Archived Needy/clingy guests

[callmetaylor]

How do you get away from them?!

I was doing a Flexible Fulfillment order and this lady stopped me and asked a question about kids clothes. Then she basically held me hostage for the next 10-15min as she picked out hats for her grandkids and went back and forth between options 100x and asked a million questions about sizing/pricing/sales/etc. She was one of those who wanted me to scan EVERY freaking item she had so I could tell her the sale price and the original price!

I tried to say "oh, I'll just be a few aisles over, feel free to grab me if you have any more questions" but she just plowed right through that and immediately asked me another question as I started to walk away.

I'm confused about priorities. I could tell my LOD was frustrated that pulls weren't being pushed (what I had been doing before the Flex order came through) but they drill into us that "vibing with the guests" is basically the number one priority, and I couldn't figure out a way to get away from her without being rude/cold.

After a long time I directed her to another area of the store and told her I had to go get something and I'd be back around that area soon...but she wasted so much of my time. I know a few LODs would totally understand, but the one last night is one of those who can't really understand that certain processes might take 10x longer when you have 10 interruptions.

 

[TallAPGuy]

That's why I have an earpiece; I can pretend to get called somewhere else and make my excuses.
Occasionally if I see a TM trapped by an "infamous" guest I will call them by name over the walkie and ask them to meet me somewhere on the opposite side of the store.

 

[Circle9]

If you're pulling flexes, say you're grabbing an item for another customer who is waiting, get the item and leave. It is true after all.

Or plead ignorance of the department and call somebody else over.

 

[thetargetman]

My old store was next to a retirement home and I remember all the "Grandmas" who made very difficult returns at the IGS or after buying way too much to carry on their own and wanted to be "independent" would not bring an aid over to help with their purchase would ask me to bring their stuff back to their place, and of course I was polite and professional but inside I wanted to scream, but there is NO way I am leaving Target property to cross a busy street with your stuff or allow myself to be falsely accused of anything!

 

[thatguyattarget]

I have one guest like this. I always pray to see a TM. She always asks for me by name. The other day I saw a TM and I was making faces at him, and I was like... Did you need something? He's like no. And I'm like oh yeah, you do. And I told her I had to go. Before that I had been trapped for 20 minutes. A TL was like you should tell AP if she keeps hounding you.... But that just seems mean. She's elderly and just seems like she wants to talk to someone who'll listen.

 

[GlitterBerries]

That happened to me tonight I was doing flexi and got caught by a guest who held me hostage for 45 min talking about curtain rods and making me take them all out

 

[thetargetman]

That happened to me tonight I was doing flexi and got caught by a guest who held me hostage for 45 min talking about curtain rods and making me take them all out

My way of "getting off the hook" was I would suggest to the guest that if they didn't like how something looked when they got it home they could always return it. I even would say if they use a Redcard they will have 120 days to return the item

 

[GlitterBerries]

My way of "getting off the hook" was I would suggest to the guest that if they didn't like how something looked when they got it home they could always return it. I even would say if they use a Redcard they will have 120 days to return the item

I tried everything lol

 

[Circle9]

I have one guest like this. I always pray to see a TM. She always asks for me by name. The other day I saw a TM and I was making faces at him, and I was like... Did you need something? He's like no. And I'm like oh yeah, you do. And I told her I had to go. Before that I had been trapped for 20 minutes. A TL was like you should tell AP if she keeps hounding you.... But that just seems mean. She's elderly and just seems like she wants to talk to someone who'll listen.

We have a couple guests like that here. I haven't really dealt them lately but that might be because I try and move away from whatever aisle they're headed for to avoid a few minutes of cats or whatever else.