DAILY DOSE By Bikram Vohra
Every owner of every retail store or supermarket knows they are on the staff. The sulky, sullen, indifferent salesperson who makes for such an unpleasant shopping experience. If you hate your job so much leave it, find another one. But if you come to a service industry and retail is big on service then do your job with grace and courtesy.
I always meet this minority of minions who are just either nasty or unhelpful or rude. You walk into a shop and whatever you ask for they don’t have it. That’s not true. You had a shelf full yesterday. What is about me that won’t make you stir from your perch, you pouting parrot.
They point, there, there, on the left and then ignore you.
And it can also be a trifle racist. If you don’t look or speak to the manner born the sulk is joined by a sneer and they let you know by their body language that you don’t count.
And if they are really having one of their bad (good?) days they follow you around like you were a thief. You can sense it. You know you are not wanted. You are uneasy, uncomfortable, they are telling you that you are an intruder, not a customer.
No stock. Not available. Go away. Not even the hint of good manners.
And yet these floor managers, knowing how much harm these people are causing their sales, keep them on.
Why would you have unpleasant people selling your merchandise? It makes no sense to me.
I have even had an experience where the attendant left me half way to pay attention to a more promising customer. There I am stranded like a mariner on an island and this lady has scarpered without finishing the transaction.
At supermarkets you can calculate your worth (financial ,social, any-ial) by the way they pack your purchases. If they separate them you are up on their ladder. If the detergent and the butter are flung in together you have failed their examination. And if you know they are not going to volunteer to drop your bags to the car don’t upset yourself. Be grateful they let you in seeing how little they think of you.
What I don’t understand is how my money is any less ‘worthy’ than someone else’s shilling.