That is why I partly stopped greeting customers too. I ask them if they need help finding anything first whereas I used to ask how their day was going but they'd just look at me then look away or completely ignore me. Some would talk of course, but mostly old people and the customers who do the surveys. Others would think I am just inconveniencing them which is probably true but Kroger does not like that.
Sometimes you have to say "Hello" in order for them to make eye contact. As for the customer that doesn't say Hello back. I normally just say "OK" Then I ask if I can help them with anything. Of course I don't work front end, I work in the Deli. If I worked the front end and they didn't look at me or say 'Hello' back, I'd probably just say OK then finish ringing up there items.
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Get to your department, get off your phone, and do your job!
I have many customers that reply to my hello, and even smile back. For those, I will do anything. Those that ignore my hello and me, I either ignore as well. Or I'm super nice to them, asking if I can help with anything, and to be sure to let me know if I can help them find or reach something. Just to annoy them : D
Remember, not getting a reply to your greeting or smile is not a reflection on you. It's on THEM.
As a customer, I try to respond to any staff that greets me. Two things, though:
I am usually lost in my own little world when I'm shopping, and it takes quite some time for me to realize I'm being addressed, orient, and respond. Often by then the moment has passed.
And far, far, too often, the greeting is the millionth (so it seems) offer to help. You are not helping, you interrupting my train of thought.
Since I also work on the Kroger sales floor, I am in no position to judge other stockers etc. as "nothing". I appreciate their efforts.
I just don't switch contexts easily or quickly, and it's hard for me to return to my prior train of thought.
As an employee, I love helping customers, I genuinely do, and I wish I could do more of it. (opportunities are limited after about midnight.) I still lack situational awareness, but conditioning requires so little thought that context switching is not a problem if I hear a customer--far too many whisper, or just stand there waiting to be noticed.
Which is to say, if customers seem to be in their own little world, they are. They likely mean no offense, they just don't need your help.
One more thing, though: how exactly are you different from In Store Audio's offensively stupid and condescending marketing spots? There's a reason customers retreat.
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"If I only had a brain..."
...but I'd settle for a nerve or two.
You are scum. Stop wasting your time and their time and just scan/bag their ****. If they are so desperate for human contact that they have to rely on the time they spend at a grocery store to satisfy their social needs, consider recommending them to a psychiatrist.
I just quit with the greetings, unless management was within earshot enough to notice I didn't greet a customer, which they're quick to bring it to your attention (for the hundredth time this year).
outside of that, my mentality used to be that if customers needed help with anything, they would simply ask.
however, you'd be surprised how many times I recall customers walking around seemingly looking for a certain item in produce. eventually, they'd walk over to me and ask where it was. I'd realize how with more time working in retail, your instincts gradually develop to be able to distinguish between a browser (the ones who will say "I'm just looking") and a seeker (actively looking for a certain product).
this is my experience, anyway. I suppose it has a lot to do with reading their facial expressions.
don't allow yourself to be made to feel inferior to a customer. you know it's not true.
some customer conditions I've dealt with are:
-snobs who put on this "high cotton," smug, irritated expression when you speak to them, can't be bothered to respond.
-in a rush to get their stuff, and get out, "don't have time" to respond
-naturally friendly (I love meeting new customers, and seeing regular customers, and make it known either way. sometimes I feel I even get too carried away engaging with them. if i still worked for kroger, I should be a co manager! I saw a sign on the stairs up to management offices that stated "85% of your day should be on the sales floor, interacting with customers")
-no matter what you do in efforts to satisfy them, they're never satisfied
-seemingly afraid to ask for help (never will understand the hesitation I sense as I touched on earlier - we're all human beings here - and one of our job duties is helping customers)
I have many customers that reply to my hello, and even smile back. For those, I will do anything. Those that ignore my hello and me, I either ignore as well. Or I'm super nice to them, asking if I can help with anything, and to be sure to let me know if I can help them find or reach something. Just to annoy them : D
Remember, not getting a reply to your greeting or smile is not a reflection on you. It's on THEM.
Managers must love you! all of the above you stated that you do are what my new employer considers to be measures to deter shoplifters. the goal is that the would be shoplifter realizes the employees are more involved than just doing their work and nothing else, and gets spooked enough to move on to another store to do their dirty deed.
I always just make eye contact, smile & say Hi. Some times they respond, sometimes they don't. I'm not that invested in it. I don't usually engage them any further unless they ask me for help. I'm pretty busy anyway.
It's funny though. On a day shift I'll talk with 30+ customers. Most days though, I do not make eye contact or speak with a single co-worker.
I have always thought that the world is not going to fall apart because a customer need not get smiled at. I know Kroger tries to force us to say hi to every customer but I have found that customers does not care about this. I know when I go shopping I do not like employees coming up and asking so many questions. I like to look at things and I do not want people running up behind me scaring me asking me a dozen questions I do not want to answer. If employees does not want to talk I do not care I just want to be left alone get my groceries pay for them and leave. Why can't kroger corporate understand this? I have 30 years with Kroger and we never were forced to do this I mean we treated customers nice and helped them if asked but this have other employees spy on employees and try to say that we not jumping through hoops for customers needs to stop. Co workers does not have the right to tell lies on other co workers.
I'm not much of an overly chatty person to begin with. So I relish customers that don't have a whole lot to say back. At most I give a "Good morning, afternoon, or evening", if I'm really close to someone or they are to me. Beyond that, I don't try and be pushy with the whole "can I help you find something?" as you can totally tell from someone's face when they really need help or when they don't. And some really dog my DH out all the time when he ask them that.
I say hello. I try and keep it short. I have work to do and no time for "social hour." Even when answering the phone ill just say 'Kroger xxx street " it's short, simple, and better than using the "long" speech they want us to use.
I say hello. I try and keep it short. I have work to do and no time for "social hour." Even when answering the phone ill just say 'Kroger xxx street " it's short, simple, and better than using the "long" speech they want us to use.
Dude they actually told you what to say on the phone?! O_O At most I pulled from when I was a part-time secretary and at least be like "Hi, Kroger Bakery, *my name* speaking, how may I help you?" And with us being a market place, it's always someone that hit the wrong number and we have to park em and do a all zone call to Pharmacy, Liquor store, or my personal fave(NOT as they hardly ever answer their calls), Starbucks.
Although I will admit I found out how snide my DH's wife could be for sure one day when she had called in. As I gave my typical spiel and she asked for him. And normally if he was right out on the sales floor or back behind the counter I would have just been like hold on I'll get him(as he'd be close by and not in a meeting). But thing was, she had not only called like 2 other times before. He was also supposed to have been going up to a meeting that morning as well. I didn't know when, but our manager over him had told him to get ready a couple of times or other before they were to head upstairs. So I tried to ask her who was calling. And she was one rude chick for sure, flat out saying "No, you can not".
Hell, I wasn't doing it to pry into their biz. But I didn't want to go all the way upstairs and bust into somebody's meeting saying that there is someone on the phone but they won't tell me who it is. And I will admit that I could have just told her he is busy right now, he'll call you back. But, I'm quite sure she would have had even more words about that too. But what got me out of the whole thing, was the fact, that I believe he had said she was a manager with him at another store in the Division some years ago. So, you would think, that she would understand if you don't say who you are and the person you are trying to reach is in a meeting or something. Said person's co-workers aren't going to be able to just page him out of the meeting to come down to chat. Or I don't know, how about trying his cell phone first over the store line, next time.
