Kohl's Vent but Manager did the "right" thing.

[DawnCt1]

I've had some bad experiences in retail stores this month too. Many of these employees are temporary for the holiday rush. They know it and just don't care. I'm very glad the manager treated you as she did.......that's why she is a manager!

On a positive note, your post made me very proud of my 18.5 yr old son. He has been a waiter for 2 years and he gets so many compliments from both customers and his boss. He puts up with a lot of rudeness from customers and does it with a maturity level that exceeds that of many adults. His reward is GREAT tips!.......now if I could just get him to clean his room.
Sometimes we forget what great kids we have until we hear a story like this.

I think being a waiter is very tough. A retail worker only has to deal with a customer for a few minutes. A waiter "has them" for up to an hour or more. I have a "friend" who is incredibly embarrassing to dine out with. She becomes rude if they offer to take her drink order to soon, if they come to late, same with dinner, etc. I feel like I am always mending fences with the wait staff when we are out with her. Never mind that they "don't do it like that in Arizona!". I also compensate her rudeness with a larger tip and tell them "they have more than earned it". They get the message!

 

[profdsny]

Good for you. There was no call for them to do that. There certainly has to be a break room. Even if there isn't, there is never an excuse to be rude to a customer, or anyone else in the story. However, the manger needs to be on the floor when it's that busy, not back in the office and maybe that stuff won't happen.

 

[robertsmom]

If you work in retail. If you work in health care. If you work anywhere around the public, you are going to be asked questions by the consumer. They chose to personalize a comment. I do not think it is my responsibility to locate a manager to ask why she hasn't shifted more workers to the register. I feel that I can easily ask anyone in my immediate vicinity the question, as I do not have to go out of my way or inconvenience myself. It is not my job to be inconvenienced when I am shopping. Nor is it my role to be insulted. Apparently the manager agreed. She gave me a gift card. I cannot imagine answering anyone the way that I was answered, particularly given the age difference between themselves and myself. I have DSs older than them.

But you DID NOT ask a question. You made a comment that, no matter how nice a tone of voice you used, probably sounded snarky to the employees. Does that excuse their behavior? Absolutely not. But you sound like you expected an answer, and like it or not, you got one.

 

[profdsny]

Btw, for those who are bashing Dawn, she and I are certainly not kindred spirits on most things. If I'm sticking up for her, she certainly was in the right. There is not much we see eye to eye on, but this is one for sure. Again, good for you Dawn.

 

[connorlevismom]

But you DID NOT ask a question. You made a comment that, no matter how nice a tone of voice you used, probably sounded snarky to the employees. Does that excuse their behavior? Absolutely not. But you sound like you expected an answer, and like it or not, you got one.

EXACTLY! The OP keeps ignoring the posts that state this, however, and keeps insisting that she asked a question.

Kristine

 

[rparmfamily]

I haven't read the whole thread but I agree with Dawn. I worked retail management for the last 7 yrs (until this year! Whew!!) so I have a very high expectation about how sales associates are supposed to act, because I know how the company has trained them to act. I would NEVER think to "talk back" to a guest, no matter how rude. I spend some of time in the last years being the "buck" (as in the buck stops here) trying to mend guest relationships and basically my thought is this. Why am I here? Because of customers! That's is my first and last thought of the workday. They have money to spend, they could spend it anywhere, and they chose to spend it at my store. I am grateful for that! I always made sure my employees remembered we are in business for them and because of them!

I'm glad the manager resolved it with you, hopefully they got the lines taken care of as well. Long lines (though unavoidable at times) is a MAJOR pet peeve of mine!

 

[connorlevismom]

Btw, for those who are bashing Dawn, she and I are certainly not kindred spirits on most things. If I'm sticking up for her, she certainly was in the right. There is not much we see eye to eye on, but this is one for sure. Again, good for you Dawn.

I don't think anyone is bashing Dawn. People are allowed to disagree on this subject or any subject on the Dis. Why do you think people are bashing her?

 

[DawnCt1]

EXACTLY! The OP keeps ignoring the posts that state this, however, and keeps insisting that she asked a question.

Kristine

I can make a comment. I can ask a question. Does it really matter? They should have been taking a break elsewhere. They should have responded politely and they should be reprimanded. I frankly cannot begin to see another side to this issue. They were JERKS!

 

[dogluva]

I can make a comment. I can ask a question. Does it really matter? They should have been taking a break elsewhere. They should have responded politely and they should be reprimanded. I frankly cannot begin to see another side to this issue. They were JERKS!

I just don't get why you had to make a comment or question to them. They are not on the registers. It is like you were taking your frustration out on them.

No, they should never have spoken to you like that. But on the other hand, they have probably taken so much crap this week it may have been the straw that broke the camel's back.

Well, look at the bright side. They are probably out of jobs but you got your gift card.

 

[maxiesmom]

I think being a waiter is very tough. A retail worker only has to deal with a customer for a few minutes. A waiter "has them" for up to an hour or more.

Being a retail sales associate is no walk in the park either. Plus, we never get tips. And yes there are customers who demand you spend a great deal of time with them, and we do. Try walking around a store with someone screaming at you the whole time, apparently just because they think they can. Or dealing with people who waited until 2 days before Christmas to start shopping. And are angry because you don't have whatever it is their dear one must have.


Neither job is easy.

 

[Kath2003]

Being a retail sales associate is no walk in the park either. Plus, we never get tips. And yes there are customers who demand you spend a great deal of time with them, and we do. Try walking around a store with someone screaming at you the whole time, apparently just because they think they can. Or dealing with people who waited until 2 days before Christmas to start shopping. And are angry because you don't have whatever it is their dear one must have.


Neither job is easy.

I second that. Waitressing was easier, IMO.

 

[DawnCt1]

I
Well, look at the bright side. They are probably out of jobs but you got your gift card.

That is indeed a bright side.

 

[maxiesmom]

I just don't get why you had to make a comment or question to them. They are not on the registers. It is like you were taking your frustration out on them.

Maybe she was hoping that one of them would get their lazy duff to the register and help? Or find a manager so they could get help? At Kohls, the floor people ARE register trained. They ARE the back-up register operators!

The OP did nothing wrong, and many of you are making her out to be some villan. Even if the bobsy twins were on break, they should NEVER speak to a customer that way. I don't care how tired they were, or if their feet hurt, or if they just found out Santa is skipping them this year. You NEVER talk to a customer that way! It is inexcusable!

 

[disykat]

Still confused at why it's not okay to talk to salespeople on the floor - a comment, a question, who cares?

I'm still amazed that I've apparently caused trouble all over the mall this year. Earlier today I commented to a sales associate at Barnes and Noble about my difficulty finding a spot in the mall parking lot. Now I find out she probably thinks I was being rude and blaming her!

Sometimes I even make comments to random strangers that aren't employees! I'm such a troublemaker!

 

[crazymomof4]

I worked retail management for the last 7 yrs (until this year! Whew!!) so I have a very high expectation about how sales associates are supposed to act, because I know how the company has trained them to act. I would NEVER think to "talk back" to a guest, no matter how rude. I spend some of time in the last years being the "buck" (as in the buck stops here) trying to mend guest relationships and basically my thought is this. Why am I here? Because of customers! That's is my first and last thought of the workday. They have money to spend, they could spend it anywhere, and they chose to spend it at my store. I am grateful for that! I always made sure my employees remembered we are in business for them and because of them!

I agree. I've worked in all sorts of "service" fields- nursing, landscaping, restaurants. I've had to deal with many rude and just plain stupid clients. (not saying the OP was!) I am by nature a very out-spoken person and have strong opinions about what's right and wrong. But when I was dealing w/ customers/patients/clients I swallowed EVERYTHING I wanted to say to them if it would have been the slightest bit offensive to them. That is what is expected of you by your employer. It's part of your job. If you cannot do that then find a different job.

 

[dogluva]

Maybe she was hoping that one of them would get their lazy duff to the register and help? Or find a manager so they could get help? At Kohls, the floor people ARE register trained. They ARE the back-up register operators!

The OP did nothing wrong, and many of you are making her out to be some villan. Even if the bobsy twins were on break, they should NEVER speak to a customer that way. I don't care how tired they were, or if their feet hurt, or if they just found out Santa is skipping them this year. You NEVER talk to a customer that way! It is inexcusable!

I don't believe it was an innocent comment. Had these two come out of nowhere and said those things, then she doesn't have to take any responsibility. Their reaction just seems so extreme for a casual comment. I am thinking maybe Dawn was a little angry when she said it and they just reacted. Sometimes you get what you give.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Still confused at why it's not okay to talk to salespeople on the floor - a comment, a question, who cares?

I'm still amazed that I've apparently caused trouble all over the mall this year. Earlier today I commented to a sales associate at Barnes and Noble about my difficulty finding a spot in the mall parking lot. Now I find out she probably thinks I was being rude and blaming her!

Sometimes I even make comments to random strangers that aren't employees! I'm such a troublemaker!

I was wondering the same thing. Also, how many people really do keep from talking to other sales associates because they MIGHT not be responsible for the area in question.

I'm kind of surprised how affronted some people become because a certain action doesn't fall in their parameter of acceptable behavior. (Not referring to Dawn - referring to the people taking her to task for daring to speak to sales associates on the floor.)

 

[crazymomof4]

I just wanted to add a positive thing that happened to me this week. I was at Walmart to pick up a site-to-store item. I asked at the customer service desk where the pick up location is. Before I asked I heard a male employee say he was taking his break. Well, this employee hears me ask the question and he says, "Follow me. I'll show you where it is." Then he tells the supervisor at the pick up desk that he wants to learn how to do the site-to-store process. I thanked him repeatedly because he didn't have to do that, especially since he was supposed to be on his break. What a contrast to the employees that the OP encountered!

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I think being a waiter is very tough. A retail worker only has to deal with a customer for a few minutes. A waiter "has them" for up to an hour or more. I have a "friend" who is incredibly embarrassing to dine out with. She becomes rude if they offer to take her drink order to soon, if they come to late, same with dinner, etc. I feel like I am always mending fences with the wait staff when we are out with her. Never mind that they "don't do it like that in Arizona!". I also compensate her rudeness with a larger tip and tell them "they have more than earned it". They get the message!

And remember folks, NEVER raise the ire of a waiter, you could get an "Upgrade" in your food!!

As to the origionl post, I think that holiday seasonal help probably could care less about offending customers. One of the few stores I went to pick up a gift, the staff were younger (high school age possibly?) and I felt like I was speaking in tongues, for all the comprehension (or help) they offerred me in trying to find an item.

I try and buy as much as possible on-line!!

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't believe it was an innocent comment. Had these two come out of nowhere and said those things, then she doesn't have to take any responsibility. Their reaction just seems so extreme for a casual comment. I am thinking maybe Dawn was a little angry when she said it and they just reacted. Sometimes you get what you give.

You are missing the point. I don't care if the OP cussed them up and down. They should have took it, then found a manager to deal with her rudeness. Sales associates are NOT allowed to loose their cool, or speak badly, to a customer! Period. No excuse!