Re: Associate description
Warning: For Full Access Please Log In or Create an Account (Free)
Any company I work with has started to stray away from the weight or never asked for it in the first place. If I had to guess exact age or weight, my shops would be rejected. Does your company have any sample narratives with examples of how the associates are described? I always go by any sample narratives. For age, I use a range; 18-21, 22-25, 26-30 etc.....but that is just me. I have not had any problem using those ranges. Weight is a touchy one.
Forgive my grammar and spelling on the boards. I am off duty.
In all my time shopping I have never had a shop challenged based on employee descriptors. My guess is that I am not even close on ages of many of them. Height I gauge by people I know. One son is 6', one is 5'8", I am 5'7". So in the 5'5"-6'0" range I figure I am pretty accurate unless a woman is wearing heels or someone is slouching. Most of the time ethnicity is easy enough, but there are more and more mulattos out there that I just can't figure. What do you say for a male with African American features, oriental honey skin and bright blue eyes? I love that "other" category. I try to avoid the weight issue entirely and the few shops of late that have touched on it have 'slender, average, large'. Since we are all sensitive about our weight at least to some extent, the vast majority of my contacts are "Average".
Yes, one company asks for "build", small, average or large.
Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In all my time shopping I have never had a shop
> challenged based on employee descriptors. My
> guess is that I am not even close on ages of many
> of them. Height I gauge by people I know. One
> son is 6', one is 5'8", I am 5'7". So in the
> 5'5"-6'0" range I figure I am pretty accurate
> unless a woman is wearing heels or someone is
> slouching. Most of the time ethnicity is easy
> enough, but there are more and more mulattos out
> there that I just can't figure. What do you say
> for a male with African American features,
> oriental honey skin and bright blue eyes? I love
> that "other" category. I try to avoid the weight
> issue entirely and the few shops of late that have
> touched on it have 'slender, average, large'.
> Since we are all sensitive about our weight at
> least to some extent, the vast majority of my
> contacts are "Average".
I too have never been questioned about a description. I'm terrible on age. Height s hard; sometimes the cashier (like at convenience stores) are standing on a raised platform which throws you off. Sometimes I have difficulty when they want to know Asian, Hispanic, African, because I can't tell...... But whatever I say seems to be acceptable so far.
-------------------------------------------------------
> In all my time shopping I have never had a shop
> challenged based on employee descriptors. My
> guess is that I am not even close on ages of many
> of them. Height I gauge by people I know. One
> son is 6', one is 5'8", I am 5'7". So in the
> 5'5"-6'0" range I figure I am pretty accurate
> unless a woman is wearing heels or someone is
> slouching. Most of the time ethnicity is easy
> enough, but there are more and more mulattos out
> there that I just can't figure. What do you say
> for a male with African American features,
> oriental honey skin and bright blue eyes? I love
> that "other" category. I try to avoid the weight
> issue entirely and the few shops of late that have
> touched on it have 'slender, average, large'.
> Since we are all sensitive about our weight at
> least to some extent, the vast majority of my
> contacts are "Average".
I too have never been questioned about a description. I'm terrible on age. Height s hard; sometimes the cashier (like at convenience stores) are standing on a raised platform which throws you off. Sometimes I have difficulty when they want to know Asian, Hispanic, African, because I can't tell...... But whatever I say seems to be acceptable so far.
57carol Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, one company asks for "build", small, average
> or large.
I shop with them often. When it is a woman, I really hate having to put large build. Usually if they are just slightly on the large side, I will put average, but sometimes there is no way to get around putting large.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, one company asks for "build", small, average
> or large.
I shop with them often. When it is a woman, I really hate having to put large build. Usually if they are just slightly on the large side, I will put average, but sometimes there is no way to get around putting large.
They only want weight if they ask for it...95% of the time it's Male, 5'9, black short hair, around 25, glasses, (gotee or tatto on neck). I have never been challenged on description.
Live consciously....
One company I know asks for race and I have been challenged on the description when I refused to fathom a guess as to the race of the employee. I don't take those assignments anymore because I feel that's just on offensive requirement, and likely to become a legal hassle at some point here in CA.
For age/weight descriptions, I guess low, figuring the employee will be flattered if I take 20 lbs and 5 yesrs off, and therefor less like to question the report. Guessing someone's weight higher is a surefire way of having your observational skills brought into question :-)
For age/weight descriptions, I guess low, figuring the employee will be flattered if I take 20 lbs and 5 yesrs off, and therefor less like to question the report. Guessing someone's weight higher is a surefire way of having your observational skills brought into question :-)
I try to guess low as well, and if there is some gray mixed in the hair color, I go with what it used to be. I was challenged when I said, male, 5'10", short dark hair. It came back, what color of dark hair? Well naturally I was thinking dark brown, perhaps they thought it could be dark purple?
When they're sitting down, hard to guess weight and hard to guess age... 20's, 30's has to do many times. L.A. with Botox, & sun tanning makes everyone look younger. They have to know everything is an approximate. I have seen the one that has a list of race, (offensive), but I do it and guess the best I can...so many mixed races, who can say! The one that wants the color and style of the shirts they're wearing is a stretch...asking if they were in uniforms seems to be enough in my book...but, that's msing.
Live consciously....
Irene_L.A. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When they're sitting down, hard to guess weight
> and hard to guess age...
I usually guess at height based on torso when a person is sitting down so I had to laugh at myself when a normal torso female bank teller popped off her stool to go get me a brochure and her legs were so short that she was probably 4'6" maximum when I had estimated her at around 5'6"-5'7".
-------------------------------------------------------
> When they're sitting down, hard to guess weight
> and hard to guess age...
I usually guess at height based on torso when a person is sitting down so I had to laugh at myself when a normal torso female bank teller popped off her stool to go get me a brochure and her legs were so short that she was probably 4'6" maximum when I had estimated her at around 5'6"-5'7".
I was challenged on a gas station report because I omitted height. The cashier was in a wheel chair.
Flash, that's funny....but what are we mind readers. Little people on stools, pick a height....wheel chair, just say 4'5 sitting.
Live consciously....
I guess I was not clear. I wanted to know if you use , ; / to separate the descripton. Female/5'5";long black hair;33
Hmmm. I generally just use commas. Female, 24-26, 5'5"-5'7", light brown hair, shoulder length worn down and curly.
If there's no example provided, I'll use commas or slashes in the boxes. I've seen it both those ways, but not a semicolon. For narratives, I sometimes insert it into the actual paragraph, ie; "I was approached by a 5'10" male employee, with short, dark brown hair, etc.". If it doesn't fit the tone, I'll use parentheses, with commas separating the descriptors.
In regard to the other things that have come up in this discussion, I really do find it interesting when requirements vary from company to company. I was really shocked the first time I saw a company requiring race. Most companies will specifically say to NOT include race or weight. I slipped up once, and included the employee's build, in order to differentiate him from another employee on duty.
I once had a report returned to me because I couldn't check off hair length. The guy was wearing a turban! I wrote a note explaining this when I submitted the report. It was accepted, but I still had to re-explain when the report was initially termed incomplete.
I once had a report returned to me because I couldn't check off hair length. The guy was wearing a turban! I wrote a note explaining this when I submitted the report. It was accepted, but I still had to re-explain when the report was initially termed incomplete.
Yes, I LOVE the 'hair length' question and even the 'hair color' when associates have to have the hair completely covered and the covering is not see through. I start looking for escaped wisps. Sometimes you can tell by the size/location of a lump whether there is a probably shoulder length or very short haircut under the bonnet. Other times it is pure guess by eyebrow and other visible hair.
Irene_L.A. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have seen the one that has a list of race, (offensive)
I've seen a few others say that they thought putting race was offensive, but I guess I see it differently. IMO, by making it "wrong" to mention race implies that there is something wrong with some races, as if it is an insult to state what their race is.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have seen the one that has a list of race, (offensive)
I've seen a few others say that they thought putting race was offensive, but I guess I see it differently. IMO, by making it "wrong" to mention race implies that there is something wrong with some races, as if it is an insult to state what their race is.
I don't disagree. Perhaps it's deemed offensive because there's a chance of getting it wrong -- which definitely COULD be offensive. But again, there are obviously differences between the MSCs. While most cite race and, and build or weight as being offensive, some require that information. Regarding build, just because someone's a big guy does not necessarily mean they're overweight.
Color hair here is many times shaved or bald (that's the style among the young)
race I don't take it at all to mean something is wrong...mixed races are not easely indentified, for instance: mexican and white mixed, asian and black mixed, I guess what's close and have never been called on it....I live in a very diverse area, has nothing at all to do with anything personal, they generally want a description, or next we'll have to take photo of person. I have had a very large cashier, and did write down in my narritive, large build. Comma always to seperate.
race I don't take it at all to mean something is wrong...mixed races are not easely indentified, for instance: mexican and white mixed, asian and black mixed, I guess what's close and have never been called on it....I live in a very diverse area, has nothing at all to do with anything personal, they generally want a description, or next we'll have to take photo of person. I have had a very large cashier, and did write down in my narritive, large build. Comma always to seperate.
Live consciously....
It would be more accurate to ask for skin tone. In terms of hair color, I just did one where the guy's hair was pink. There was no option for that one, either!
Pink hair, that's a good one...maybe they should just settle for name, cashier's wear name tags 98% of the time. When we fill out applications, they ask us what race....just saying, must be of value to the MSC.
Live consciously....
At least fashion seems to have moved past the "rainbow hair" of a few years ago. "Pink" will go in the comment box after you check 'other', but "Purple, green, pink, brown, yellow and blue" was always too long.
I can't recall which MSP, but there was one whose instructions said if one associate was described by color or race, all must be. Given a choice, I didn't use race or color at all. Regarding how I spell it all out, most often I do it in sentence form. My server was female, 5'6", had short brown hair, and was wearing. . ."
I've been scolded for my use of run-on sentences, and also for not using complete sentences. Run-on sentences are necessary when I'm only allowed 1-2 sentences
I've been scolded for my use of run-on sentences, and also for not using complete sentences. Run-on sentences are necessary when I'm only allowed 1-2 sentences
Mert Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've been scolded for my use of run-on sentences,
> and also for not using complete sentences. Run-on
> sentences are necessary when I'm only allowed 1-2
> sentences
Use semicolons! =)
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've been scolded for my use of run-on sentences,
> and also for not using complete sentences. Run-on
> sentences are necessary when I'm only allowed 1-2
> sentences
Use semicolons! =)
Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
"Pink" will go in the comment box after you check 'other', but
> "Purple, green, pink, brown, yellow and blue" was
> always too long.
There actually was no "other" option on this shop. I could see the color of the new growth, so that's what I wound up putting in. There was enough other information to correctly identify the employee, including his name.
On another note, I'm doing a shop today where AGE is considered offensive. :-)
-------------------------------------------------------
"Pink" will go in the comment box after you check 'other', but
> "Purple, green, pink, brown, yellow and blue" was
> always too long.
There actually was no "other" option on this shop. I could see the color of the new growth, so that's what I wound up putting in. There was enough other information to correctly identify the employee, including his name.
On another note, I'm doing a shop today where AGE is considered offensive. :-)
Obviously different clients and different MSPs have different knee jerk reactions to facts. My age is a fact. Whether I look my age to a stranger is another issue. And of course our slyness of underestimating age in the old and overstating it in the young is a self preservation method to try not to offend anyone such that they would challenge a report.
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.