Becoming friends with retail assistants

Post by **Michael** » March 7th, 2008, 2:02 pm

You know what I'm talking about. Every day at a set time, you go and buy the same thing from the same shop. Maybe it's a coffee in the morning, or sushi at lunch. You find yourself served by the same person every day. Each day the amount of familiarity between you rises. But still the same conversation takes place. "I'll have a blah." "Sure, there ya go." "Thanks." "See ya." Sometimes one of you splashes out. "Hey! How are ya today." "How was the weekend?" "Have a good weekend! Don't get up to too much trouble!" Sometimes it's hard to think of what to say. "So, still working in the shop I see!" "Been busy?" But still the same conversation takes place. Sometimes it's okay. A bit of conversation is nice. But not too much! There's other customers in line. And sometimes you just want your morning coffee without feeling like there needs to be a dialogue. It's enough to make you switch to that slightly inferior and more expensive coffee shop down the road, "just because it's easier that way", isn't it?

mkstvns · Post by **mkstvns** » March 7th, 2008, 2:17 pm

I do like the occasional fire/police discount the guys at my local Subway give me every now and then, haha.

On the other hand, I hate when retail assistants are chatting away with each other or with a customer at the register. I'm in line bitch! Serve me!

Post by **Miles** » March 7th, 2008, 2:24 pm

I like how things are with my barista. We know each other's names, but it's always just "hey, here's your coffee, thanks, seeya later!" - nice and quick

Stu · Post by **Stu** » March 7th, 2008, 2:29 pm

When I was working and living in London I used to get my lunch from a particular lunch spot, I was taken there by a co worker and introduced to a girl who served there. She was fairly gorgeous and always greeted me with a "Hi Stu, what ya want today?"

(you god damn it)

It made me want to go back there, fantasy wise because I figured she must have a crush on me, hence she remembers my name, realistically I realise it was just good business sense. And it worked.

I actually enjoy a bit of intelligent banter with shop assistants, I tend to buy my clothes and stuff from a small selection of stores and in a few I've struck up these type of relationships with some of them.

Wierd though when you bump into them socially at a club or something, then it smacks of stalking

Dan Syndrome · Post by **Dan Syndrome** » March 7th, 2008, 7:56 pm

Argod wrote:It made me want to go back there, fantasy wise because I figured she must have a crush on me, hence she remembers my name, realistically I realise it was just good business sense. And it worked.

I've been guilty of much the same thought process more times than I care to admit to.

Karsten · Post by **Karsten** » March 7th, 2008, 8:05 pm

Pffft - I rotate the days I went (well now I don't go) as the women and men were dumb trolls at the cafe. And I always tried to get one I hadn't abused the week before.

I can't stand stupidity.

nadnerb · Post by **nadnerb** » March 7th, 2008, 10:48 pm

There was a guy who used to come into the cafe I used to work at everyday.
This guy was creepy, he'd usually order the exact same thing and always sit at the same table, which so happened to be right near the counter where the waitresses hang out between taking orders etc
One time he overheard it was one of the girls birthdays and came back later in the day with a present.
He also had a habit of kinda stroking the girls hands when paying, but at least he always gave a good tip (which was spread out evenly amongst the employees that day!)
Oh yeah, he also knew all the girls names.

The place shut down recently so I dunno where he goes now for his little fix, lol

Milligna · Post by **Milligna** » March 8th, 2008, 10:34 am

Yeah, retail and hospitality workers are nice because that's their jb - service. It's in their interest for customers to be happy, because you don't want to have angry customers. It's not necessarily for the business, but self defence - no one wants to be the person that gets yelled at.

There was a girl at the supermarket that I work at who was given a small box by one of the regular customers who didn't speak much english. She didn't open it then and there, but waited until her break. It turned out to be quite a pricey ring. She was really creeped out by it, and the service manager had to pull the guy aside next time he came in to explain why he couldn't just give expensive gifts to the girls on the registers.

Gamma · Post by **Gamma** » March 14th, 2008, 4:20 pm

There are regular customers at my work that I run into around town or at the pub, and we always say hi and have a chat. Then there's the people who come in, make their demands, throw the cash on the counter then fuck off, scoffing at your attempt to hand them a receipt and 5c coin. And that's fine too. Retail requires indifference.

mkstvns · Post by **mkstvns** » March 14th, 2008, 4:38 pm

Milligna wrote:the service manager had to pull the guy aside next time he came in to explain why he couldn't just give expensive gifts to the girls on the registers without sliding something his way as well.

Fixed.

Nomis · Post by **Nomis** » March 14th, 2008, 4:46 pm

Fuck.

I lolled.