Hey folks.
Today's rant concerns customers. Now, I work in
customer service, so - believe it or not - I have to deal with customers.
Usually this doesn't bother me too much, as most of the people that come into
my work walk in, are happy to browse and then usually leave without expecting
me to make too much conversation. This works for both me and the customers. And
even when I am required to engage them in conversation, it only extends so far
as me having to ask them how they are and if they need any help, occasionally
asking them what the occasion is that they're buying a suit for. You know,
normal stuff.
However the other night I had a customer come in,
who seemed fine to begin with. Until he stayed for twenty minutes giving me
'advice'. Not helpful advice either; the irritating, condescending kind of
advice that older people sometimes think they have a right to offer teenagers.
This kind of advice is tolerable from parents because parents are allowed to
get away with things that other people aren't. But when you have a complete
stranger telling you that 'you're still young, you don't have to be in a
relationship just yet' and 'take it from someone who knows, if you don't do
things you'll regret it later' it is not only annoying, but frankly kind of
weird. This guy not only gave me crappy advice, but then proceeded to tell me
about the mistakes he had made when he was younger and insinuated that he
therefore knew more about life than me.
Anyway, as if this weren't bad enough, this guy
came in again on Friday. And this time he stayed for at least half an hour,
talking my ear off. Then he told me about his divorce and how he doesn't get to
see his kids very often, showed me photos of his daughter - like I would
actually care! - told me about how he lives in a caravan and has to be out by
the end of the month and is looking for a place to live. Then it got into even
creepier territory. He asked me what there was to do in Bendigo. As if I wasn't
uncomfortable enough, he then proceeded to ask me where I live. I of course
shrugged the question off, then told him firmly that I live with my dad and my
brother; hoping that the idea that I live with two protective men would make
him stop asking me weird and inappropriate questions. He ignored the statement
and asked 'would you go to the movies after you've finished work?' Just to
clarify, A THIRTY SEVEN YEAR OLD MAN SHOULD NOT BE ASKING THESE KIND OF
QUESTIONS TO A NINETEEN YEAR OLD GIRL THAT HE HAS ONLY JUST MET! I said no,
told him I wasn’t social, that I hated people. He laughed at me, as though he
thought I was joking. I wasn't.
I really wanted him to leave but the thing is,
unfortunately for me he actually bought stuff (though only after being there
for about twenty five minutes). But his unwanted presence in store made me fall
behind on the work that I actually had to do, so much so that I only just got
it finished by the time it was time to close up. I was really tempted to call
security, but he wasn't being rude or impolite - just imposing and creepy - so
I wasn't sure if I should, whether it would be a valid reason to call them.
Before he left, he made a promise to come back in next Friday. But apparently
next week couldn't come soon enough because he turned up yesterday as well. My
uncle happened to be in store at the time, so fortunately this customer left
really quickly. But the whole prospect of having to deal with him again on
Friday, when I'll be on my own, really makes me uneasy.
Customers are a part of my job. But when those
customers cross the line between friendly conversation and creepy interrogative
kind of questioning, there's a problem. It's at the point where I'm seriously
considering getting someone to stay with me for the late shift at work, just so
I don't have to deal with him on my own. Oh, the 'joys' of customer service.
Give me the life of a reclusive writer any day.
