    Still, they are a shining example to kids to work harder at school. :)
  • LilaLila Posts: 6,780
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    Oh god loads of stuff. :D The customers turned me into a right bitch in my last job.
  • squibblesquibble Posts: 750
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    You want to see what happens to your F&V before you get it home :D

    Judging by the slackjaws that work in the fruit and vegetable section of supermarkets - is the answer 'covered in dribble'?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,369
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    When I worked in a pet store (for three weeks, it didn't work out well) I had one customer insisting that I sell her a hamster. Since I didn't have any keys, I told her I'd go and get the manager - but I'd forgotten the code to the upper door (in the back/no customers allowed area) so I just hung around and told her that she was in a meeting and couldn't be called out. She told me to go and ask again, so I waited longer.

    Came back down, said sorry, she'll be down in five, and she let off this full rant about how she was spending lots of money in the store, that I should do it, it was crap customer service (maybe it was, but there was very little I could've done - I didn't have any keys and wasn't allowed to pick up the hamsters!), and how there was a man waiting for a rabbit as well who was getting annoyed - WHAT?! Walked around the corner of the cages and lo and behold, this man doesn't even say hello, just has a go at me. So I told him I'm go and see whether the manager was out yet and went and sat down on the stairs for five minutes.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 16,275
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    In ASDA and I'm sure all other supermarkets we used to have to collect all the produce that was out of place (left at tills, on wrong shelves etc.), this would include fridge and freezer stuff. It didn't matter how long it looked like it had been hanging around the warm store or what condition it was in if the packaging was reasonable we were expected to restock it. Many a time I was trying to hide in a quiet corner of the store mutilating packaging so I didn't have some ones food poisoning on my concious.
  • Deaf LeppardDeaf Leppard Posts: 2,682
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    whip wrote: »
    In ASDA and I'm sure all other supermarkets we used to have to collect all the produce that was out of place (left at tills, on wrong shelves etc.), this would include fridge and freezer stuff. It didn't matter how long it looked like it had been hanging around the warm store or what condition it was in if the packaging was reasonable we were expected to restock it. Many a time I was trying to hide in a quiet corner of the store mutilating packaging so I didn't have some ones food poisoning on my concious.

    Meh, just whack it back in the chill!!
  • BumbleSquatBumbleSquat Posts: 7,176
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    I've wandered into the stockroom to find something for a customer and not actually bothered looking for it loads of times - but that's only because I'm sure the product isn't there so they insist on wasting both our times. Gives me a good excuse to have a gossip with a workmate or make a phone call.... :D
  • Gordie1Gordie1 Posts: 6,993
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    Thing is, i know what's in my stockroom, i dont need some nobbhead, insisting i go back and "double check", even though i assure them it isn't there.

    If i just say, sorry, but i know there isn't any in the store at all, they will say i just cant be bothered checking.

    so its best to just say "oh i will just go and check for you", and sneak off for a quick cuppa.:D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,369
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    When I worked in a clothes shop, I had a policy of 'if asked politely - go and check anyway'; if not, **** them.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 40,102
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    Not retail, but customer services here.

    I used to work in a call centre answering phones around 2 years ago and if someone wanted to complain to a manager about a pointless, minor niggle, I'd put them on hold and come back 2 minutes later saying there's none available, knowing full well no manager would give them the time of day.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,907
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    When I worked in sainsbury's the produce manager shared a couple with me. If a customer asked him where something was he would always tell them it was in aisle 26, which was the farthest aisle in the store from the produce department. He reckoned that by the time they got there and realised they were in the wrong place they were unlikely to trek all the way back to produce to ask him again.

    A younger lad told me that if a customer asked him something on a busy day, he would mutter something that didn't make sense, like "squibble flobber". The customer would ask again and he would just repeat it until the customer walked away bewildered.

    Both these were obviously before we were forced to show the customer to the product every time.

    That is absolutely hilarious. I can imagine people just walking away thinking em ok......it's such a British thing to do. Thanks for that it really made me laugh.
  • HampshireHannahHampshireHannah Posts: 1,088
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    Not retail, but customer services here.

    I used to work in a call centre answering phones around 2 years ago and if someone wanted to complain to a manager about a pointless, minor niggle, I'd put them on hold and come back 2 minutes later saying there's none available, knowing full well no manager would give them the time of day.

    I had a similar job. My manager also refused to take calls like that, so we simply transferred them to the person next to us, who claimed to be a manager.
  • captncoolcaptncool Posts: 3,702
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    some heartwarming stories there .
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 40,102
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    I had a similar job. My manager also refused to take calls like that, so we simply transferred them to the person next to us, who claimed to be a manager.

    We couldn't do that. We had a specialised department who would take complaints, but even they refused the call sometimes. If someone wants to complain, with frustration, about an issue which lasted 20 minutes, no one really cares.
  • captncoolcaptncool Posts: 3,702
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    We couldn't do that. We had a specialised department who would take complaints, but even they refused the call sometimes. If someone wants to complain, with frustration, about an issue which lasted 20 minutes, no one really cares.

    are you still working there or have you found meaningfull employment since the heady bohemian days of cheap gags at the publics expense .
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 40,102
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    captncool wrote: »
    are you still working there or have you found meaningfull employment since the heady bohemian days of cheap gags at the publics expense .

    It wasn't a cheap gag. It was keeping up good customer services. You'll probably find most of the "managers" you are speaking to are simply another agent on a more specialised team.

    If I, straight away, said "no manager would even listen to you" that's worse. It's just a trick to calm people down when they get pissed off over minor issues. If the issue was something which actually did require a manager, then yes, they'd be passed onto one.

    Managers are there to manage and not deal with petty issues. Everyone wants to speak to a manager when they can't get their own way.

    And yes, I have moved on from this job.
  • joopyjoopy Posts: 1,353
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    I worked in a bank call centre whilst getting my degree.

    I once reduced a grown man to tears by requesting a review of his overdraft, after he'd called in to complain about his charges. He'd had maybe 6 charges a month for a year, and blatantly couldn't manage his finances.

    After he'd spent 20 minutes telling me how he hated call centres and their employees - and how they were worthless places filled with worthless, unintelligent people - I took great delight in informing him that I was stopping his £3,000 overdraft with immediate effect.

    He broke down in tears - literally sobbing - and started begging me, telling me that it's all he had to live on, he needed to feed his family, that he couldn't get any other money due to a poor credit history (shock horror).

    I laughed and asked him if there was anything else I could help him with.
  • captncoolcaptncool Posts: 3,702
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    It wasn't a cheap gag. It was keeping up good customer services. You'll probably find most of the "managers" you are speaking to are simply another agent on a more specialised team.

    If I, straight away, said "no manager would even listen to you" that's worse. It's just a trick to calm people down when they get pissed off over minor issues. If the issue was something which actually did require a manager, then yes, they'd be passed onto one.

    Managers are there to manage and not deal with petty issues. Everyone wants to speak to a manager when they can't get their own way.

    And yes, I have moved on from this job.

    its a grubby profession tricking the public who in most cases pay for those calls and usually call because a company is at fault ,
    call centre workers who treat callers like you say are puppets of big orgs and traitors to the public they themselves belong to .
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