Cold Stone Creamery

[missy]

REAL ice cream:

http://www.aglamesis.com/


another REAL ice cream:

http://www.graeters.com/


real ingredients (Aglamesis uses honey), real soda fountains, real metal and glass dishes, huge chunks of dark chocolate in the chocolate chip......

[dubhlinn]

I think there is though, in current anti-shoplifting storekeeper theory, the belief that if you greet people as they come and go, and be a little "in your face," that it lessens the opportunity for sneaky pocketing behavior.
I still don't like it. (And, like MarMil, it makes me feel like I'm being suspected of sneaky pocketing behavior.)

Indeed.

When I go into a local store to stock up on blank CD's / DVD's I make a point of pulling my baseball cap/ hood down and having a quick look at the Laptops, MP3s, and anything else that is easy to steal.
Within about thirty seconds I usually have two shop staff asking me if I want help. At this point I point to what it is that I came into buy and ask them to take it to the till...PLEASE.

They do..every time.

Skip the queue and drop the stuff on the counter, the girl behind the till looks at them, then to me, rings it up and I am out of there in about two minutes max.

I try hard not to laugh at the "honest" looking people on the queue but sometimes , as I am walking out with my purchase I wonder why they stand there and put up with it all when all you gotta do is look dodgy and pay in cash

Try it sometime,

Never fails...

Slan,
D.

[Tyler]

Tons of employees at the El Cerrito GC and they ignore ya when you come in, beyond the official door greeter, receipt checker person. Just weird, considering they are presumably on commission.

I've noticed the same behavior at the GC in SLC as well.
Not that I mind so much; sometimes I just want to have a look at the latest keyboard or MIDI rack unit or whatever they might have, and not be hassled about needing help. If I want help, by hell, they'll know it because I'll ask.

[Doug_Tipple]

WELCOME TO CICI'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

M

Cici's has a decent salad bar, and the price for the all-you-can-eat senior lunch is a bargain. However, I was startled the first time that I heard the buffet line manager yell:

Hot macaroni and cheese pizza up on the buffet

And as I finally made my way for the exit, the cashier yelled:

CiCi you later

It all makes me want to sit in my car, take a few deep breaths, and enjoy the silence of the parking lot.

[fel bautista]

Finally figured out what GC is; did I tell you I DESPISE Guitar Center. We have one in Brea, CA and I swear that they are all tone deaf. The amps are cranked up to 11 and people are playing really bad riffs. I was was physically a foot and half away from a clerk and tried asking where some picks where; because of the noise, he was oblivious to my question. Either that or he was deaf...

[djm]

I try not to blame young employees who have clearly been instructed to greet/treat customers with certain verbatim tag lines. They don't know any better, and the boob who instructed them probably doesn't know any more about dealing with customers than the kids.

I was standing in line at an electrical eqpt counter and noticed that the kid who took the orders and fetched the parts would grill each customer as to whether these were really the right parts the customer needed and did the customer really know what he wanted. I watched the kid pull this same routine with one of the most experienced and well respected private electrical contractors in town. The electrician is Hungarian and doesn't suffer fools well.

It was sad, but kind of funny ... in a schadenfreude sort of way.

djm

[Cynth]

I try not to blame young employees who have clearly been instructed to greet/treat customers with certain verbatim tag lines. They don't know any better, and the boob who instructed them probably doesn't know any more about dealing with customers than the kids.

I was standing in line at an electrical eqpt counter and noticed that the kid who took the orders and fetched the parts would grill each customer as to whether these were really the right parts the customer needed and did the customer really know what he wanted. I watched the kid pull this same routine with one of the most experienced and well respected private electrical contractors in town. The electrician is Hungarian and doesn't suffer fools well.

It was sad, but kind of funny ... in a schadenfreude sort of way.

djm

This is actually a good thing to remember. I can get really bugged by store clerks who won't leave me alone, to the point of stomping out. Quite a few of them though, I think, have been told how to act and their bosses might be standing nearby.

I particularly dislike having saleswomen come into a dressing room and ask me how things fit, etc. I used to go shopping with my mom and she would stand guard and tell them I didn't need any help. However, I once heard a customer berating a saleswoman in the most horrible way for neglecting her! The saleswoman apologized and explained that some customers really hate too much hovering by saleswomen and so it is hard for the saleswomen to know what to do. That helped me see what salespeople are dealing with a little better.

I think the really good ones can probably judge the customer. Generally when they greet me I just say right off that I am just looking around. If they pursue me after that, I am out of there.

I'm pretty sure there is one of those marble slab ice cream places in the new shopping center in Des Moines. There were millions of people in line for it. I do remember the workers doing surprising things. But the choices were overwhelming. I couldn't begin to figure out what I would order. It was all giving me a nervous breakdown . So we skipped it even though I love ice cream.

[The Weekenders]

Finally figured out what GC is; did I tell you I DESPISE Guitar Center. We have one in Brea, CA and I swear that they are all tone deaf. The amps are cranked up to 11 and people are playing really bad riffs. I was was physically a foot and half away from a clerk and tried asking where some picks where; because of the noise, he was oblivious to my question. Either that or he was deaf...

Ha, okay, I have to tell my anecdote here about GC. About a month ago, I took my son in to look at guitars. He's heavily into surf music and has a Mexican Strat but wanted to look at others, as I did (I like fooling around with eelectric geetars).

The policy there is to plug in anything to any amp with a cord sticking out of it, so I had found an interesting guitar and plugged it in.

Can you guess what happens next? I was down on my knees because the amp was low to the ground and there was no seat. Uh, somebody had cranked the amp all the way up past 11 and turned it off, and just the momentary blast when my son clicked it on made me jump sideways, actually bloodying my kneecaps from carpet burn! Through my jeans!

Embarassing AND painful. Fortunately, no salespersons were nearby to laugh at me....

Still healing but with a sense of humor,
The Weekender

[fearfaoin]

Uh, somebody had cranked the amp all the way up past 11 and turned it off

Man, that's crazy. Most amps just go to 10, but Guitar Center had to
get the ones that go to Eleven! Crazy.

[The Weekenders]

Uh, somebody had cranked the amp all the way up past 11 and turned it off

Man, that's crazy. Most amps just go to 10, but Guitar Center had to
get the ones that go to Eleven! Crazy.

Nyuk.

[missy]

my first job was working in the gift shop at the local amusement park. We were told to say "Have a Happy Day!" after we rung up a purchase.

Yeah, right. I'm getting paid a mere $1.15 (1974, seasonal employee) and I'm dressed in this stupid safari - sarong looking thing (worked in the shop in Lion Country Safari) and I'm going to say "Have a Happy Day!" after someone just bought a 10 cent post card. Uh huh. Sure.

[Lambchop]

My goodness! I had no idea this would release such consumer angst!

And here I thought I was the only one!


In Office Depot, I have a bit of trouble finding printer cartridges, because I cannot read the numbers on the packages unless I have reading glasses on, and then I have to get so close I have to peer at each package until I find what I need. Consequently, I simply ask someone to get them for me. But, I like to wander around first and look at stuff. Maybe there is something I need.

So, I'm in OD, roaming around looking at some nifty stuff--and, yes, I'm having to take off my glasses and hold stuff right up to my face to peer at the packages--when this clerk comes flying over and, in a very nice, helpful tone, asks if he can help me find anything.

Well, sure. I wasn't ready yet, but if he's not doing anything . . . "Yes, thank you very much for asking! Would you find these printer cartridges for me?" I hand him my list.

He looks at me with the most shocked expression imaginable, backs off in horror, and practically shouts "NO! If you need help, go ask that guy at the register!"

And then he zips away, looking back at me as he goes, with this "Can you believe the nerve!" expression on his face.

Right after that, I discovered the joy of ordering online.

[emmline]

Right after that, I discovered the joy of ordering online.

Cheaper too.

[Lambchop]

Right after that, I discovered the joy of ordering online.

Cheaper too.

Yes. More polite, as well.

[Flyingcursor]

I try not to blame young employees who have clearly been instructed to greet/treat customers with certain verbatim tag lines. They don't know any better, and the boob who instructed them probably doesn't know any more about dealing with customers than the kids.

djm

I concur.

I'm dressed in this stupid safari - sarong looking thing

That's hot!!

I also can't stand restaraunts where the "servers" are required to crouch down and talk as if they are your psychiatrist.

My most memorable experience was when a bunch of us from work went to a local Brann's for lunch. The waitress, (or "server"), came and actually sat down at our table. Then while bantering on about her boyfriend or something she drooled. Not just a little drool but a huge drool. Somehow I thought it was all over the top.