DEAR ABBY: This is in response to "Anonymous, Naturally," who complained about straggling shoppers who come in three minutes before closing time and expect to "shop the entire store." I encounter this situation at least once a week.
I also work in a busy department store. We have a public address system like the one you suggested. At 8:45 p.m., we start announcing that the fitting room is closing, and then repeat the announcement every five minutes until 9 p.m. Customers just keep walking through the store and continue shopping. When we remind them that the store is closed and offer to help them find an item, we get nasty, rude remarks or dirty looks.
People complain about how rude clerks are in stores. Well, maybe they should look at themselves. Some of them are unbelievably insensitive. Let them work one night in our shoes, picking up after their children, smiling while someone is in our face complaining that the lines are too long, or trying tactfully to let the customer know that the price tag they just switched to get a lower price is incorrect. I actually had a male customer tell me one night that he couldn't believe I was smart enough to catch it!
How do you get the message across to people like that, Abby? I could go on and on, but why? Most shoppers don't really care. All we want is a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T. -- JUST ABOUT HAD IT IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR JUST: I was astonished at the number of letters I received from salespeople telling similar stories. I would like to think that most shoppers really DO care, and exhibit courteous manners.
If the problem is as widespread as all of you indicate, it may not be resolved until store owners shut down their computers at closing time, and inform customers that their purchases will have to be rung up the next day. It is management's job to strike the balance between being consumer-friendly and being fair to staff.
I wonder how many store owners are as interested in protecting their employees as they are in making last-minute sales.