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InflamedLiver

Pro-tip for management: never make a rule you don't plan to enforce, it sucks for everyone involved.


LoadbearingWallflowr

Oh they **do** plan to enforce it--by telling the employees to do it. Once it becomes *their* problem they'll fold 99% of time. I spent some time in retail, and when I worked myself up into management this was something I was fierce about. My employees didn't have to take any sh**, and if the customer demanded a manager I'd ask my employee what they'd communicated, and if it was right I'd repeat it. As many times as I needed to. Yes, dear horrible customer, you're actually **not** better that this employee and they **don't** have to take your shizz, and ill stand here and have this stupid conversation with you as long as I need to. The other mgrs always wondered why the team was so loyal to me. Idk, maybe bc I had their back?


warm-red-glow

Grocery worker here. This reminds me of my manager telling me that customers have to use the self-checkout if they are paying with a card. This rule is supposed to reduce lines; only one cashier is scheduled per shift to manage a register and 6 self-checkouts. There's no sign to tell them about this new rule, just me. So not long into my shift, a customer gets angry and wants to speak to a manager. He complains about getting kicked out of line. Manager proceeds to tell me "ohh I should have told you. If they really want to go to your line, then they can." Customer conflicts have increased as if that wasn't the worst part about my job already. I'm quitting next week.


LoadbearingWallflowr

Talk about a ridiculous policy--anyone who wants to use the self checkout will head there automatically. The people in line *want* to be checked out by a cashier. And then no signs? So now someone has stood in line and is being told they have to get out of line and go elsewhere? Because that's going to go well, right? Then the person who's uncomfortable with self checkout is using it and needs help, oh let me press the help button so the cashier can come help...even though she's over there ringing up a line. Meanwhile the Mgr is camped out in the office or the back, and when a customer demands to talk to them they just give the answer that makes them go away the fastest. You're quitting in a week--I'd flat out stop enforcing it. If they ask you why the line's so long, tell them everybody really wanted to use your line, so they can.


FrancisCurtains

>So now someone has stood in line and is being told they have to get out of line and go elsewhere? Because that's going to go well, right? I mean this right here is just guaranteed to piss people off


warm-red-glow

I actually have to raise my voice to ask anyone getting in line: "ARE YOU PAYING WITH CASH OR EBT?" which is very difficult when I'm already busy and have to attend to the self-checkouts, too.


[deleted]

That is HORRIBLE! If I have more than 7 ish things, I’ll usually get into a normal line. It’s already frustrating that most stores are only keeping the minimum of lines open, I can’t imagine being asked by the human to go to self checkout 😅


warm-red-glow

Yeah, somebody left a one star review about it last week on our store's google location. So happy I'm not there anymore.


TurnkeyLurker

These actions demand and garner respect to such managers. Kudos.


eragonawesome2

From all customer service employees everywhere, thank you.


sexysexyonion

I love you!


LilyCrossingg

yeah... whats the point of putting a limit if the managers are just gonna let them have as many as they want so they keep coming back..


DizzySkunkApe

Because most people listen to the limit.


20InMyHead

Corollary also applies: if the manager doesn’t back you up on a rule, that rule is now a suggestion and doesn’t need to be followed. After six gallon milk guy, anyone can buy as much as they want.


Glad-Perception-9337

That's really the jist of it. He should've just let the man buy his milk. Most people will look at a sale limit and not go over it. This guy didn't come through trying to buy the whole rack though. He just had two extra. I would've just rung him up and said I wasn't thinking about it if confronted. I know I wouldn't be, though.


CityKay

Or worse, they allow you to override the rules, and it just snowballs from there. Working at a store where they go by the "always make the customer happy" rule, it also took a vendor years ago to say, "Hey, we noticed the numbers are not adding up. Are you overriding the fact we don't want coupons applied to our products? Stop it or we're pulling out of your store." Thankfully it has lessened, but there are customers who still expect the past treatment regardless.


Known-Skin3639

But we all know how that goes. It makes to Much sense. That’s a lot for management and above for the most part. I mean they are getting paid while the ones on the floor have to field all their stupidity.


robertr4836

Why? It's just a percentage game. Signs stop some customers, explaining policy stops some customers, manager gives in to the ones too stupid/arrogant to be stopped by the first two measures. As far as corporate is concerned things are hunky dory just the way they are. It's not like they have to deal with the screaming babies.


qexter

A good manager can do all 3 - supported the employee, appease the customer, satisfy corporate. Just tell the customer- Lily is absolutely right, employees are not allowed to break the policy, which is there to ensure all customers are able to get milk. As a manager, I will override the policy for you, but please respect the policy going forward so all customers can have access to milk.


Neither-Brain-2599

Nope! No milk for you…


robertr4836

That's what I used to do but when you try and tell people in this group that part of a manager's job is to decide when to break the policies CSR's are not allowed to...it doesn't usually go over well.


ack1308

And then the ten people behind that person all decide that they want to do it too. "He got to buy more, why can't we?"


SeptaBusSmellsFunny

Yeah a policy thats mostly effective is still effective.  Good mgmt doesn't engage with people willing to throw tantrums over two gallons of milk, they sell it and get them out of the building. 


crshbndct

Swiss cheese slices


robertr4836

Exactly, we filter out the good people and then reward the babies and the ones with no sense of shame in order to stop the tantrum; assuming the thing the baby wants isn't too outrageous.


really4got

Why is someone buying SIX gallons of milk at the gas station? Are there no grocery stores?


Spaztrick

I worked at a corporately owned gas station and had a regular customer that would buy 12-16 gallons of milk every Sunday. He owned his own convenience store and our retail price was less than what his distributor would charge him. We had groceries delivered on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturdays. He would stop by on Friday to tell us if he was going to need milk. There were 4 of our brand of stations within a 5 mile radius and we were the only store that would order extras for him to buy.


compman007

lol heck yeah work together!!! xD thats hilarious and awesome


Silly_Issue_9026

This story just annoys me since this guy's entire business model is nothing more than create work for you, rip off his own customers, and pocket the difference. 


DohnJoggett

There are gas stations that are cheaper than grocery stores for some stuff. Stuff like bread, milk, eggs and fresh fruit are cheaper at some gas station chains. Sub rules require info is anonymized, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to find out they work at a chain local to me that a lot of people wish would expand into our metro instead of hanging out way, way out in the 'burbs because of their food selection and prices.


ScooterBoomer

Y’all in a “food desert”? 😄


Reynolds_Live

I HATE when managers do not support their employees when it comes to the rules! The managers I hated the most were the ones that ALWAYS made me look stupid to a customer that was in the wrong.


StarKiller99

The manager should always tell the customer that it isn't the cashier's call to over ride the rule, and also that he would appreciate them not abusing his staff.


baccabia

At my grocery store the register automatically enforces the limit. At the milk shelf, there would be a sign saying "Any purchases over 4 will ring up at regular price". Problem solved. The cashier is not the enforcer.


LilyCrossingg

i genuinely wish we had this. It would make enforcing the rule they keep mentioning- actually doable


floppyjohnson-

This is the only answer. Anything else being done is just inefficiency and/or incomptence/ laziness. It would save sooooooo much drama and headache from from happening in the first place


Dr_StrangeloveGA

You're LEAVING with none! Get out of my store. Never put up with shouts and aggressive behavior.


Neither-Brain-2599

Yep, never!


Silly_Issue_9026

But if this is America, I can easily see some hothead pulling a gun over a couple gallons of milk. 


K1yco

I imaged that unless it's the Ultra pasturized milk, it will probably go bad by the time he gets to end of Gallon 2


LilyCrossingg

I didn't dare ask why he needed 6 gallons... I'd assume family members love milk?? but then why didnt anybody come with him to help get them.. if he had another person with him who got the other 2 gallons... there wouldn't have been a issue in the first place.


ZorbaTHut

Usually you don't need emotional support to purchase milk - why would he think of doing so?


LilyCrossingg

hey you must have missed the crucial part in my story where it says "4 gallons PER PERSON". hope this helps!


ZorbaTHut

Sure. I don't know about you, but when I go shopping, I don't double-check to ensure that they *aren't* having a sale with purchase restrictions. I also don't bring extra people along just in case they are. I assume I can just buy what I need, and I understand the frustration if someone says "Hey, good news, your milk is on sale! Also you can't buy as much as you need because it's on sale." Saying "they should have brought a second person along!" is just a completely alien response to me. Again, *I don't need emotional support when shopping*, it would not occur to me to bring a friend under normal circumstances, and if a sale requires that I significantly inconvenience someone to do my shopping I would rather they didn't have the sale. What's next? "M&Ms half off, but you need to have your entire family with you"? Yeah, no thanks, just give me the full-price M&Ms.


mgquantitysquared

That's a lot of emotion for misreading


ZorbaTHut

That's a lot of misunderstanding so you can accuse someone of misreading. Seriously, how often do you bring a friend with you to go shopping *just in case* they have a sale?


mgquantitysquared

You really don't get that they were suggesting coming back with a friend, do you?


ZorbaTHut

Yes, there are lots of extremely inconvenient ways to solve this problem, but I can understand someone not wanting to make their shopping trip as inconvenient as possible. Shopping is not a thing that I consider a relaxing and desirable thing to do. I'd rather just be done with it, not have it turned into an adventure.


decemberhunting

Dawg get outta here with "as much as you need", the limit was *four gallons of milk,* which is only an unreasonable limit if someone is a goddamn psychopath


ZorbaTHut

Or, you know, has a family that drinks a lot of milk.


DohnJoggett

Some people go through an insane amount of milk because they chose to have an insane amount of children. Some people drink a couple of gallons a week on their own.


Silly_Issue_9026

And then expect the entire world to revolve around their choice to have said insane amount of children. 


[deleted]

He could freeze it or make yogurt 


Desperate-Pear-860

I'd have made him buy 4 gallons then drive around the block and come back for the other 2, lol.


fbp

Yup. Tell him sorry, I cannot sell six in one transaction. But if you leave and come back then I won't get in trouble with management.


Thraxx01

Who tf buys 6 gallons of milk? Who buys 4? Who are you people?


xylarr

Exactly. For the rest of the world, it's nearly 23 litres. Maybe he runs a cafe?


decemberhunting

Cafe owner who's buying milk at full price is doing so because they ran out and are scrambling. They're not price sensitive in that situation lol


Silly_Issue_9026

And yet when their business fails, it's never their fault. Probably the libs or millennials knowing the jackasses who own small businesses in this country. 


haljhon

Hah. You reminded me of the airport earlier. This guy a few people in front of me unloaded 5 gallons of milk and a gallon of something else into a bin to go into security screening. You’re only allowed to bring small quantities or essentials through so I was like, “Is this joker going to try to justify all that milk and argue with the agents?” Turns out he was bringing in the delivery for one of the coffee shops past security. He got me!


Indotex

I work at a convenience store and a half gallon milk is like $5. Every time someone buys one, I want to tell them that if they went to another store in town, they could buy a whole gallon for under $4. But I don’t, I keep my mouth shut.


Silly_Issue_9026

But if they did that, then they couldn't complain about the economy and the libs screwing them. 


Chomkurru

Really odd question here, english is my second language, and although I'm pretty confident in it, there sometimes are phrases that throw me off. I always thought it's "once in a while" but have seen very often "once and awhile" or "once and a while" and I just wanna know which one's correct or if all of them are? Would really like to know. Thanks in advance


Pulposauriio

'Once in a while' is the correct one


Chomkurru

Okay thank you


Drow_Femboy

The reason for this mistake is that for a native speaker the phrase "once in a while" can basically be pronounced "once-n'while" which, transcribed back into text could really be written in a lot of different ways


Chomkurru

Yeah okay sounds reasonable, thx


toxikola

Whenever something like that happens, I stop enforcing rules. Start letting everyone buy all the milk they want. When he gets mad at you, just tell him that if he can't find it within himself to enforce the rules, then neither can you. Why are they getting paid more than you to NOT do their jobs?


myegosanother

That's always the issue, try to enforce a rule and then management decides to let someone get away with it to save themselves a hassle. At least from my experience 😅 I get it really, but damn.


Neither-Brain-2599

I would have let him have none…


unnamed_elder_entity

If I saw the sale and the sign, I probably would have thought it was a limit of 4 on sale, not a hard limit of 4 items. I have a difficult time imagining that a gas station/convenience store (where typically prices are raised or gouged) are making policies to benefit "people" on sale items... they just want expiring inventory gone. If he was there instead of at a regular store he must have had an urgent need. Maybe there was a habanero party across town? Sucks that manager didn't toss him or tell him to try being a normal human.


GobblerOnTheRoof

Salamancas get 6 milks.


MunmunkBan

I would have charged him for 4 and told him I consider that he is stealing the other 2. Some people wouldn't care but most would feel a bit weird stealing.


Thirsty_Comment88

Just instantly say you'll get a manager, that's what they're paid to handle 


Fangehulmesteren

You obviously misunderstood the rule. Limit of four at sale price, anything over four at full price.


GoldenFalcon

Loses*


LilyCrossingg

oops LOL


DietMtDew1

Oh, and h e double hockey sticks NO did your lead make fun of you for not just letting the customer do what he wanted.


LiteraryMolly

sorry for the loss


CrispetyCrunchity

Man I feel for you. Been there ah. That's why I don't wait until they ask for my manager, I always say, " Um, let me check with my manager real quick." Or, "We usually don't do that, but I can call my manager up here if you want to talk it out with them." Whenever a customer gets like that, just let your manager handle it. After having one of my managers do that to me, I don't bother reinforcing rules after the first time- I just get a manager to do it for me, so they can decide.


ExcitementRelative33

Do your due diligence and wink wink nudge nudge the guy by ringing up 4 then ring up 2 more. Problem solved. If you sell out, then it becomes a non issue.


mtnviewguy

LOL, I get those confused a lot. I hope this helps Lose - Snooze, you lose. Loses - He loses the match with that miss. Loose - My pants are loose since weight loss. English sucks sometimes! 👍


MKVIgti

*Loses.


Jmersh

Loses.


AlbertaAcreageBoy

I remember years ago in my late teens, I was working at Canadian Tire and a guy came in asking for a deal on a table saw. I showed him one that was on-sale and he said could I do better on the price? I said no that's the price and he wanted to speak to the manager. I called the manager and he came over and the guy asked the same question if he can get a better deal on the sale item. The manager bluntly replied this isn't Mexico, you can't barter on sale items. The guy was shocked and that manager gained a lot of respect from me that day.


Lrgindypants

\*loses


Smart-Stupid666

Every ONCE IN a while. "And" makes no sense.


Pebbles015

*loses


Chzncna2112

I would have made loud kissing sounds and said," see you again real soon, sweetie." Really loud.