Target stores are the absolute WORST...

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I know they are closing. It's just a sign of poor customer service when they send employees to sweep through every aisle telling people that they are closed the second the clock strikes 10pm. I think announcing it is fine, but having employees practically pushing me out of the aisle telling me I can no longer shop right at 10pm is a little excessive and definitely *not* something a quality store should do.

And to the person who compared it to a 9-5 desk job, I can't think of many where you clock out at 5 sharp if there are still people on hold waiting to speak to you. If they called in before 5pm, you are stuck there in your desk on the phone until the last person in call queue gets answered. This is how it was when I worked at Disney reservation center.

To my Orlando neighbor, I am talking about the Target on 436/434 in Altamonte Springs. It's not a Super Target. I can't say I ever heard them do their closing warnings like you described. That's pretty bad.

Perhaps they've had problems in the past with renegade shoppers at 9:59 still trying to fill their carts. Perhaps announcements didn't work in the past so they opted for a personal escort service. Think about it--has their been a time where you thought--ooooh, I'm safely inside..they won't make me leave until I'm finished. The thought has crossed my mind as I am sure many other shoppers. Maybe at this target--too many thougth it and acted upon it.

A person waiting on hold to make a Disney reservation is a far cry from someone who is in the store, still shopping--knowing that the place closes at 10pm. If you need an hour to shop--get there NLT 9pm.

 

[bkjones911]

Do you have a Super Walmart in your area? I heard they are open 24 hours. Of course who knows what horrors you'll encounter there in the middle of the night!

The 24hr Super Walmart where I live is always packed regardless the time of day. That is why they are building a second one right down the road.
Right now I go to Target to avoid the big crowds...

 

[nile455]

At one finance company I worked for the call queues were closed at closing time no matter what. I

So everyone on hold who called in before 5pm got disconnected at 5? Never heard of a company doing that.

 

[va32h]

It's just a sign of poor customer service when they send employees to sweep through every aisle telling people that they are closed the second the clock strikes 10pm

Well, another thing to consider is safety. A customer who lingers at the back of the store at closing time might be a robber waiting for everyone else to leave so they can subdue the staff and rob the place. Being aware of all the people in the store, where they are and what they are doing, is part of security.

 

[Nancy]

If a store closes at 10:00 it closes at 10:00, not 10:05, 10:10, 10:15; or whenever the customer decides they are ready to check out. We closed at 6pm on Christmas Eve. At 6pm we were walking the aisles telling people the store was now closed and they HAD to check out now. At 6:20 our final straggler came strolling up. Cashier that had to stay open for one person was not too happy. Managers that couldn't start closing proceedures were not too happy. Customer...she was happy, she got what she wanted and kept 10 people from going home on time.

 

[luvmyfam444]

So everyone on hold who called in before 5pm got disconnected at 5? Never heard of a company doing that.

Ever tried calling your mortgage company around closing time??? You'll get thru all the recoded messages, etc 10 minutes beforehand & then you'll either keep hearing the same recording over & over about how important your call is OR you'll get dropped...had this happen NUMEROUS times with all kinds of companies ---even the dr's office - called & was just left on hold - not dropped 'cause after about 30 mins I just hangup knowing they just got off work & went on & if you call back you get the answering service saying their closed....Happens all the time....

 

[Stephanie218]

I agree that if you know the store is closing soon, do your shopping quickly and get out! The employees may have a lot of work to do after you leave. I work at Abercrombie, and although we close at 9, people sometimes linger until almost 9:20!! We have started turning off the music at 5 of 9 as a signal. Most people don't realize that we're there until 11 PM folding the clothes in the front rooms!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

i work at a local grocery store and we do the same
we close at 11pm and our staff wants to go home
same thing when i was a store manager at the mall
we want customers to shop but i think its rude to come in at 1055 and start your shopping thats what happened tonight i jsut get home

 

[Honu]

Honestly, I think allowing any purchases to be made after closing time is very generous. If you can't finish by closing, you go back another day.

 

[Planogirl]

So everyone on hold who called in before 5pm got disconnected at 5? Never heard of a company doing that.

Nope they would be answered and spoken to briefly but they would not be connected to departments since no one would be there. They would also not reach Customer Service any more but would be connected to an operator who couldn't really do much for them. I liken it to Target customers being waited on in the checkout queues but not being allowed to shop any further.

 

[Nancy]

Ever tried calling your mortgage company around closing time??? You'll get thru all the recoded messages, etc 10 minutes beforehand & then you'll either keep hearing the same recording over & over about how important your call is OR you'll get dropped...had this happen NUMEROUS times with all kinds of companies ---even the dr's office - called & was just left on hold - not dropped 'cause after about 30 mins I just hangup knowing they just got off work & went on & if you call back you get the answering service saying their closed....Happens all the time....

Been there, done that!

 

[scoutsmom99]

Well, another thing to consider is safety. A customer who lingers at the back of the store at closing time might be a robber waiting for everyone else to leave so they can subdue the staff and rob the place. Being aware of all the people in the store, where they are and what they are doing, is part of security.

That is exactly what I was going to say! I work in reatil and I know we sweep the store and begin to lock things up and look for people who may be lingering in the store too long or for those people who are not making purchases. We have a lot of registers to close and I know we like to make sure the store is fairly empty before people start to close registers. And as a team member I know I'm eager to get out of Dodge after a long night. I have no problem asking guests if we can help them find something or ring them out because we are closed!!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Used to work at a Hallmark and there is a lot to do once the store is closed, in order to begin all that the registers have to be counted out and in order to do that the customers have to be done shopping. the store is open all day you need to do your shopping during the correct hours. i see nothing wrong with being ushered out. there are also people that have to clean certain areas of the store and they can't start until the customers are gone and will not be there to move stuff around. i don't see it as poor customer service at all.

i love Target and always leave on time. I know what it's like to work retail and want to take off for home

 

[AllyBri]

If the store closes at 10pm, let these folks go home to their family.If the store policy is closing at 10pm, I think we should follow thier rules.

 

[tnhillbilly]

Well, another thing to consider is safety. A customer who lingers at the back of the store at closing time might be a robber waiting for everyone else to leave so they can subdue the staff and rob the place. Being aware of all the people in the store, where they are and what they are doing, is part of security.

 

[luvmydogs]

I agree that if you know the store is closing soon, do your shopping quickly and get out! The employees may have a lot of work to do after you leave. I work at Abercrombie, and although we close at 9, people sometimes linger until almost 9:20!! We have started turning off the music at 5 of 9 as a signal. Most people don't realize that we're there until 11 PM folding the clothes in the front rooms!

Exact same thing would happen when I worked at The GAP in college. We'd have people there 15, 20 minutes after closing, still ringing up sales and doing returns, etc.--and some of these people would be annoyed with us because *they* were in a hurry! Then we'd have to clean, restraighten all the merchandise and do the register work; and there certainly is the safety issue as was mentioned. We'd start announcing closing time 30 minutes prior, then 15, then 5, but some people just didn't think it applied to them.

 

[UrsulasMyHero]

Having worked for Borders, I'm familiar with the closing sweep of a store. Far too often we would have people lingering in the cafe just idly chatting over books and coffee, oblivous to us stacking chairs on tables and doing clean up around them. We'd ask them politely to please take their final purchase to the front registers and ultimately get the Hand Wave of Doom. No, sorry, the store is closed, you have to leave. Get out.

The customer shopping has had their warning, they need to be at the register Before the store closes, hence the reason for posted hours. If you want to shop at different times, find a store that offers 24 hour availability.

I'm so glad I no longer work in retail. I don't have the heart for it any more.

 

[tiggersmom2]

I think the people that are going up and down the aisles at 10:00 are RUDE! They know darn well that Target closes at 10:00 and should be in LINE at the very least. Sheesh.....I wouldn't blame Target for rounding people up at 9:45 and getting them the heck out of there.

 

[Zmsksirt]

And to the person who compared it to a 9-5 desk job, I can't think of many where you clock out at 5 sharp if there are still people on hold waiting to speak to you. If they called in before 5pm, you are stuck there in your desk on the phone until the last person in call queue gets answered. This is how it was when I worked at Disney reservation center.

That explains a lot about the poor quality of Disney reservations and why I never use them.

 

[ktpool]

That explains a lot about the poor quality of Disney reservations and why I never use them.

So it's not really a 9-5 job, it is a 9-whenever the people stop calling job?
Doesn't sound like a great way to keep your staff home/work life balance in check.

I say, the hours are posted...it is not the store's fault you are not on time.

I doubt many people stay at work overtime consistently just because someone else's poor planning...