How to…get the attention of staff (according to customers)

There are a lot of things that I complain about when it comes to customer service, to the point where I had to start a column dedicated to it. There is one thing however, that day in, day out manages to surprise and enrage me…

The ways in which customer find it appropriate to get your attention.

This is an issue that is so close to my heart that I thought it best dealt with by way of a two part how to session. Today I will run you through the most annoying ways that a customer believes you should get a staff member’s attention.

The first and most common is when a customer walks up to you and in a snide tone says, “excuse me, do you work here?” At this point I generally respond with, “yes, for (insert brand I work for here).” I don’t like the tone in which they are implying stop tidying your area and help me in this unrelated brand. If they had asked if I could help, probably would try my best, give me tone…go to hell.

Another technique employed is the finger snap; this one is ridiculous. Having worked in hospitality for a few years I became used to people literally clicking their fingers expecting me to be at their beck and call, I almost came to not be offended by it. While in a shop however, if you choose this method, you are a pig. It’s not like you are going to starve or in dire need of liquor or coffee (which I can almost get)…it’s clothes. If you click at me I will ignore you, consider this a warning.

The next style is the assumption that we are multitasking slaves. This is demonstrated by a customer who, not wanting to wait for you to finish helping someone else, walking up to you and saying that they need you to process their sale. I don’t know where to start with this one; a) say please, b) I’m busy and c) why are you more important than the rest of the shoppers?

Some customers enjoy using the cough technique, which I really do not understand. If I hear someone cough my first thought is, I hope they covered there mouth not, hot damn I better serve that person. It’s kind of strange yet most days I have a customer just turn up at an abandoned counter and cough until someone walks up to them. Firstly if a counter is abandoned in a department store…find another, and secondly don’t cough looking for service unless you’re at the doctor in need of a prostate exam.

Finally I want to talk about the “service” call. This is the most rare of the techniques used, but also the most painfully annoying. This technique is generally performed by the elderly, “wealthy” and self-important and is exemplified by the customer stopping abruptly and screaming at the top of their lungs, “service, I need service.” No you don’t, you need some fucking manners.

Stay tuned for later in the week when I will guide you though how sales assistants (aka me) believe you should get their attention.