Should your clerk be your friend? - Service with a fake smile

[IkeaBoy]

There's a trend going around, I'm not sure for how long but I've noticed it more recently and that's a clerk especially at corporate places trying to be your friend. They ask how you are and how your day is, they seem (the operative word) concerned about you. They take your money with a smile and act happy you're there.

How does this make people feel? Do you want your clerk to feign how they are and be buddy buddy with you or would you rather them just take your money for your purchase, give you the change and be done with it? Does it bother you that the register jockey is prying into your life while all you want to do is shop or does it give you a warm fuzzy feeling that the minimum wage earner is making the extra effort to be nice to you?

[OAS]

It was a movie Ikea, not real life. Real clerks barely speak English and they smell. They will typically have some greasy towel wrapped around their head. It's only in the movies that they actually play hockey, bang hot Italian chicks behind the counter and will actually work a double shift.

You really should get out more.

[Sloatsburgh]

Well, OAS, as you are well traveled and weathered, surely you have noticed that in the more rural regions of this country, the clerks do speak English, do play hockey (or some other regional sport), and are generally interested in your life (or at least things you have seen).


And for some strange reason, the some of the girls actually want you to take them with you.

[Spitfire]

Customer Service is paramount. The whole purpose is to sell more shit to people that they don't need. Add-ons, suggested selling, "cute" little anagrams to remember the steps UGH!....that's the reason I hated retail so much. I just want to be left alone when I go in the store and I felt bad harassing people who I knew felt the same way...

[Luna]

How does this make people feel? Do you want your clerk to feign how they are and be buddy buddy with you or would you rather them just take your money for your purchase, give you the change and be done with it? Does it bother you that the register jockey is prying into your life while all you want to do is shop or does it give you a warm fuzzy feeling that the minimum wage earner is making the extra effort to be nice to you?

I really don't mind if a clerk or employee treats me with "genuine" curtesy (the key word being genuine here). Certain buisness establishments that I frequent often, such as the bodega where I get my cigarettes, beverages, etc or the place I grab a cup of coffee from, or my dentist's office or doctor's office, etc.

I have experienced the other side of the spectrum. I'm sure you all have. You go to a certain store to get something and ask for help and you feel sort of "brushed off" by a disgruntled employee that is not very happy with what they are doing in the first place. That to me is sort of a turn off and usually not a place I go back to to spend my money at.

As far as like going to a dept. store and constantly being hounded by a salesperson, like Spit said, that can be quite annoying. I remember going to a clothing store in a mall ( I forget what store it was) going to the dressing room to try something on and having the salesperson actually follow me in while I am undressing....I found that sort of annoying.

[OAS]

I remember going to a clothing store in a mall ( I forget what store it was) going to the dressing room to try something on and having the salesperson actually follow me in while I am undressing....I found that sort of annoying.

I'm sorry Luna. I couldn't stop myself. You can understand can't you? :-D

[Skitchr4u]

its not for you people, god you think so highly of yourselves that you think they are being nice for your benefit? nope, sorry to break it to you, they are doing it for 2 reasons...

1) cause their boss says so
2) it makes their day go by faster/easier because being in a better mood (real of faked) helps time to go faster (or seem to, because time is time after all)