being watched in shops

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Cherry Black

Ha, try shopping in America. That freaked me right out. "How can I help you today?" and following me round like I was about to run out with a whole shelf.
They're probably either bored, or they've been told to act that way by their managers and don't want to get sacked. I wouldn't take it personally.

Aye, USA is terrible for that kinda thing.
In Las Vegas they do that awful fake smile and, the monotonous "you're welcome".

Still...cool place to go xD.

I hate it. :mad:

I hate it when people folow me.....try doing it in reverse.

Just folow security and staff around.

Reply 43

brokenheroes

hippieglitter

We have mystery shoppers too, but we are told not to annoy customers, help if they ask or if they look like they need help.

we just have to approach everyone, because our manager looks through the cctv of the day of the mystery shopper and anyone who lost us marks gets into ****. oh well.

Reply 44

Reflexive

always make me think of this http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=C8lRjXf2IK0&feature=related

Reply 45

Fusion

foldingstars

They may not have been watching you for that reason. I can't speak for other shops, but I work p/t in Next and they are REALLY pushing customer approach just now. I really do hate doing it :mad:

, but we constantly get nagged every day that we must approach every single customer!
)

Why are you asked to do it? To be seen as helfull, to pressurize customers....?

Reply 46

.:Kiiim:.

Reflexive

always make me think of this http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=C8lRjXf2IK0&feature=related

Well that changed the tone of the thread :s-smilie:

.

hahaha

Reply 47

Perfectly_Imperfect

Lush company policy was that all customers had to be approached within 30(?) seconds of entering the shop. Christmas 2007, I temped there, and I dreaded "door" shifts. I literally had to say "hello, do you need any help today?" to every flipping customer who walked into the shop, so we hate it just as much as you do..

Claire's... I'd rather they followed me about than just bloody ignore me like they normally do!

Reply 48

username94219

Yea I get watched when I go into shops. But tbh it doesn't bother me - I have nothing to hide, so let them look.

Reply 49

tea_cakes

I don't necessarily mind being watched, staff have probably just been told to or they're bored. That's what I was told to do. But I hate being approached and constantly asked if I need any help. I actively avoid going into places like lush just because I know each member of staff will ask me if I need help, or ask and not wait for a response before advising me about a product I don't even want.

Reply 50

lebanon85

Tinket

They're really bad for watching you in the Body Shop. You can't go in there without being ambushed and if you say you don't need any help they stare accusingly at you the whole time.

haha this is so true.

Reply 51

L i b

brokenheroes

yeah you see the thing is, where i work, we get mystery shopped a lot, one of the key areas being "approach", meaning we lose points if we didn't go up to the mystery shopper and ask them if they needed help.

That's just a bit arsey of your company though. I mean, what's the point? If anything I feel a lot of people probably resent being asked that in shops. Surely it would be better to have staff available for them to signal to if they do need help, rather than having their employees wander around needlessly asking people if they wanted anything...?

Reply 52

brokenheroes

L i b

i agree, i'd rather not do it, i feel like an idiot going round saying "hi do you need any help there?" "no thanks just looking" "hi do you need any help there?" "no thanks just looking." etc, but hey, thems the rules.

Reply 53

IanDangerously

It's incredibly annoying. :rofl:

Reply 54

cortex21

Cherry Black

I know what you mean, the americans I think just get bonuses for every good review they get, once they help you they ask you to fill out a customer review or something so the more they get the more money they receive. Even when they see their colleague get turned away few minutes later they see if they can get your help lol.

Reply 55

simeon

I used to work for Boots at their Head Office, and the amount of stock lost to theft in stores is high.

Loss Prevention is always an area where companies will concentrate manpower.

If there's no-one that they're specifically interested in, they will quite often just observe a random person, just to practice.

FYI, it's not generally the uniformed security that catch people. They are there more as a deterrent...they do however distract shoplifters from the plain clothes security that are watching them.

Unfortunately, it's a necessary evil nowadays, and if you're doing nothing wrong, don't take it personally.

Reply 56

HCD

I've had Waitrose security guards follow me around when I'm buying loads of booze, or vulturing for reductions. :p:

Reply 57

foldingstars

Fusion

Why are you asked to do it? To be seen as helfull, to pressurize customers....?

I can't really remember the exact reasons. I think it's mainly because they say that the main role of our job is to provide customer service, and every customer must be offered that (because not everyone asks if they can't find what they're looking for, and may just leave the shop with nothing I suppose?). It's definitely not in order to pressurise them though, I ask no more than once; if they say they're just looking then I just tell them that's fine and to give me a shout if they need anything. But I do work in the home dept, so in theory customers need more help than with clothes etc, same principle all throughout the store though.

Reply 58

cokeclock

I've been followed by a security guard. I think it was because I was walking round the shop really slowly looking at everything in all the aisles. But I'd just never been in there before and didn't know where things were kept :frown:

And then I had this weird time in this shop in my local town once. I walked in wearing my headphones as I do. One of the assistants approached me and asked me if I needed help. Slightly pointless when I'm obviously listening to music, but fair enough it was his job. But after I said 'no, just looking' he then followed me around and started talking. Then when I picked out a shirt to try on he started commenting on it. And when I came out the changing room to look in the mirror there he was saying it looked great. I was actually starting to think he was hitting on me. Then I went up to the counter to pay and the women said 'Did anyone HELP YOU in the shop today?'. I should have said 'No, but this weirdo stalked me'.