Right, as some of you are aware I work for a large supermarket chain and come Christmas you'd think that we were giving away a free watch with every visit from the number of people flooding in the doors.
It seems that as soon as you mention Christmas, peole just start buying stuff... but the funniest thing for me is the fact that they turn off their brains as soon as they go shopping.
3 TRUE examples from today... just today... although this kinda thing has been going on since early this week..
A quick word of explanation... my store is one of those massive 'Savacenter' style Sainsburys, the 5th largest in the country, about four times bigger than your 'normal' sized store. Attached to one side is a Marks and Spencer, of similar size, with HUGE signs out the front, telling you in 10 foot high letters which store is which.
ONE.
Customer : Excuse me, I thought this was Marks and Spencers?
Me: No sir, thats next door.
Cust: When did they move it then?
Me: No sir, we've always been here, so have they.
Cust : Typical... why do you always move things at Christmas... normally we can't find the orange juice and now you've swapped buildings... is there a map?
Me (chuckling good humouredly): No sir, there's no map, we haven't swapped stores, they've always been on the left as you walk in the foyer.
Cust: You just want us to spend our money in here rather than in M+S... that's why you moved... we're going next door!
TWO.
I was called down from my tea break to deal with this one. I am the demonstration chef, so any techy food question automatically get passed to me by the other staff.
Cust: Oh hi, I've been looking for you... they had to put a call out.
Me: Sorry, I was just having my tea break.
Cust: But I wanted you to answer a question, you shouldn't go on a break when someone needs you.
Me: Sorry, I didn't know... How can I help?
Cust: It's this curry sauce (holds up jar of Uncle Ben's Curry sauce).. Is it mild?
Me: Well it says mild on the jar...
Cust: Does it?.. (squints at jar).. Oh yes, ok... (considers this for a moment)... No, I'll leave it thanks... we don;t really like curry anyway.
THREE
As I've said, we're a massive store. Our Seasonal section is four aisles and currently full of everything to do with Christmas. Each aisle is roughly twice as long as a standard aisle. So there's LOTS of Christmas stuff...
Cust: Hey....
Me: Sorry?
Cust: You!
Me: Yes?
Cust: (Angrily) Where's the (insert rude word of your choice here) Christmas stuff?
Me: Right behind you, sir. ( Customer is standing at top of middle aisle od Christmas gear)
Cust: No, not the (rude word) food... the (rude word) wrapping paper and (rude word)!
Me: Right here sir. (pointing about three feet behind customer)
Cust: Right, what about the chocolates and all that (rude word)?
Me: Just around the corner on the end of the aisle, where we started sir.
Cust: You're supposed to (rude word) take me there, you (VERY rude word) not just (rude word) point it (rude word) out!
Me: Ok, (takes three steps to end of aisle)... It's here sir...
Cust: (VERY rude word again)
Me: Sorry, sir, what did you just call me?
Cust: (shouting right in my face) I CALLED YOU A (very rude word).. YOU (rude word) DEAF? (very rude word)
Me: (Spotting security rapidly approaching) No mate, but your (rude word) barred. Have a good Christmas!
(security cart off Mr Angry)
Oh the satisfaction!
And after Monday I only nine solid days of this until Christmas... deep joy!