Out-Of-Work Borders Employees Deliver an Honest Farewell

[Omnicide]

Bravo!

Yes, I currently work in retail. I won't say who for but the job I have now is as a sales associate of a major office supply retail in the United States.

The number of ways people try to shortchange, lie, cheat, steal, and otherwise take advantage of us is staggering. They are probably motivated by our assortment of technologies we sell (computers & tablets, as well as printers & ink, projectors, etc etc.) It would be great to be able to come out and shove their lies back in their faces.

 

[Andaxay]

YES. They have my complete and utter respect. I'm considering something in the same vein when I finally get out of my retail job. Four years there and I am absolutely DONE with customers, I really wonder why I bother wasting the energy drawing in breath to speak to some of the utter twats we get in. Low pay is not a helping factor, but he's right: customers are the worst part of my job. It's a shame for the occasional nice ones we get in, but we only tend to remember the bad ones. Especially the ones that try to cheat us out of stock, like one horrible bloke I had in today.

I liked Borders. Now I love them.

"Retail workers bitter about their jobs" Film at 11. Not that it mattered but if that was their attitude they should get jobs where they don't have to deal with the public.

It doesn't matter what your job is, it doesn't matter if you like it. What matters is that you do the best you can to make the lives of your customers better.

And that's exactly the sort of high-horse bullshit we have to deal with every day. Believe me, if there were jobs available that meant I didn't have to deal with the public, I'd jump at them. Ever considered we're not there by choice, but 'cause it's literally the only thing available right now and we need the money?

 

[Marshall Honorof]

So as some of you guys probably know, I used to work at Barnes & Noble, first at a brick-and-mortar store, then loading eBooks for the website. My very best customer question:

"Is Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter fiction or nonfiction?"

Props to my bookselling brothers and sisters at Borders for finally saying what was bottled up inside them for years. To be clear, most customers at bookstores are perfectly nice - the small percentage who aren't, though, are the reason behind this list.

 

[Formica Archonis]

That was remarkably calm. I'm in retail (repairs and not sales, but that's no better) at a computer store and I empathize with most of that list not specifically related to books.

Nothing develops a dislike for kids quite like finding one wedging items from off the shelves under the doors so people try to go through them and slam into them instead. And nothing develops a dislike for parents like looking around for the kid's parents and realizing that it's the mid-afternoon lull and there's no one in the store. We're a stand alone store, not connected to anything and not sharing a parking lot. The guy came in, let the kid loose, AND DROVE AWAY. Came back an hour later like nothing was wrong. Shoulda called the police on the prick.

 

[RaikuFA]

As someone who works in retail I can agree with the damn thing.

First, stop fucking abusing coupons. "Cannot be duplicated" does not mean you can print multiple copies then ***** when you can't get your way.

Second, don't bring in your little bastard and let it loose then complain when they get hurt. Its not our fault you couldn't keep your legs closed.

Third, don't speak fucking english on the phone while waiting in line then act like you dont speak a word of english at all when your crap isn't free for you.

Fourth, being an accountant dosen't make you a messiah. So stop calling me a retard when the item is off one cent.

Fifth, don't act like I just killed your whole family because I asked if you had the stores credit card or if you want magazines, its my fucking job to ask.

Sixth, quit throwing a tantrum and threaten to have me killed because I can't speak spanish, jamaican or hindi. It just gives me an excuse to call immigration.

Yeah those are my complaints about retail. I know it can be offensive and I apologize in advance if I offended you.

 

[Zay-el]

And that's why I get my books online; because I know that shop assistants are just a bunch of condescending, judgmental pricks who have a nice facade on.

I once went to buy some Mises and Hayek (specifically Socialism, The Road to Serfdom, and The Constitution of Liberty) from Waterstones, and I had a guy who pretty much had a title above his head reading "UNIVERSITY DROPOUT". He rolled his eyes as he glanced over the books, and didn't even pack them in a bag- despite my behaviorr being nothing short of amicable. I'm sure I heard the term "wage slaver" as I walked away.

Prick.

So...you base your assumptions about retail workers in general on a single experience you've had? You must have quit a lot of things, if you're deterred so easily by a single semi-bad experience. Also, I've never heard a single anyone say wage slaver before, just putting it out there.

Not to mention that if you have such an opinion of shop assistants in general, guess how many other idiots this world has to bear upon itself. And guess what, a lot of these are served by these very shopkeepers so I can pretty much accept that only put on a nice smile and go with it. You'd rather they frown at you constantly?

Kudos to these guys. If you reach the end anyway, might as well go out like a boss.

 

[RiffRaff]

Actually, if the coupon says one per customer and the family is willing to have each member ring up a separate transaction then there's no problem with that. Each person is a customer. So that one just isn't valid.

"I'm looking for a book" is correct. They walked into your store looking for a book. They didn't say they looked for a book when they hadn't. If they did you'd have a point, but if not then shut up and do your job.

Meh... I worked in retail. Sure the biggest problem is the customer but that list was disappointing.

 

[Blow_Pop]

you know a lot of these can be put to working in an amusement park as well because damn it! We are not your child's babysitter!

 

[Susurrus]

Some of the stuff really puzzles me:

- If they knew that customers were bringing books back after reading them, why let them change? If it was store policy to let them... Well that's Borders problem, surely?

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Faith in Humanity +1

But they're still being so restrained. Trust me. Retail customers are vile at times.

 

[Formica Archonis]

The number of ways people try to shortchange, lie, cheat, steal, and otherwise take advantage of us is staggering.

Got any corporate accounts? It's amazing how thieving a corporation can be. In some ways they're worse than the individuals.

They are probably motivated by our assortment of technologies we sell (computers & tablets, as well as printers & ink, projectors, etc etc.) It would be great to be able to come out and shove their lies back in their faces.

My favorite is "I spend so much money here!" or "I'm a regular!" as if the amount of money you spend makes you inherently superior. As soon as they say that, you know they're lying. Last one who tried it on us then demanded to speak to a specific salesman because "He'll fix this up right away and show you!"

The salesman he named left the company two years ago.

 

[Ariyura]

I am one of those let go Borders Employees and everything mentioned is true and a couple of more need to be added to. In retail we're taught to treat customers like Royalty no matter how awful they really are.

But Borders was special in that they just took everything and didn't really do a damn thing about it. Damage merchandise? Fine we'll eat the costs, something stolen, oh well we can't catch them all. It was really sad watching the company fall apart.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

- If they knew that customers were bringing books back after reading them, why let them change?

You have to, because you can't prove it. If the customer complains - for whatever reason - it is safer and cheaper to fire you no matter who is in the right.

And as retail workers don't have a decent union, it's automatically successful. You have no appeal.

If it was store policy to let them... Well that's Borders problem, surely?

Borders, like most book stores policy, is that the Customer is always right. Regardless of the truth. Your job literally depends on them not complaining.

 

[RaikuFA]

Actually, if the coupon says one per customer and the family is willing to have each member ring up a separate transaction then there's no problem with that. Each person is a customer. So that one just isn't valid.

"I'm looking for a book" is correct. They walked into your store looking for a book. They didn't say they looked for a book when they hadn't. If they did you'd have a point, but if not then shut up and do your job.

Meh... I worked in retail. Sure the biggest problem is the customer but that list was disappointing.

with borders each coupon given to a customer is individually numbered

 

[v3n0mat3]

*Reads the list*

Yup. This shows quite a lot of restraint on their part.

Now, for me to do one about McDonald's...

 

[JimmyC99]

Some of the stuff really puzzles me:

- If they knew that customers were bringing books back after reading them, why let them change? If it was store policy to let them... Well that's Borders problem, surely?

it also smacks of abusing the system.

working in retail can be enjoyable, its the customers who make it awful.

my favorite question i was asked

Customer "I'm looking for a game"
Me "What Sort of game?"
Customer "i don't know"

this went on for a bit, i couldn't help i didn't have alot of info.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

because I know that shop assistants are just a bunch of condescending, judgmental pricks who have a nice facade on.

What matters is that you do the best you can to make the lives of your customers better.

People who want to work in retail. These will be your first 2 customers of the day.

They will then be followed by 300 or more equally judgemental people, with maybe 1 or 2 nice ones.

For this, you will probably get basic wages and be worked hard to get them, with every effort you make being taken as the new minimum.

You will want to find new jobs almost instantly, but you will find that every job you go for will have at least 200 other people going for it.

They literally can fire you and hire you at a whim.

And if one of the two above people come into your shop, you are going to be fired unless you can beg with them for your job.

Welcome to adult life. 40-60% of you will be in this until you die.

 

[AK47Marine]

As a former Border's employee in both the Cafe and as a book seller MY GOD ALL OF THAT. Except for the left learning bit. But jesus I wish I'd said crap like that my last day. Quitting that shit job was goddamn magical.

The number of ways people try to shortchange, lie, cheat, steal, and otherwise take advantage of us is staggering.

Got any corporate accounts? It's amazing how thieving a corporation can be. In some ways they're worse than the individuals.

They are probably motivated by our assortment of technologies we sell (computers & tablets, as well as printers & ink, projectors, etc etc.) It would be great to be able to come out and shove their lies back in their faces.

My favorite is "I spend so much money here!" or "I'm a regular!" as if the amount of money you spend makes you inherently superior. As soon as they say that, you know they're lying. Last one who tried it on us then demanded to speak to a specific salesman because "He'll fix this up right away and show you!"

The salesman he named left the company two years ago.

I dunno most of my regulars were great actually, alot of people came to me specifically for book recommendations and even sent their friends to me in a couple cases, if all or even a 1/4 of my customer interactions were like that I could happily stay in retail forever.... with higher pay.

 

[DoomyMcDoom]

Remembering my time in customer service... Why are people such assholes about stuff? I mean if it's not something I can fix why bother screaming at me about it? Hope I can stay away from retail/customer service jobs for awhile... way too stressful, I far preferred my last kitchen job, sure kitchens have a "stressful" environment, but it's more of a performance stress than a being shouted at and verbally assaulted for no good reason stress, feels nice not having stress heaped on you for things you can't do anything about...

 

[Susurrus]

- If they knew that customers were bringing books back after reading them, why let them change?

You have to, because you can't prove it. If the customer complains - for whatever reason - it is safer and cheaper to fire you no matter who is in the right.

And as retail workers don't have a decent union, it's automatically successful. You have no appeal.

If it was store policy to let them... Well that's Borders problem, surely?

Borders, like most book stores policy, is that the Customer is always right. Regardless of the truth. Your job literally depends on them not complaining.

Yes, fine. But it's still a funny thing to bother you, isn't it? I mean, ok, the customer is ripping off borders, and borders will fire you if you moan, so just... let them??