Door Greeters/Response to...

[jen0610]

This is just something I've noticed over my years of working retail in a hardware store. When I'm at service desk, I have to greet everyone that walks in. I've noticed that about half will say hello, a quarter will ignore me, and a quarter will acknowledge my presence (look right at me) but ignore me.

I know when I go out shopping, I always say hello to whoever greets me at the door in a store (if there is someone). Very rarely do I not. What do the rest of you do?

When we enter, if someone greets us, we acknowledge them is 1 form or another. If I'm not on the phone, I will reply. If I am on the phone, I normally will smile at you and tip/nod my head in your direction and mouth thank you, as acknowledgment that I did hear you.

When we leave and this goes for all places - store, restraunt, drive thru - when you tell us thank you for shopping/stopping and to have a nice day, you will get a your welcome and have a nice day too or you do the same. The 15 and 12 years know better than to let either of us catch them not showing this respect.

 

[kristilew]

If someone says hi to you, it is rude to ignore them, no matter where you are. I can't imagine thinking it is ever ok. Someone says hi, you say hi back. It takes less than a second. It costs you nothing. It is called being polite.

Sometimes the person might just not realize you've said hello. Sometimes when out shopping I'm in my own little world or distracted and not expecting someone to be talking to me, so if other customers are around I may not realize for a bit that the person is talking to me. And then if I do realize it after several seconds, there's that awkward feeling of "Do I go back and say hi?".

And sometimes I don't hear them because I don't hear that well - that probably is the case with people more often that one would think. But if I do hear a greeting, of course I give a smile and a "hi" back .

But I have seen rude people who just ignore workers, so I know that they exist. I just don't think that everyone who seems to be is purposely ignoring you.

My dad is almost completely deaf. If he's not looking at you, he has no idea you've spoken to him. I've seen greeters get huffy because he didn't respond. When I go places with him, I try to respond for him, but I don't make a point of telling him "the Gap girl said hello." Really, what's the purpose? If he does see that they're speaking to him, he'll just nod and smile, because he still hasn't caught what they've actually said.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

I will say hi to a greeter when I walk in the store, but do admit to ignoring the people at the front of Home Depot wanting you to look at their window displays, or at a little table in Wal-Mart wanting you to fill out a credit card app, etc. I have found that many of those just can't take a "no thank you", so it is easier to just ignore them. I voted sometimes because of this. I'm sure that I may have ignored the occasional greeter, thinking they were one of the other group.

 

[JessicaR]

Yes, always.

 

[brerrabbit]

I always acknowledge them and say hi, or howdy! (I am from Texas). But they do sometimes annoy me. Point in case, Saturday I go to my Home Depot (I call it mine because I go in there at least once a week since it opened, and have been doing so longer than any of the current employees have worked there. I know the manager as I have known the five that have worked there since it opened. I know what they have, and what they don't have better than most of the employees and I know where it is) Sorry I digress a little. Anyway as I enter the door there are baskets limiting the way into the store squezzing the walk area down to about three feet. An older gentleman is there and say "How are you today?" I say I'm good and he proceeds to say "what are you here for today? I can direct you to what your looking for." I respond I know where it is. This really annoyed me because the typical Home Depot shopper at least in my Home Depot knows what they need and where to go. If they don't they ask really quick for help. This guy acting like I don't know where I am at really bugged me and the whole idea of chuting me into a pinch pen so he can grill me really annoyed me. Tommy, the manager was at luch at the time I was there and believe me had he not been he was going to get an earful. I realize this is a different situation than most but still part of retailing is knowing your customers and knowing how they like to be treated.

 

[Rora]

I always say hello and smile at the greeter.

 

[Elmo9607]

I always acknowledge them and say hi, or howdy! (I am from Texas). But they do sometimes annoy me. Point in case, Saturday I go to my Home Depot (I call it mine because I go in there at least once a week since it opened, and have been doing so longer than any of the current employees have worked there. I know the manager as I have known the five that have worked there since it opened. I know what they have, and what they don't have better than most of the employees and I know where it is) Sorry I digress a little. Anyway as I enter the door there are baskets limiting the way into the store squezzing the walk area down to about three feet. An older gentleman is there and say "How are you today?" I say I'm good and he proceeds to say "what are you here for today? I can direct you to what your looking for." I respond I know where it is. This really annoyed me because the typical Home Depot shopper at least in my Home Depot knows what they need and where to go. If they don't they ask really quick for help. This guy acting like I don't know where I am at really bugged me and the whole idea of chuting me into a pinch pen so he can grill me really annoyed me. Tommy, the manager was at luch at the time I was there and believe me had he not been he was going to get an earful. I realize this is a different situation than most but still part of retailing is knowing your customers and knowing how they like to be treated.

OP here...this is amusing to me, because I work at a hardware store (not Home Depot) and I get asked ALL the time where stuff is! Still, I wouldn't approach someone with this kind of greeting. It seems a bit demeaning, as if you're implying that the person doesn't know anything about your store and you are going to "save the day" and help them out. Blah. Not acceptable. I hardly ever shop at Home Depot (Actually, I NEVER know where anything is when I'm in there! ) but I haven't encountered this type of greeting anywhere! I'm sure someone from head office thought it would be a great way to "connect and build a rapport with customers", but honestly, back off a little! If I need help, I'll ask!

 

[MIGrandma]

I respond 99.9% of the time because I realize it's required by your employers, but find it a waste of time on your part and mine.

A waste of time to smile, make eye contact, and say hello to them? Wow.


To answer your question OP, I always respond when a greeter in a store says hello to me. I don't care if it is "part of their job" it is still a nice gesture, especially in today's world which consists of so many rude, non-polite people.

 

[Ceila]

What I find weird is when I walk into a store in the mall and someone from halfway to the back (or sometimes even at the very back) yells up, "hello!" I can't even figure out who the salesperson IS to respond to, lol! In those cases I usually just look up and smile, hoping whoever greeted me sees me.

As far as being on the phone, while I think it's very rude to chat while checking out or asking for assistance, there is nothing wrong with walking into a store while talking on the cell. If someone interrupts my phone coversation with a greeting I'll smile and maybe give a small wave of my hand. Same thing if I'm talking with someone who is with me.

The people I can't stand AT ALL are the pushy salespeople at some of the kiosks at the mall, usually the makeup ones. They walk right up to you to get you to try their produce, and a few will even follow you and try to keep talking to you when you've said no. I was so angry at how one guy hounded me when I was with my daughter that I reported them to store manegement (written complaint and everything).

 

[descovy]

YES! If you acknowledge my presence as a human being, of course I will acknowledge you back. I seriously find it rude to full-on ignore anyone who speaks to you.

If on the phone, I'll smile and give eye contact.

Just an aside. Please put away your phone when dealing with a cashier or customer service representative. They are giving you their undivided attention. Please be polite and do the same.

Thank you.

 

[merryweather20]

Because if simply saying hi, or smiling is ever a struggle (under ordinary circumstances) then yes, it's jerk-y activity. Responding to someone being polite to you should never be something ignored, for any reason, and that it is, is pathetic.

My next door neighbour has poor hearing, thats her ordinary everyday circumstance. She won't hear most greaters.

My grandmother over the years has lost several ranges in her hearing eg. she can hear my brother on the phone, but not me. She's not going to hear everyone that shouts something at her.

I miss them all the time. Its difficult getting into a store, you are always trying to open doors, scale carpeting, and at Wal-Mart, dodge everyone in the bottleneck created by the greater. Heck I see plenty of people who are in good health in the same circumstance.

Nope, not a jerk among them. Labelling a bunch of strangers though... thats pretty jerky.

 

[jrmasm]

I always say hello back except for when kiosk workers speak to me. But they don't say hello, they immediately launch into their sales pitch and I don't what to encourage them.

 

[ols386]

If the greeter speaks to me, I always say hi or hello back to them. No real reason not to.

 

[Cooky]

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[LuvCuteBoys]

I say hello when someone says hello to me, but the majority of the time I think being greeted is silly.