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Retail workers 'Make your way to the tills please...we're closing'
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Just thought I'd post a quick nice change to my Christmas routine.
Yesterday, whilst out shopping, after being herded (along with all the other shoppers) towards the tills 15-20 minutes before the stores were closing, I was getting more and more frantic that I wouldn't finish my shopping and that I'd end up having to trudge out again today.
In the last shop went to (HomeBargain), the staff closed the entrance doors around 5 minutes after I entered. I heard on e of the staff ask her manager, "Shall I do an announcement?".
Her reply was unexpected.
"No. We've been told by head office that we're not allowed to make any announcements whatsoever to get customers to make their way to the tills or even that the shop is closing/closed. If we do that, we'll get into serious trouble."
Her colleague asked her, "And what if we're still here at 10pm?" LOL...to which she replied, "I guess it's tough. We're not allowed to say anything to the customers. Just make sure that no more come in".
You know something? I think this is amazing foresight of HomeBargain, and it really cheered me up. I was able to get every single last thing from my list without any pressure, and it only took an extra 10 minutes.
I understand that the staff have homes to go to (in our business we've been open until 8pm instead of 5pm to accomodate customer's needs this week), but by doing what they did, they made sure that they got every last pound out of me!
I believe this is how businesses are going to have to think to survive the recession, and personally, I welcome it.
What do you guys think?
Yesterday, whilst out shopping, after being herded (along with all the other shoppers) towards the tills 15-20 minutes before the stores were closing, I was getting more and more frantic that I wouldn't finish my shopping and that I'd end up having to trudge out again today.
In the last shop went to (HomeBargain), the staff closed the entrance doors around 5 minutes after I entered. I heard on e of the staff ask her manager, "Shall I do an announcement?".
Her reply was unexpected.
"No. We've been told by head office that we're not allowed to make any announcements whatsoever to get customers to make their way to the tills or even that the shop is closing/closed. If we do that, we'll get into serious trouble."
Her colleague asked her, "And what if we're still here at 10pm?" LOL...to which she replied, "I guess it's tough. We're not allowed to say anything to the customers. Just make sure that no more come in".
You know something? I think this is amazing foresight of HomeBargain, and it really cheered me up. I was able to get every single last thing from my list without any pressure, and it only took an extra 10 minutes.
I understand that the staff have homes to go to (in our business we've been open until 8pm instead of 5pm to accomodate customer's needs this week), but by doing what they did, they made sure that they got every last pound out of me!
I believe this is how businesses are going to have to think to survive the recession, and personally, I welcome it.
What do you guys think?
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Comments
What makes you suspect that it's unpaid?
And what makes you think that I'm not a poorly paid retail worker myself?
My point is that when the recession really hits (next year), this particular company will have the cash to survive it and keep people in their jobs due to their forward thinking.
Can't say the same about Woolworths though...can we?
I have worked for 5 or 6 major retailers, and no-one in any of those companies would be paid the extra 10 minutes you delayed them by, (well i say 10 minutes, but then they may have a had a bus to catch and be another hour waiting on the next one, but hey-ho, as long as you got you shopping done,
Oh please...asking staff to be a little bit flexible for 3 days out of the entire year isn't like asking for the earth, surely?
When you walk into A&E, how long do you think those nurses have been working? Do you think they just get to clock off right on the hour? Some of us work in the services industry and believe me, 10 minute delay to help someone is nothing. We do it every week, not just at Christmas!
What do you mean? It helped me enormously! More than they probably even know. It means that today I get to start on the cranberry sauce etc. before popping to work to hand out Christmas cards and gifts. Later, I'll prep the veg for tomorrow and finish wrapping the presents. Overall, it looks as if Christmas Eve will be relaxing for a change. I am really grateful!
If the closing times dont matter, then why bother having them?
The shop closes at a set time, if you cant/wont/dont get yourself in and out before that time, perhaps you need to look at getting your shopping done earlier.
Why should someone else be forced to work for free to satify your whim?
I will lay it down straight, you would be getting ushered to the door by me, company directive or not, if i have a bus to get and the next aint for another hour, im outa there, and so are you.:D
LOL. Maybe that's why you're working in retail and catching buses rather than sitting on a director's wage with a company car? Not enough initiative for innovation in customer service?
I would have switched the tills off bang on time, people know when shops close it is their responsibility to finish their shop on time if they hadn't then tough, if they were really busy then go to a 24hr supermarket.
I think there's a big difference between nurses and staff in Home Bargains. The staff at Home Bargains aren't making sure that someone's life is safe from danger. I think it's just another daft rule, personally. You seemed to be okay, but what about someone who could be awkward? They could be dawdling around the shop for about an hour.
We've not got any 24 hour supermarkets around here. I do sort of agree with your other points though.
I'm just going to count to ten.... breathe and remind myself it's nearly Christmas so the madness will be over by this time next week
Hmmmnn...well there is that I suppose. I didn't think about the fact that anyone would want to be awkward...I just assumed that they would do the decent thing and get their christmas shopping as quickly as possible like I did.
I was really grateful though to have those extra few minutes to finish my list. It's changed my Christmas being be able to concentrate on other things today rather than face the last minute rush.
It also means there'll be one less in the queue for the likes of the nurses who finish at 2pm and have to do a mad rush!
Actually i drive to work now (company car), and im on a decent wage, however i have worked my way up through various retail companies over the years.;)
I have to agree with you guys. Why people wait until the very last min to do their shopping is beyond me. We all know when it's coming!
Hang on, you said at the end of your OP...
Which implies you think this should be a permanent thing, or at least whilst we in recession and not just for 3 days.
Could you have not done it from the 24th November pay packet knowing that you wouldn't be paid again til xmas eve?
In these circumstances it's up to the store manager to find ways of placating the staff and a good one will usually be able to do this.
Having worked in retail, I understood this was part of the job at Xmas time and customers like the OP were great, grateful for that bit of extra time and did their stuff as quickly as possible. It was the customers that seem to feel that once they were inside the shop they would take as long as possible just because they 'could' that made me angry.
I think your being pretty selfish to be honest.You expect shop staff to wait behind so you can finish your christmas shopping because it saves you going out the following day.It's not the shops fault if your are not organized & you decide to leave things to the last min.
And i very much doubt a shop staying open an extra 15-20 mins is going to save them from the recession.
There you go, 2 close by
Tesco
Store details Telephone Store type
CONSETT,
DELVES LANE,
CONSETT,
DURHAM,
DH8 7ES
0845 6779175
Opening times
Day Opening Closed
Monday 0600 midnight
Tuesday 0600 midnight
Wedsday 0600 midnight
Thursday 0600 midnight
Friday 0600 midnight
Saturday 0600 midnight
Sunday 1000 1600
Asda
Asda Supermarket
Front Street
Stanley
DH9 0NB
Tel: 01207 235721
Monday Opens at 8am
Tuesday 24 hours
Wednesday 24 hours
Thursday 24 hours
Friday 24 hours
Saturday Closes at 10pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm
And, yes, I know the Tesco is not open 24 hours, but its open long enough
This^^
That's okay for people with cars. Fair enough though.