Store employee shouting a greeting as I enter.

[aspieworldcitizen]

And yes, greeting customers is indeed part of shoplifting/hold up prevention (I worked at a bank as well).

 

[Autism]

I know they are told to do this but I can't stand to be "greeted" as I enter a store. I'm not always certain who speaks to me and it is really annoying if the greeter isn't right at the entrance and I have to locate him/her to return the greeting. I am not there to chat with someone at the register as I enter the door. I have something on my mind that I want to shop for. If I need help I am perfectly capable of asking an employee. Many years ago I traveled through the South Eastern states and I was always met with a sugary greeting. OK--that was Southern hospitality. I would much prefer peace and quiet when I shop in Central NY. Is this something other Aspies also care about?

What you are reporting is typical of an autistic person. We reason with logic and the way most people speak shows no obvious intelligence or logic. Naturally we are offended by that. There is a problem with a person that insists upon idiotic phrases repeated over and over again.
It is true that store people have to say that, but that is not the entire problem. Politeness does not originate with unimaginative phrases and it certainly does not convey real empathy either. It is a practice that is sweeping the nation, always uttered by people who couldn't care less, it is the language of the fools.
And you by recognizing this have just taken an intelligence test. Your score is very good my friend.

 

[Sparticus]

Maybe we can solicit funds from them for a fund raiser...or get them to join a new occult.... I hear ya; it's a pain in the azz. Greetings...I'm spending my money here, leave me the f....ooops it's time for me to go offline and take my mandatory "nap."

Otherwise I might be prowling online, late at night like a Ninja...ready to bite a maiden's neck...anyhoo excellent topic. I feel ya pain...it's like what do we have to say back? "Hey bro, I know you have a crappy job...so I'll empathize with you by people pleasing you?"

I know they are told to do this but I can't stand to be "greeted" as I enter a store. I'm not always certain who speaks to me and it is really annoying if the greeter isn't right at the entrance and I have to locate him/her to return the greeting. I am not there to chat with someone at the register as I enter the door. I have something on my mind that I want to shop for. If I need help I am perfectly capable of asking an employee. Many years ago I traveled through the South Eastern states and I was always met with a sugary greeting. OK--that was Southern hospitality. I would much prefer peace and quiet when I shop in Central NY. Is this something other Aspies also care about?

 

[Autism]

Maybe we can solicit funds from them for a fund raiser...or get them to join a new occult.... I hear ya; it's a pain in the azz. Greetings...I'm spending my money here, leave me the f....ooops it's time for me to go offline and take my mandatory "nap."

Otherwise I might be prowling online, late at night like a Ninja...ready to bite a maiden's neck...anyhoo excellent topic. I feel ya pain...it's like what do we have to say back? "Hey bro, I know you have a crappy job...so I'll empathize with you by people pleasing you?"

Have you noticed, they do that in almost all working places now? Like we have to crawl up someone's behind as if that was the only way we could achieve customer satisfaction.

I cringe when I go anywhere and a stranger talks to me, wants to know how I AM doing? None of their beeswax anyways. Intrusive, unnecessary interaction. I am a business owner and I do try to be friendly to my customers, but never to the point where it would be seen as this overexertion of friendliness, it is like someone is going overboard, I see that as an invasion of my privacy. If I am anywhere and someone gets in my way and asks if there is anything they can help me with: what would my first answer be? Did I ask you for help? No, of course not.
Then the words: Can I help you find anything? Nope, last time I checked I had two capable eyes that help me see, two arms that help me get what I want, and two legs that can carry me to the destination of my choice. Now, if I would be blind, was in a wheelchair, or so obviously handicapped that movement would not be possible I might understand if someone asked if they could help.

 

[Autism]

Sparticus, I like your reply. Gutsy, honest, mandatory nap, that cracks me up because that is how I am too. There are lots of crappy jobs out there, loooove leave me the f... alone. So true, so true. It is a pain in the azz, geez your post gets me going, but in a good way, hahahahah

 

[Peace]

I know they are told to do this but I can't stand to be "greeted" as I enter a store. I'm not always certain who speaks to me and it is really annoying if the greeter isn't right at the entrance and I have to locate him/her to return the greeting. I am not there to chat with someone at the register as I enter the door. I have something on my mind that I want to shop for. If I need help I am perfectly capable of asking an employee. Many years ago I traveled through the South Eastern states and I was always met with a sugary greeting. OK--that was Southern hospitality. I would much prefer peace and quiet when I shop in Central NY. Is this something other Aspies also care about?

i don't mind a greeting, but when they are away from you and yell it, Now I'm offended. I stopped going in a cafe I really liked because they got a new waitress and you wouldn't even be in the door and she'd be yelling hi, you want coffee?

 

[Ste11aeres]

I have noticed real regional difference in terms of customer service. I visited Santa Barbara, a wealthy town in CA., and the customer service there was actually quite available. It was as if it was their career, and they were good at it. They somehow knew how to convey their availability for your needs, the knowledge that they would really serve you, etc, without being in your face.

 

[Cerulean]

If I have the forethought, I'll wear headphones (not even necessarily with music on) to communicate that I am interested in being left alone and let them know that I may not hear them (eliminates that where-is-that-person-so-I-can-respond issue), and will smile and "hi" to any employee I see in the store to be polite and not look like I want to rob them. When I was working in retail I found this an acceptable interaction as I didn't really want to talk with them anyway.

 

[Sparticus]

Thanks Autism! I like your taste in posts@! Crappy jobs...yeah lots of McJobs...[old man voice] "back way when dinosaurs still roamed in our dreams, a person could start at the bottom and work their way up."

Today ya gotta be related to someone, kiss azz really good, be connected somehow [and they are afraid of you] or have that elusive certificate/skillset that says "hands off and btw, f&ck you. Have a good day."

Sparticus, I like your reply. Gutsy, honest, mandatory nap, that cracks me up because that is how I am too. There are lots of crappy jobs out there, loooove leave me the f... alone. So true, so true. It is a pain in the azz, geez your post gets me going, but in a good way, hahahahah

 

[Jimbo]

The tellers at my local bank do that crap now. Welcome to Suntrust! Drives Me nuts. Just be nice, deposit My money in a timely fashion without screwing up, and I'll be a customer for life. I don't need some fake greeting.

 

[tlc]

I've never seen store greeters actually shout. Usually just a nod. I'd hate the job and do feel bad for them.

As far as the people in the store who do know the product line and are willing to help, if they ask then I can't lie if I am really looking. So I'll let them show me to something, then they can feel like they've done their deed, and if they really know their stuff then then maybe it will help them keep their job because they deserve that. Besides sometimes I'll actually learn something and knowledge is always good. Otherwise I'll get them coming back and saying "you sure you don't need help?" Seems to always be too much or too little. If I do need help it's often a wild goose chase trying to track someone down.

I think what bothers me the most seems to happen more at gas stations and fast food joints than anything. Employees will be standing around talking with their buddies or boy/girl friend, with no care in the world that customers are actually waiting.

I had an uncomfortable experience with a greeter before, the security type. Went through the self checkout for 1 thing, chose the no bag option, receipt in my hand. Cameras and computers would have tracked this. Greeter stops me and asks if I paid for this. I said yes and showed her my receipt. So instead of have a nice day or sorry or whatever, her words were "keep smiling, cause our cameras are watching you on your way out". Geez do they have a shoplifting quota and are trying to pin someone?

The shouting headline of this thread made me think of one thing this past weekend even though it wasn't a greeter. At the gas station, paying for pop. The cashier girl leans over the counter practically pushing me out of the way, bangs her fist on the counter, and shouts "dam those are MY shoes!!! $**t even the same color!" Turned out she was shouting at her buddies in line behind me, but it was enough to make me jump and finish my card swipe and get away from that nutcase asap. Well nutcase to me, just a cool chick to many other guys.

 

[Judge]

Routine shouting at a point of entry and exit would be bad security apart from aggravating customers.

You want to be able to draw attention in the event of a problem. Not mask it with loud voices.

 

[tw3]

Recently my wife and I went to buy a lamp at certain furniture store. The sales woman who greeted us started to follow us around. Every time we looked at something she came over to us asking if we wanted help with it. Finally I took her name and told her to stop following us, that I would find her when I was ready to buy.
Later, I went to the front of the store where the sales people were congregating. I didn't see her there so I asked for her by name. Someone found her, we made the purchase, and began to depart. Suddenly the manager appeared and began to apologize to us because the sales woman was "hard to find." She was in trouble and that wouldn't happen again.
After my initial shock, I got angry. I spoke very loud when I told the manager that the sales woman had done exactly as I asked and that if she had continued to follow us around, we would have left the store without buying anything.
I suppose it sounded rude, but I get sick of being trailed around by "helpful" sales people. Here was one who did what was asked and was in trouble because of it.
I like anonymity, peace, and quiet when I shop. If I stare at a product for a minute or two, I don't want to be interrupted with a "can I help you" destroying my train of thought.
As a result, I am making more and more of my purchases on-line.
Some things just have to be seen up close but I really dread shopping in brick and mortar stores filled with obsequious sales clerks.

 

[Sunnylims]

I totally get where you are coming from. I like to find things on my own, it's like a hunt or something. I understand it's their job, so I've pretty much developed a script for when I am approached by salespeople.

If I am greeted as soon as I walk in the door, I just put on my happy face, say hi, and go on my way as if I know what I'm looking for, even if I don't. If you do things with confidence, people generally don't question you.

If a salesperson comes up to me while I'm shopping and asks what I'm out shopping for or if I need help finding anything, my answer is always "ah I'm just out looking around, thanks." That usually gets rid of em

Has anyone ever been in the store The Buckle? My god, those people are overbearing. It is almost a game to try and NOT be seen so you wont be accosted. Once, I went in there alone...big mistake, this saleslady would not leave me alone! She wanted to know everything about my life, she began picking out clothes for me to try on (including horribly expensive jeans that no one should ever waste their money on), and putting them in the dressing room, when my only intention was to go in there and look around. I had no money to spend, but I am horrible at telling someone to leave me alone or that I don't like what they picked out. So anyway when she went into the back, I saw my opportunity to escape and I haven't been back since.

 

[Judge]

Going to an electronics store called "The Good Guys" used to always be frustrating. Great selection of electronic components...but with commissioned salespeople. They simply wouldn't leave people alone. Eventually the chain went out of business.

 

[AgentPalpatine]

I'm going to have to take the other side on this one.

The point of a "Bricks and Motar" store is to sell lots of people things, it's how they pay for the overhead. One of the biggest problems with getting a sale is that customers often can't make a decision, and are often too timid to step up and ask the right question. It's often quicker and generates more sales to greet the customer up front and establish a point of contact* with the customer and get the sales process moving along.

* I realize I can't even type this without dropping into retail-speak.

 

[Sunnylims]

I'm going to have to take the other side on this one.

The point of a "Bricks and Motar" store is to sell lots of people things, it's how they pay for the overhead. One of the biggest problems with getting a sale is that customers often can't make a decision, and are often too timid to step up and ask the right question. It's often quicker and generates more sales to greet the customer up front and establish a point of contact* with the customer and get the sales process moving along.

I understand your point of view, but at the same time, a good server or sales associate knows how to read his or her customers. As a former server for 5 years, I became very intuitive when it came to knowing which tables wanted/needed more service than the others. People will make it known if they want assistance, all you have to do is observe their body language, which we Aspies tend to be decent at

 

[Aspieistj]

Oddly, I don't mind at all that Walmart has "greeters" at the door. They tend to be stationary and a little away from the door so I can focus on them as I enter. I usually just smile and nod to them and they say a simple "hello." They don't take me by surprise and they require nothing from me. Also, employees don't approach me to ask if I want help but if I ask them a question they are extremely helpful. I guess what I really don't appreciate is when the cash registers are near the entrance and I can't always tell which cashier spoke to me. I don't want to be required to speak to anyone on entering. I wonder if deaf people are considered suspicious because they may not respond to a greeting.

 

[AgentPalpatine]

I understand your point of view, but at the same time, a good server or sales associate knows how to read his or her customers. As a former server for 5 years, I became very intuitive when it came to knowing which tables wanted/needed more service than the others. People will make it known if they want assistance, all you have to do is observe their body language, which we Aspies tend to be decent at

I think I'm in agreement with you on the restaurant service business, my point is to the success of selling products in a retail setting, particular "one-off" products where you don't have a great deal of repeat customers for the exact same product (or service). In that case, the overhead price per sale is probably lower with a more "aggressive" greeting to the retail establishment. I'm sure it's not the same for every industry and product.

 

[paloftoon]

Aspieistj, another thing you can consider (for the situation you initially wrote about) is you wear a rubber bracelet letting others know why you might not respond. There are so many "labels" out there though and not everyone may understand what's going on. Just remember, the greeter is there making money (not a lot at all) and doing his or her job. If it's best not to respond for you, then don't. Most people will not think much about it.