I've worked in retail over the years, and I wouldn't even think of having my nose in my laptop while on duty or treating a customer like you were treated. She needs a good butt-kicking! I know retail isn't the greatest job in the world, but if someone acts like that, she probably shouldn't be working in it!@Ideagirl wrote:
Good point...I worked in retail and it makes me cringe thinking about how I would feel in her situation.
@Shop-et-al wrote:
These unknowns make me wonder; I withhold any cringing because there is insufficient information with which to make an informed response decision.
@Ideagirl wrote:
There was no signage regarding returning sale items that I saw.
@Shop-et-al wrote:
So. Was the employee telling you information that was told to them in error or correctly? Was the employee making up information, relaying some previous week's policy, or something else? Who is more right and more wrong here?
@Ideagirl wrote:
There was no signage regarding returning sale items that I saw.
@Ideagirl wrote:
I had a shop yesterday that went so sideways - for the associate - that it makes me cringe to think about the talking to she is going to get when that report trickles down from corporate.
[...]
I was very careful to keep my report accurate but neutral (though in my final narrative I purposely used the words nasty and demeaning). I turned it in at 10:30 last night. Got it back at 8:30 this morning with a 10/10. Fastest I've ever had a report finalized. I'd hate to be that woman when she finds out I was her mystery shopper.
@ceasesmith wrote:
None of that matters one whit.
There is no more right and more wrong. We report what happened, factually and honestly. It's none of our business WHY it happened; we just report WHAT happened.
@Shop-et-al wrote:
It does matter. Even if the OP reported their experience exactly, we do not know what was happening behind the scenes. Having been in retail, I have a number of best-forgotten stories from the employee trenches. I will share one absurd tale of why it matters. 'Report anything suspicious to Security, asap.' M'kay. So it would seem to be good to tell Security that the person with the bundle seemingly secreted in their clothing who might be hunched over so as to disguise their true height as they exit might be suspicious such as a shoplifter, bomb-carrier, pet-napper, baby-napper, or other nefarious sort.
NOT!!!!!
The person was well-known to the location and well-liked. They had covered their just-in-case portable oxygen because... I dunno why. Nonetheless, I was expected to know without prior knowledge or coaching that this situation was different, somehow, than all other potential theft or safety issues. Mind you, I had been in town for less than three months, knew no one, and apparently was not sufficiently mystical, magical, or otherwise able to distinguish between a well-liked person who looked suspicious and anyone else who, under the same circumstances, would be a bum. In my book, even potentially surly or less-than-tactful employees are innocent until proved guilty or at less shown to be not more guilty than their workplace.
Hmmph.
Still not cringing. Still wondering if the employee was to any extent right or at least misinformed about the return policy for some or all sale items-- and if the employee pay or commission would be negatively impacted by returns made under their employee ID #.
@nolimitem wrote:
I find mystery shopping in the current state of the economy a little unethical. Managers, corporate offices, staff all know we are short staffed and can't keep up. While rudeness is not acceptable, I have staff working 60 hours a week (voluntarily) to keep us up and running. They're exhausted. Guests are rude. I also have staff I would love to fire for incompetence, improper behavior, etc; Due to the staffing shortage we are barely discipling staff at all because we can't afford to lose a single staff member. Behavior that wouldn't have been tolerated a few months ago is now swept under the rug.