What part of "no" is confusing you? The N part? Or the O part?

The BBQ Pit
41

And of course, partly_warmer, if you ever worked any type of hourly-wage job with set hours, if the boss ever told you to stay late without pay, after you were already heading out the door, you cheerfully jumped to and did whatever he asked, no matter whether he was polite or rude/demanding about it, because he’s just asking a favor, right? It’s just an exchange between two human beings, right? After all, why would you think you should be able to go home just because it’s the end of your scheduled hours? The clock doesn’t matter, right?

The store is closed. If the store closes at 9, and you got there at 9:01, too stinkin’ bad. You arrived too late to receive service. Deal with it. No one is required to wait on your selfish, tardy ass. “The natural laws of the universe are at stake” works both ways, bubba. The world will not end if you don’t get your coffee.

42

Yes, because more than likely, those soda jerks ARE NOT going to get paid for working overtime.
As hardygrrl said, payroll in retail in very tight, insanely so. One place I work used to always schedule me for 37 or 38 hours every week, but I always actually worked 40 hours. Because there’s always something that holds you up (not literally), and they knew it. Hence them scheduling me for less than 40 hours.
The managers blow a gasket if you have 15-30 minutes of overtime. God forbid they have to pay you time-and-a-half for 15 minutes one week!
If you’re not on that sales floor SELLING, it’s lost money to them.
That half-hour or so from then the store closes to when the employees actually leave is like lost money, because they have to pay them, but they’re not taking any money in.
They want the employees out of there as soon as possible.

43

Hey, I’m not denying that entry level wage earners see every day the worst the capitalist system has to dole out. And “bosses” whose major accomplishment may have been being stupid enough to stay in a dead-end job for 7 years until they were promoted are rarely examples of good management.

But that’s not my point. I’m talking about the difference between being helpful, and spite.

Two weeks ago, someone stole my groceries after the checkout, while I was talking to a friend. The checker said “Just go get some more”. That’s someone who likes me, and wants my business.

Some bimbo (bimba) who locks their store five minutes before closing time, when I’m standing outside, and shrugs their shoulders, does not want my business. I however, will certainly talk to their manager the next day, with the intention of having them fired.

44

partly_warmer,

You are ranting about something very different than the OP was talking about. Showing good customer service BEFORE and AFTER the store is closed are two very different things. No one here locked the store before closing time. It was after. Please start your own thread to bitch about poor customer service. It certainly does occur but that is not what this was about. You admitted to “just wanting a cup of coffee” after the store was closed.

45

And if that Bimba(I should probably be bo, but I like this word) was me, and you phoned the owners, they would laugh in your face.

Why? Because they know that I have a life, unlike the buttheads that show up 1 minute before closing time, and think they’re gonna start planning their new fall wardrobe, and if I have plans, or dinner to make, too Goddamn bad.

I have regularly let someone in after I’m closed if they’re just picking up an item they had on hold. I’ve let people stay after I was closed, because the one with the $$ had to go home and get her wallet. I’ve let people wait in my store after closing, holding me up from going to my home because the weather was bad and they were waiting for a ride.

I do these things because I’m nice - not because it is in any way, shape or form part of my job. I do it as a favour. You know - a kindness to strangers. But believe me, when some fuckwikket comes along, who was too frikin’ stoopid to get to the store during operating hours, and EXPECTS to drop everything, because God knows - retail employees certainly don’t have any sort of life - well guess what - they can kiss my shiny white ass.

46

Right. I take pride in my work. If it’s a couple minutes more or less, I won’t worry.

If I’m repeatedly asked to work hours I’m not paid for, I expect some kind of consideration. In my limited experience of several decades, I’ve never met a manager who didn’t understand that. There are workalcoholic managers who feel everybody should work long hours. There are managers who want to exploit you. But you can still hold them accountable.

47

Grin. Which part of this did you expect me to argue with?

48

Never seen myself as a ranter. Don’t have the stamina.

But you’re right I’m not talking about normal customer service, per se.

Actually, I’d be willing to bet that 4 out of 5 customers knocking on closed doors don’t care about anybody but themselves. (“Stairway to Heaven” comes to mind.)

But. But. But. Some people knocking after hours really would like that coffee. Really didn’t mean to show up late. Really would be grateful if you opened your doors. Have you ever done it? It’s a good feeling…

49

partly_warmer,

The only semi-nice thing that I can say to you is that you have no idea what you are talking about. I started working in grocery stores when I was 14 1/2. I worked my way through college as a waiter, administrative assistant, and a caterer. I am now a highly successful IT consultant and have worked in management for several international companies.

Working in a salaried, steady the job is remarkably dissimilar to minimum wage retail work. In fact, it is so different that your experience has less than zero applicability. I am rather well off now and would fight tooth and nail never to go back to that life again. You really cannot understand unless you have done it. It has nothing to do with the “worst side of capitalism”. I needed the money and was young and a hard worker, they needed me. There is a reason that people that have worked in the service industry tip well for their entire lives.

50

Shagnasty, I worked in a supermarket and a liquor store as a teenager. Also, picking crops. (I am an IT consultant/manager/contractor.)

If a customer knocked on my door after hours in the supermarket or liquor store, I’d probably at least open the door to see what they wanted.

Maybe that’s why you’re highly successful, and I’m not.

51

Some people really want to go home after being on their feet and serving rude people for eight hours too. You should try letting them go home on time, it might make you feel good.

You may only ask someone to open their doors once in a while, but the employees get this almost every night… maybe you should think about it from their perspective.

52

So go some place that’s open 24 hours.

Tough SHIT. You may just want a cup of coffee. I’ve been on my feet for nine hours, my manager is whining about paying me overtime, I’m tired, I have tests to study for.

TOUGH SHIT!!! You SHOULD have come earlier!

Oh, boohoo! You can’t get a cup of coffee. If that’s the worst thing that happens to you in life, deal with it.

53

And you may only be asking that once, but if we let you in tonight, you’ll be back EVERY SINGLE NIGHT after that, with cries of, “Come on, you let me in last night!”

54

Actually, it’s even more of a safety issue, I would think. If you’re closed, you’re closed - if you start opening a door to people after hours to “see what they want,” you may well find yourself looking at a gun. It’s just not worth the trouble.

55

First off, I am NOT questioning your intelligence, but re-opening a liquor store after you’ve closed sounds like a good way to get robbed.
Or shot.
Most likely both. :frowning:

56

I presently work in a bookstore. And contrary to most people in retail situations, I actually like my job. The staff is comprised completely of people who have college (and many with grad) degrees, and it’s all in all just a great atmosphere…since it’s an independent bookstore and not a chain. I enjoy working with books. And for the most part, the customers who come in are the cool types too…mostly liberal people who are there to support the local bookstore rather than the whiny “I’m just here because I have to get such and such book and I need it as fast as humanly possible, preferably yesterday” (though we get a couple of those too, they’re generally nice about it).

So anyway, we don’t have to do massive cleaning up at night, and it wouldn’t be a question of a 30 minute redo of closing…except for the fact that people who come into a bookstore generally go there to browse…they spend hours at a time.

Little story:
We close at 10. 9:55 a couple comes in. I let them know we’ll be closing in five minutes. They say great, no problem. A couple minutes later they say “yeah just three minutes.” Than the lady comes over to me and starts asking me about what are some good books. So I point out some of our staff picks…they’re the easiest to rattle off quickly and I know what some are about. Then she just stood there chatting with her (I assume) husband.

At this point my co-worker and I were very tired…it was 10 at night, we had just worked an 8 hour shift, carrying books, running up and down stairs, etc. We still did have to count the money and all that. Our feet hurt. If someone comes it at the last minute (before the door’s locked) and knows exactly what they want, no problem. If the door’s locked, only bleeding and or an emergency are going to make me open it.

So we blinked the lights, a “subtle” hint. So the lady loudly proclaimed that she hated it when people do that. I have no sympathy. My response is “then don’t come it at closing, say you know we’re closing and will leave, and then stay just chatting, not buying anything.”

Admittedly, it is a different situation with places with coffee and all…it would be even more of an inconvenience because they have to reheat everything and brew the coffee (one little cup of coffee isn’t easy if you don’t have the pot already there brewed) and then clean everything all over again. I’m all for helping out and being nice and all, but not if it’s going to effectively add a half hour to my night. That’s what McD’s and other late night places are for.

Plus, I don’t relish the thought of a gun being put to my head. Has never happened, and I don’t plan on it happening.

57

I presently work in a bookstore. And contrary to most people in retail situations, I actually like my job. The staff is comprised completely of people who have college (and many with grad) degrees, and it’s all in all just a great atmosphere…since it’s an independent bookstore and not a chain. I enjoy working with books. And for the most part, the customers who come in are the cool types too…mostly liberal people who are there to support the local bookstore rather than the whiny “I’m just here because I have to get such and such book and I need it as fast as humanly possible, preferably yesterday” (though we get a couple of those too, they’re generally nice about it).

So anyway, we don’t have to do massive cleaning up at night, and it wouldn’t be a question of a 30 minute redo of closing…except for the fact that people who come into a bookstore generally go there to browse…they spend hours at a time.

Little story:
We close at 10. 9:55 a couple comes in. I let them know we’ll be closing in five minutes. They say great, no problem. A couple minutes later they say “yeah just three minutes.” Than the lady comes over to me and starts asking me about what are some good books. So I point out some of our staff picks…they’re the easiest to rattle off quickly and I know what some are about. Then she just stood there chatting with her (I assume) husband.

At this point my co-worker and I were very tired…it was 10 at night, we had just worked an 8 hour shift, carrying books, running up and down stairs, etc. We still did have to count the money and all that. Our feet hurt. If someone comes it at the last minute (before the door’s locked) and knows exactly what they want, no problem. If the door’s locked, only bleeding and or an emergency are going to make me open it.

So we blinked the lights, a “subtle” hint. So the lady loudly proclaimed that she hated it when people do that. I have no sympathy. My response is “then don’t come it at closing, say you know we’re closing and will leave, and then stay just chatting, not buying anything.”

58

sorry for the double post…it was really slow and i didn’t think it had gone through…and that it’s so long too…

59

Wow, I must be one rude-ass bitch, not helping these people! I couldn’t possibly have a good reason for turning them down!

Oh wait, yes I do … because I would be fired. That’s right, allowing customers into the store after the store has been closed is grounds for IMMEDIATE TERMINATION. The guy who was cleaning the patio had no choice but to leave the door unlocked as he did so, but if he hadn’t done everything he could to get the guys to leave, he would have lost his job.

Or worse. As several other people have pointed out, opening your store for that one person whose “bus was late”* or who’s “had a terrible day” can easily get you killed. I stated in the OP that I didn’t think the guys were holding up the store, but I was also deathly afraid that I was wrong. At any point he could have pulled out a gun, “We just want some coffee” would have changed to “open the fucking safe or you’re all dead,” and we could have done NOTHING about it. As it was, they had to go to 7-11 for their coffee and I came home to my cats unscathed. But it could have been different.

So fuck you, for telling me to risk my job and my life. Fuck you again for implying that I’m an inhuman, narrow-minded, selfish jackass for not doing so. And fuck you sideways for implying that I obviously don’t see customers as human beings. I do cut people breaks when I think they could use them. But I am not, nor will I ever be willing to, lose my job or worse because some asshole can’t read a watch and insists that “closed” can’t possibly keep him from getting whatever he wants.

(* Incidentally, the only person who ever takes the bus to this store is me. Trust me on this.)

60

Not to mention some places are employing minors, who have to be clocked out by a certain time, or the store is fined.