How should i handle this crazy bitch that comes into my store?

13 Comments

I work at a small health food/supplement store. There is this lady that comes in once in a while with her young teenage daughter. We never have many people working at once, and we don't have cameras in the store, so we always greet everyone who comes in and periodically check in on them in case they need any help. But for the most part, we go about our own business until they are ready to check out. This lady comes in with her daughter, she never seems to buy the same thing twice, and gets really snappy as soon as she hears "can I help you find anything?" Plus, we've heard her say really awful things to her daughter, like "When we get home I'm gonna kick you in your fucking shins" or just in general telling her to shut up when she barely says a word. My manager said that, when she passed her while running a paper to the copier, this woman said "I feel like I'm being followed."So today I greeted her, left her to look around and walked to the back room; heard her mumble something about apple cider vinegar so I briefly looked back to see if she needed me to answer a question. She looks straight at me and yells "Hon, if you're gonna keep following me I'm gonna walk out of here. I feel like every time I'm in here people are following me and it's really pissing me off." (This was especially weird because I was literally walking the opposite direction from her). Then she stormed out of the store, like clanging bottles around and stuff. My manager heard the whole thing but she didn't say anything to her, and she didn't sound like she was going to do anything about it. Anyways, this lady seems really unstable and she just freaks me out. I'm not sure if or when she will come back in again, but if she does, what should I do about it? Cuz I kinda feel like I should tell her to leave before I call the police, especially if she's making a scene around other people. We don't really need her patronage if she's going to be so goddamned rude (plus she kinda does act like she's trying to shoplift). Advice?

Continue catering to her 5
make her leave/other (please explain answer) 13
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Comments ( 13 )
  • thegypsysailor
    9 years ago | pl

    If you choose to work in retail, then this shit happens. I'm sure everyone on here who works retail has similar stories. You've just to put up with the occasional nut.

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  • green_boogers
    9 years ago

    A friend of mine worked retail for several years. She said an occasional whacked-out customer gave her and her coworkers something to laugh about. They even developed a system of "code phrases" to talk about weird customers while the customer was in the store.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      9 years ago

      It is always funny in hindsight, just kind of stressful when it actually happens :x

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      • green_boogers
        9 years ago

        If a coworker said, "that's an 8% markdown" as a side comment during a confrontation, it meant "keep it up, you're making her look stupid".

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  • WhiteStallion
    9 years ago

    Avoid her like the plague but try and keep an eye on her. Tell her you're doing your job if she acts up. You could also try reporting her behavior to management. This is a crappy situation, I don't mind making a scene if this woman gets on my nerves but I guess she's messed up anyway so don't mind her too much.

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  • worriedgirlhere
    9 years ago

    I work in a small retail-type store, so I can relate.

    This one lady was looking at things and I just so happen to be straightening things in her vision, to which I did not intend. Maybe three to four seconds in, she throws the things she had in her hands down aggressively and storms out the store saying, "I don't like being watched".
    It all happened so fast I didn't even have time to react.

    We've had our fair share of shoplifting, going from not so expensive things to reallllyyyy expensive things. But it's our job to greet people and to even sometimes ask if they need assistance with something. Some people are just extremely paranoid and I've found that out by working at a retail store. But I'm getting used to it.

    Like previous statements, just keep an eye on her. The things she's been saying are quite scary and I would be afraid, so keep your distance I suppose.

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  • Aliceee93
    9 years ago

    Your health store remedies are making her wacky!

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  • shuggy-chan
    9 years ago

    Kick her in the shins

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    • dynamohumm
      9 years ago

      No dude....you do NOT fuck with crazy people.

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  • Freedom_
    9 years ago

    What's wrong with you health food store workers? I always feel like you guys are following me and watching me too. The lady can clearly sense that she is not welcome in the store. You can ask her to refrain from using profanity if that is the problem, but otherwise mind your own business. Maybe she was joking with her kid? It honestly just sounds like you are afraid of her because she is different from you and your vegan crew. Why hasn't your manager approached the situation if it's really such a threat? Threatening customers with law enforcement doesn't sound like a good idea unless you are sure she is stealing or threatening someone.

    I think many people find shopping to be a rather uncomfortable experience and sometimes become very anxious when they sense pressure from employees and other shoppers. Talk to your manager about getting security cameras so you don't have to hover around customers you suspect are stealing. Often it's not the people you'd think it would be anyways. The cameras could save you some customers and hence earn the company more money. Most people want to explore the shopping center and need space and patience, not a salesman lurking behind them. If they have questions they will ask. You could also post a catchy sign at the door that clearly states the behavior you expect from customers inside the store.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      9 years ago

      1. We're not vegans, we actually push meat, milk and butter lol
      2. Like I said, we don't really hover all that much, we have other stuff we need to get done. Besides, every store I've been in the sales associates hover? By comparison we actually do it a lot less.
      3. The problem is that she thinks people being in the same room is us "following" her. I briefly made eye contact with her before finishing my business in the back office and she thought I was on her ass.

      Anyways I get if you think the police isn't necessary, maybe I am overreacting etc. but just wanted to clear that up. I think security cameras would be a good idea, I'm not sure why we don't have them already, a lot of the way we do things around here is pretty outdated and inefficient and it's been a common cause of conflict.

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      • Freedom_
        9 years ago

        The vegan thing was just a bad joke.

        I assumed you hovered because usually when employees think someone is stealing they keep a closer eye on that person.

        I have been in this one particular health store in my area and I notice I'm being watched when I'm alone, but it doesn't bother me much. I've taken my sister and niece with me (who don't steal, but apparently look suspicious in certain stores) and was followed making us all feel very uncomfortable. And one time I took my ex ( who looks more like a hippy) and they employees were very kind to him and kept their distance. However when I got to my car he revealed to me a chocolate bar he stole.

        You can't tell if someone is a thief just by their looks and personality. Push for those cameras.

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        • Anonymous Post Author
          9 years ago

          I'm sorry that that happened to you; I try to let people know that they can come to me to ask questions but that I'll also give them freedom to browse. I know that I get uncomfortable when I'm window shopping and feel like I can't get away from the SA. We get all kinds of people in the store, we don't tend to judge on looks, in fact we don't really have a lot of hippies in this town. And I never thought of her as a suspicious looking lady! The only reason I made the comment about her seeming like a shoplifter was just because I couldn't think of why else she would aggressively insist that we stay away from her, even just to pass from room to room while we did our chores.

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