Dealing with angry customers at work

I work for a certain supermarket in a department which is not getting much traffic in the way of customers and our sales are pretty low so the manager (and the upper managers) are making us walk around the store to ask customers if they're interested in buying stuff in the department and explaining the products and prices. We're expected to approach the same customers again and again even when they say no.

It's borderline harassment and we're made to do it everyday so we end up disrupting the same people as before. Most customers get annoyed and just say no and walk away and some customers smile and say no thanks. Some customers tell us to **** off and some will complain about it but they're in the minority.

We've explained to the manager the situation and he gets annoyed at us saying it's a part of the job and that we have to do it.

I got shouted at by a really pissed off customer today and he followed me and continued to shout telling me to leave customers alone and that he didn't want to be talked to by the workers while shopping.

So I have a question about this.

Is it unreasonable for me to refuse to do this?

And would you be fine with this as a customer? (I'd personally get annoyed and just say no)

Reply 1

ComputerMaths97

You learn in life that you will have stupid bosses. You will most of the time disagree with their techniques and what they think is best. But guess what - they don't make the rules. The people at the top do, and in life you have to either just accept it and do your job, you know that thing you get paid to do, or leave. It's harsh but true.

That's why I want to work for myself when I finish Uni xD

Reply 2

paniking_and_not_revising

Original post by ComputerMaths97

True. Would you dislike being approached like this though? Especially if it happened multiple times?

What are you going to do after uni?

Reply 3

Aula

Original post by paniking_and_not_revising

True. Would you dislike being approached like this though? Especially if it happened multiple times?

What are you going to do after uni?

I would, and have, left shops before due to being approached too many times.

Approaching once to ask if someone needs help is acceptable, especially if they look like they need help, but more than that is rude. Are there any other members of management you can get involved in the situation?

Reply 4

tehforum

Original post by paniking_and_not_revising

True. Would you dislike being approached like this though? Especially if it happened multiple times?

What are you going to do after uni?

I'd be pissed off if you approached me after the first time.

Reply 5

paniking_and_not_revising

Original post by Aula

We don't ask them if they need help although I've started spending more time asking customers if they need help but since I work in an isolated department, I don't know where most of the stuff in the store is so I'm useless.

Most of them don't want to get involved because they don't see it as their business but the store manager (who was moved to another store a couple of days ago without warning) wanted to see us approaching customers.

Reply 6

paniking_and_not_revising

Original post by tehforum

I'd be pissed off if you approached me after the first time.

Sorry to disturb you sir.

:biggrin:

Reply 7

Aula

Original post by paniking_and_not_revising

A brief approach of "were you looking for anything specific today?" Or giving advise on something their holding can be okay, but if that's not what you're doing, I have no ideas what they expect from you?! Have they given you advice and training in approaching customers? It might be worth asking the manager for this if not, as you really can't be expected to do it and give good customer service if you've not been trained! Might help the manager to realise that the way you're doing it isn't working too.

Reply 8

paniking_and_not_revising

Original post by Aula

We shouldn't be helping them with their shopping. We're all trained to work in a department (opticians) and have to convince people to come to the opticians. It's not my fault that customers already go to another opticians and aren't interested.

I just help people with their shopping because i can't stand going back to my department and getting told off by the manager.

Reply 9

Aula

Original post by paniking_and_not_revising

Ah, oh dear... That puts a completely different point of view on it!

I feel like the best thing to do then would be to give people vouchers or leaflets or something and then leave them alone!
You only have eye tests every couple of years as an adult, going up to people repeatedly is just ridiculous. Quite frankly your managers are idiots :facepalm2: