Stores don't know know shit about what you are asking for!

People are stubborn with what they drink, they find something they like and they stick with it. Me? I prefer vodka, I don't really care what brand as long as it gets me drunk.

 

I find for every idiot sales colleague, there's an idiot customer, and the worst ones are people that think they know something. Try working in customer service and you will understand why they ask "you plugged it in".

I always remember the time when a customer rang up about the cup holder on his new PC. You ask what cup holder, it was the CD tray that had broken off, after he put his cup of coffee on it!

 

I work in a tobacco shop. I don't smoke. I realize that for a lot of people this seems ironic, but I do try my best to learn as much as I can about all the brands we have. To the point of annoying our sales reps sometimes, but I need to know how Brand X tastes compares to Brand Y.

Still, some people come in and flat out cannot believe that I work here and don't smoke. I've been called liar, lazy, racist, plenty of things, just because I couldn't tell them what color filter was on a cigarette. I'm minimum wage, but I work hard to know as much as I can. Sometimes, I just don't know. Why can't (some) customers grasp that some employees just don't know everything about everything they sell?

 

That's as true for staff as it is for customers. Idiots who think they know what they're talking about but don't are always the most hassle.

You're right on the PC support thing, anyway. Do that job for a day and your assumptions about the average level of IT awareness will probably take a dent. It's not just that some people are thick, either - they can be really smart and yet incapable of grasping the simplest GUI principles.

 

Or even the basic principles on how to use a mouse.

 

Now iv worked in retail for a fairly long time in plenty of positions and i think its really important to understand what your selling even if your on minimum wages.

As in most cases above id be pissed if i went to buy something from a store and they didnt have a clue about anything there.

There job title (Customer service assistant) kinda gives away what they are there for.

 

Binggggg. I just say "I know what I need." and walk directly to the back without making any eye-contact. Grab what I want, head to the front. I'm sure they respect, to some degree, that I don't bother them.

 

I worked in a pet store for a few months about a decade ago. People would come up and ask me shit that I had no clue about.

Customer:

"How large does this dog grow up to be?"

Me:

"Umm... 100 lbs?"

Boss:

"It's a Lasha Apso you moron."

Another example:

Customer:

"Does this fish get Butango-Butango disease?"

Me:

"Our fish don't have diseases."

Customer:

"Then why is it's tail red?"

Me:

?????


God damn I hated that place.

 

I'm paid pittance and are way over qualified for my job, but If people ask me about stuff, I don't BS Them. If they want to know about a memory card, camera or whatever, 99% of the time, I know about it. The problem is that the employees don't get to know their products. I've tried all of the products I sell and got to know each one of them and what their good/bad aspects are.

The rudest person I've ever met in a store was in a shopping mall in Florida and was in a radioshack. My mother was picking out a radio for my nephew, was a spiderman one. Being not the most knowledgeable about technology, She likes to look it over and read the packaging. The clerk (who was on his mobile phone), Put his hand over the microphone on his phone and asked her 'Is there anything I can help you with?' to which my mother said 'No thanks, Just looking' and he just turns into KingKong and shouts at her 'THIS ISNT A MUSEUM'. We all have bad days, but don't take it out on your customers dude..


Saying that, My dad and I, have a good game we play on holiday called 'The RadioShack Game'. Basically go into a RadioShack and try and get from the door to the back wall, and back again out the door without getting asked by a staff member 'I can help?'. Fun Game!

 

You'd win that game all the time in Australia! Nobody's that eager to help you

 

I remember having this problem when I was trying to get a replacement usb adapter for my TI-83 calculator.

Me: Hi. My usb adapter for my TI-83 quit working. Can I get a new one? It's the cable that plugs into the thing that looks like a headphone jack on one end, and a USB port on the other.

Customer Support: So it plugs into the USB port on your calculator? What you want is a USB A to USB B cord.

Me: No, the calculator doesn't have a usb port, just a serial port thing that looks like a headphone jack.

Customer Support: Oh, I know what you're talking about [makes arrangements to ship the item]

Then they end up sending me a USB A - USB mini cord

 

Oh goodness.... tech support with idiots...

Currently I work at a university in their distance engineering department for one of the schools there. It's amazing how smart some people are, and yet when placed in front of a computer they become completely idiotic.

Best part, I tell them flat out that they should stand in a certain area (usually about a 6-10 foot square) so that the camera can pick them up fine... only to find that 5 seconds later, they walk right in front of the projection light screen, causing a blinding glare to come up for the camera.

I really could go on with the sheer amount of pain that is just caused by people being stupid...

 

BTW, if you've never worked in a store before...here's a tip.

It's their job to ask you, if you need help. And it's not a fucking video game, after they've "contacted" you - you don't change a color so they know not to ask you anymore.

Other employees are told to CONTACT you. Most stores have a 10 feet, 30 second rule. If they're within 10 feet, you must ask if they need assistance within 30 seconds.

Why? Because you may not like being asked if you need help - But there are people who won't ask for help, and get upset if they don't get it.

You don't have a sign that tells the employee "I am fine, thank you." They are not psychic.

When Best Buy switched from a commision based sales staff to non commision, there was a rule. Do not approach customers - let them come to you. Do things like, stock product or face product and await a customer to ask.

Soon after the "10, 30" rule was put into place. Why? Because they recieved a large amounts of complaints that there was no one there to help - the staff was always busy stocking shelves and things and no one would make sure they were doing ok.

Most customers are the OPPOSITE of us. Most of us on this forum are FAIRLY technical and know what we want at a store.

Most of the world isn't.

 

^This, I'm always polite to staff no matter what they say or do, it is only their job after all and if you've ever been there yourself you know that they're not getting some kind of sick enjoyment out of asking you.

 

I understand in stores but the case I posted was just a piss take. I told him what it definately wasn't but he still asked me to do that.

 

Actually, some of us DO change color as a warning...
OH:

 

it was more of a statement to what C-Kronos and Cooleo said.