I Need to Dress More Like a Slob

[bjarvis]

I'm not exactly dressed up today. I have a comfortable polo shirt, decent blue jeans and running shoes. I didn't shave this morning so I'm looking a little scruffier than I normally would but still presentable to the public. I only mention this to demonstrate that I'm not wearing a suit, a tie, a white pressed shirt or even dressing up to what I would consider business casual.

So why do people think I work in whatever store in which I happen to be shopping at that moment?

I stopped by a Hallmark card shop to get a birthday card for my nephew. A newly arriving customer asked if I had such-and-such a thing in stock. Being a decent person, I took her over to one of the staffers, explained what the customer needed and asked if the staffer could help her.

I was in Staples to get packing materials to ship some RAM to my corporate overlords in California. Another customer asked where she could find a particular inkjet cartridge for her printer. As it happened, I knew where to find the Lexmark cartridges she wanted and was able to take her to the appropriate row and locate a suitable model.

Finally, I went to the post office to mail off the package to California. As I was applying the machine-printed label to my package, a young lady popped in and asked me where she could get a change-of-address form. Not finding any at the counter where I was stationed, I directed her to the customer service kiosks around the corner.

Seriously, have standards for retail front-line workers dropped so perilously far that I blend in now?

More importantly, if I dress up a little, could I pass for corporate management and award myself bloody huge bonuses wherever I go? That would be cool.

Comments

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

There's a line from "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" where a someone mistakes a towns person for a hooker ...

You look jes like ya might know

You must have that air of knowledge and competence, no matter your manner of dress ... :)

HUGS!

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

A friend pointed out that it also might be my age: I'm the right age to be taken for middle or upper management and I'm clearly not one of the young, clueless teeny-boppers who are hired as cheap labor.

[pectopah.livejournal.com]

I know what you are talking about. It may be that folks just think you know and don't necessarily work at whereever. Or you seem more approachable than the actual staff. I was on a business trip once, at a restaurant, wearing my suit and tie and as I was passing to my table on my way back from walking a colleague out, a loud man at a table demanded that I get him some water. When I said I didn't work there, he was truly annoyed. I like to be helpful, but I have limits.

[pklexton.livejournal.com]

For better or worse, I suspect it's because you have that "he looks like he would know" look.

At least it's better than "boy does he ever look like a dumbass

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'll take the presumption of competence any day. Sadly, they then have the illusion shot to hell when they find I can't do a damn thing for them. Oh, well.

[fuzzygruf.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing it's just the polo shirt. It's the standard uniform for most retail.

[allanh.livejournal.com]

It's the same reason that people approach me in stores, asking for help:

As I recall, both of us hate shopping. That means that we go into a store not to browse, but On A Mission For Something Specific. It's that air of "I know where I'm going and what I'm doing" that draws helpless customers to us.

(This does not apply to chocolate stores, of course, where one must browse before deciding upon the appropriate sweet morsel, but...)

[urbear]

Fortunately for you, you're about to acquire a housemate who actually enjoys grocery shopping. Other forms of shopping, not so much, but you may as well use what you're getting!

[allanh.livejournal.com]

Great. I'll point all of the lookieloos to you. :)

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

cuyahogarvr loves doing the grocery shopping, especially at farmers' markets. kent4str, by contrast, loves shopping online for useless crap (which is to say non-food items which aren't for me).

My mother just spends. And spends. And spends. She taught me by counter-example nearly everything I know about fiscal prudence.

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

It's that air of "I know where I'm going and what I'm doing" that draws helpless customers to us.

That's part of it.

Of course, if I'm truly on a directed mission, I'm in & out of the store so fast that no other customer has a chance to latch on with questions & queries. If I've given them a window to approach me, I've failed in my shopping mission. :-(

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

"Polo Shirt"

Most store employees wear casual polo shirts nowadays. You probably looked like you were sorting stock on shelves intently; I can see you doing that.

But the key is that you helped each of the people find what they were looking for, rather than blowing them off.

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

There have been a few shops where, if time allows, I've fixed their displays or made some minor changes to their shelf arrangements. I frequently correct grammar and spelling on public signs & notices.

This, however, wasn't one of those days.

[apparentparadox]

I bet they were all trying to flirt with you, but you didn't notice because they were women.

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

Thank you for adding an entirely new level of horror to my day.