So sometimes when I'm on break or I'm doing a little shopping before I go home, customers come up to me and ask for my help. I don't know of it's obvious to them if I'm off, or they choose to ignore it. I usually have my phone in my hand , and have a few items already picked out. Anyways, they'll come up to me and ask for help, I know I have a mean look on my face because hey I'm off. It's been a long day and I'm ready to get what I need and go home. I always stop and try to help but it's just so annoying. Does this ever happen to any of you ?
Happens to me all the dang time. I let them know I'm not working now but try to help. I won't walk em to whatever but tell em where to find whatever.
Was shopping the other day, on my day off so I had on NOTHING kroger related and had a dumb arse customer ask me from 12 feet away....this sign says 3 for 99 cents is that right? I said guess it is if that's what the sign said...dumb arse. Grrrr.
I don't mind helping them out when I'm on my break. What always would get me though, is at our old store. As soon as I had barely even clocked in. No hair net or nothing(as I'm over in the Deli/Bakery area), and someone is like can you help me with X,Y, and Z. I mean I know we are supposed to do the 3 A's while on the clock and really not one to be rude to any one either. But it's like geeze, let me clock in, if it's Friday let me be able to check my schedule and get my mind in gear for the day before helping you trek clear across the store for something.
Kind of why I see the perk of having our break room right upstairs at our new store instead of down and in between the dairy sections, like it was at our old store. That way, even as you come in the store folks are so into finding whatever they need to in such a large space they don't even ask you for too much of anything right off the bat.
This is why i'm glad in the winter time to have a jacket on, at least you can cover up your nametag and *hopefully* people see that you aren't on the clock.
And it really sucks having a breakroom in the back of the store, and even worse having the only restrooms in the store right there in the breakroom area. -_-
This is why i'm glad in the winter time to have a jacket on, at least you can cover up your nametag and *hopefully* people see that you aren't on the clock.
And it really sucks having a breakroom in the back of the store, and even worse having the only restrooms in the store right there in the breakroom area. -_-
Honestly, every time I'm on break I put my hoodie on and I'm invisible to the customers. Considering doing this in the summer and I live in the South
Take off your nametag when on break. Less likely for customers to talk to you. Also, kroger customers are stupid and blind or they would notice they lose lots of money shopping at kroger over their competitors.
I simply have three options I like to use with a customer or customers when I am on break.
-Stop, listen, and assist. (If the item is close by, I'll walk them to it. No questions asked. If it's obvious I have food or am on break, I will move to option 2 if I deem it necessary. -Get a fellow employee nearby to assist. (Simply find the closest employee on duty, and pass them over to them with an explanation of what's up, and carry on your way politely. If I'm not able to find someone within 30 seconds to a minute, move to option 3. -Ask the customer to wait there while you will alert someone for them (this is useful if option 1 and 2 do not work, or the item is far away or in another dept, if so, direct them to that dept area or simply have them wait nearby if they are in the area or dept they are looking for (ex, Grocery, simply ask customer to wait in the aisle and page Grocery for customer assistance to that aisle.)
I'm not one to usually ever turn down a customer, as hey just because I'm "off the clock" doesn't mean I'm not getting paid for my break. And because I am getting paid for it, I will do my job to the best of my abilities at the time.
-- Edited by UC151 on Monday 13th of March 2017 03:14:09 AM
When I used to work at Kroger, I wore a regular, every day shirt under my work shirt and apron. At break time or at the end of my shift, the work shirt and apron came off before I even walked to the time clock to punch out.
Customers have less of a chance of approaching you if you look like just another customer. There is the off chance they see the blue shirt and apron in your cart or you carrying it, and ask for help anyway since they assume you know your way around the store. It has happened to me more than once. This is why if I was doing some post-shift shopping, I'd go put the uniform in my car and come back.
In the event of being asked for help regardless of having the outward appearance of not working at the moment, if I had no clue where the product was, I'd always go find an associate in that department to help. I'm off and on my own personal time, anyway, not Kroger's time. Might sound rude, but oh well, at least I went out of my way to find someone else to help. If I knew exactly where it was, I'd just tell them.
On the other hand, there's always this possibility for vertically gifted employees like myself, which is the customer asking you to help them reach a product. I can't ever turn that one down. That would actually be quite rude. And I have been made aware how Kroger shelves certain products entirely too high. One example is in nutrition, where there was a top row of shelving with bags of chips. To give you an idea, they were positioned so high that even I, at six feet two inches, had to stand on my toes to reach them for a customer. That's stupid if you ask me.
This is why i'm glad in the winter time to have a jacket on, at least you can cover up your nametag and *hopefully* people see that you aren't on the clock.
And it really sucks having a breakroom in the back of the store, and even worse having the only restrooms in the store right there in the breakroom area. -_-
Gah, that has to be bad for sure with having the restrooms right there in the break room. Although at home we have a bathroom right off from our dining room. Which thankfully we worked out how to go when no one is eating or whatever. And at least we have a second bathroom upstairs too.
But yea, that is kind of bad placement for a business to have the restrooms just right there.
if im shopping and they ask me where something is, i show them regardless of whether or not i'm on the clock. it doesn't bother me and i usually get a "thank you" out of it. if they want something that i can't do unless i'm on the clock, i just direct them to the service desk. it's a hell of a lot better than being rude to someone.
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Yep I often find this happening, a lot of the time it's asking where something is so I often find the nearest Front end floor manger and ask them to assist or otherwise explain to the customer.
I only do that when on break though, if I'm off the first thing I do is take off my uniform (I always wear a normal t-shirt underneath) and I go on my way.
On my break, I take off my name tag, apron, pull out my phone (for fake calls) and focus on my break. Unless it's a bonafide emergency, it can wait. Usually they leave me be and don't approach me. But I'm not mean and nasty to them, I just don't "hear" them during breaks
