So, a well-known local musician (a member of a band I'll call Sarab Trap) has, to use language the kids are using these days "gone off on one" on twitter about how he was asked to leave the shop, at closing time.
Now, I wasn't there to witness the event, but I can safely say that he's thrown each and every toy out of his pram over it. It's amazing. "I used to work in a shop, so I know what it's like". You don't work in this shop, so shut the hell up.
I'd like to make a few things clear.
1. In the branch I work at, closing time is also the time we stop getting paid. This is why the doors close a minute or so before 6/6.30/9pm. This allows us to do all the back of house stuff (which can sometimes be a faff, depending on printers behaving) and still get out of the shop in time to NOT GET PAID ANY MORE. I've worked in branches that had an extra half-hour leeway built into the day to allow for tidying, taking the tills off etc. so people hanging around isn't the end of the world, but the nature of this branch means that at closing time, EVERYTHING closes, including the shopping centre. Saying that we made an extra £14 or whatever for 60 seconds work just makes you into an asshole. We don't get the money, we get nothing. Unless you handed each and every one of us the cash, you are fundamentally misunderstanding how retail works.
2. Working at a shopping centre out-of-town, means that a fair few of the staff are reliant on public transport. I can't afford a car, not on my wages (and seriously, go ahead, make comments about "being grateful to have a job" I fucking dare you) so I get the bus. By hanging around for "an extra minute" or whatever (hyperbole is a grand thing, no? Are you sure it was 60 seconds?), you're the reason I have to wait around for another half-hour for the bus. Another half-hour I'm not getting paid for. Now, I have a life outside of work, but being an entitled sod, you could be messing that up. I could have a train to catch, or people to see, or a niece and nephew to look after. Your actions have consequences, whether you realise it or not, and if you fuck up my free time because you decide your child wants a book at 2 minutes to 6, you're a dick.
3. Don't tell me you haven't had all day. Seriously. You're clearly internet literate, you use twitter. You could have used your smartphone to check what time the centre closed and planned accordingly. Don't try to be all "You denied my 5 year-old son books". YOU are the adult, YOU are responsible for your actions, and those include making the choice to show up right as the place was closing. 3 minutes to choose a book? Don't make me laugh. Especially not with a kid with you.
I like my job, I do, it's not what I want to do forever, but it keeps a roof over my head and food in my belly for now. We have some utterly amazing customers who I will miss when I leave, but in saying that I'm happy to go an extra mile for the people who don't stand out, the folk that only come in to get holiday reads, the folk that come in just for a chat, every damn one. I'll smile even when I'm freaking out over money, my dad's surgery, moving house, being dumped, I'll do it because I'm getting paid to do it. But don't assume that you can expect the same thing when you want to muscle in on my time. I'm a polite person, I say please and thank you and hold doors, but I am not getting paid to deal with you, so don't expect me to.
When shops close, you leave, that's how it works. It's not rocket surgery. Don't throw a tantrum and expect 6 members of staff to take time out of their days to bend to your whim.
Sorry, that's made me incredibly angry and sad. The staff where I work work incredibly hard, and my company has a very, very good rep in terms of customer service for a reason. The fact that this chap smeared my branch all over the internet is not cool.
Now, I wasn't there to witness the event, but I can safely say that he's thrown each and every toy out of his pram over it. It's amazing. "I used to work in a shop, so I know what it's like". You don't work in this shop, so shut the hell up.
I'd like to make a few things clear.
1. In the branch I work at, closing time is also the time we stop getting paid. This is why the doors close a minute or so before 6/6.30/9pm. This allows us to do all the back of house stuff (which can sometimes be a faff, depending on printers behaving) and still get out of the shop in time to NOT GET PAID ANY MORE. I've worked in branches that had an extra half-hour leeway built into the day to allow for tidying, taking the tills off etc. so people hanging around isn't the end of the world, but the nature of this branch means that at closing time, EVERYTHING closes, including the shopping centre. Saying that we made an extra £14 or whatever for 60 seconds work just makes you into an asshole. We don't get the money, we get nothing. Unless you handed each and every one of us the cash, you are fundamentally misunderstanding how retail works.
2. Working at a shopping centre out-of-town, means that a fair few of the staff are reliant on public transport. I can't afford a car, not on my wages (and seriously, go ahead, make comments about "being grateful to have a job" I fucking dare you) so I get the bus. By hanging around for "an extra minute" or whatever (hyperbole is a grand thing, no? Are you sure it was 60 seconds?), you're the reason I have to wait around for another half-hour for the bus. Another half-hour I'm not getting paid for. Now, I have a life outside of work, but being an entitled sod, you could be messing that up. I could have a train to catch, or people to see, or a niece and nephew to look after. Your actions have consequences, whether you realise it or not, and if you fuck up my free time because you decide your child wants a book at 2 minutes to 6, you're a dick.
3. Don't tell me you haven't had all day. Seriously. You're clearly internet literate, you use twitter. You could have used your smartphone to check what time the centre closed and planned accordingly. Don't try to be all "You denied my 5 year-old son books". YOU are the adult, YOU are responsible for your actions, and those include making the choice to show up right as the place was closing. 3 minutes to choose a book? Don't make me laugh. Especially not with a kid with you.
I like my job, I do, it's not what I want to do forever, but it keeps a roof over my head and food in my belly for now. We have some utterly amazing customers who I will miss when I leave, but in saying that I'm happy to go an extra mile for the people who don't stand out, the folk that only come in to get holiday reads, the folk that come in just for a chat, every damn one. I'll smile even when I'm freaking out over money, my dad's surgery, moving house, being dumped, I'll do it because I'm getting paid to do it. But don't assume that you can expect the same thing when you want to muscle in on my time. I'm a polite person, I say please and thank you and hold doors, but I am not getting paid to deal with you, so don't expect me to.
When shops close, you leave, that's how it works. It's not rocket surgery. Don't throw a tantrum and expect 6 members of staff to take time out of their days to bend to your whim.
Sorry, that's made me incredibly angry and sad. The staff where I work work incredibly hard, and my company has a very, very good rep in terms of customer service for a reason. The fact that this chap smeared my branch all over the internet is not cool.
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