Big Brother experience at the ice cream parlor today (1 Viewer)

[ZacharyTait]

Is it the price of a large pizza and a soda?

 

[Scooter]

Save the trip and cash....and "the somebody's watchin' me" feeling...

http://www.helmangroup.com/helman/default.asp?p=FSI560

I have a buncha their stuff and it all works!

 

[Kevin Hewell]

Futurama shout out!

 

[Mike Frezon]

Mark's right. This isn't about the need for security cameras to managers to monitor their stores. It's about using those cameras to make a long-distance bonehead decision to give the employee and customer a hard time over a policy (kid must be present for kiddie-size item) that is, apparently, not posted for the customer to see.

This is really a situation that has nothing to do with the camera...but more to do with a bonehead manager who might just as well have been scooping the ice cream himself and refused the woman her purchase over the lack of a present child.

The camera issue only really comes into play because the manager claimed to have seen the absence of a child and was, thusly, monitoring the customers as well as employees. Either way, it is a bonehead move on the manager's part.

If he really wanted to still make the point to employee and customer, he could have advised the employee to tell the customer that "we really aren't supposed to serve the kid-sized items without a child present. But, I will anyway."

It doesn't really do anything except depending on the type of person involved, the customer will walk away happy that they got away with something, walk away pissed because they were made to feel like they were doing something wrong, or will walk away and not come back because they like getting kid-sized ice creams and the store won't serve them anymore.

 

[David Range]

That pretty much sums it up. Except that the large majority of the customers understand the policy, and only a small number of them won't. You can't please everyone all the time.

If the original poster or coworker should decide to write a letter to the owner or corporate office, I would hope that they be honest and admit that
it was for the coworker, not her son. Someone's job could be on the line, and I'd hate to see them lose it over a concocted story.

 

[Mike Frezon]

David: No problems with your post from me.

If the policy is so stated...right out where everyone can see it, the store has every right to enforce it. If so, I agree with all of your points.

I guess my only other point is that a manager certainly has discretion about when to bend the rules if, in the long run, it might mean more business for him.

 

[Cees Alons]

I think there are three topics here, that need to be separated for the sake of discussing them properly.

(1) The policy about the kid-portion. If that policy is known to the customer and the customer decides to order there, acceptance of that policy is applied, IMO (and it is dishonest and a bit childish - hey! perhaps she had a right to one anyway - to lie about one's intentions). I agree a 100% with David here.

(2) Whether or not one (I mean we, as we're able to discuss it) thinks that the policy is a very reasonable one. In all frankness, I don't think so. But that has nothing to do with the customer (even if that happens to be me) who decides to do business in that store.

(3) The use of that (apparently more or less hidden) security camera. I think that was indeed boneheaded of the manager. And not very smart in front of a customer. Here I agree wholeheartedly with Mike's post.

The obvious use of security cameras is a great development - but the way they are used in daily practice needs to be very strict to stay fully acceptable.


Cees

 

[DanielKellmii]

David, I can't disagree with anything you wrote. The policy is clearly stated, but in a service business where customer satisfaction is so important, what can be done? Sure, CSC is expensive, don't go if you think it is too expensive. (I take my kids to Carvel, and leave CSC to the adults.) For a manager to go out of his/her way to make a customer feel "persecuted" is counter-productive. My take on this is that the manager is a bit too controlling of his store. Just another pin-head manager. I asked my friend about this kind of situation. In his case, his employees are selling items to people with the senior discount when they clearly aren't seniors. He calls after the customer has left and tells the employee not to do that anymore.

 

[David Range]

I guess I don't see the problem with the use of video cameras. I've become accustomed to them in the places I shop or spend recreation time. Am I missing something?

 

[MarkHastings]

If the manager was standing right there, then maybe I'd give him more leeway, but he called on the phone after observing the transaction over the camera.Yes, as a customer, you should be warned that your actions are being watched. This spying may be great and all to catch thieves, but spying on the customers is poor business.

David, let me ask you, would you object to spy cameras in bathrooms and changing rooms? I mean, if theft is to be done, those places are key places where that theft should be monitored.

What about going to a store and having a security guard follow you around to make sure you weren't stealing? This would make perfect sense to stop criminals, right? Why not pat down everyone as they leave the store? Why not have everyone take a lie detector test after they leave the store?


You know what, no matter how wrong the customer is, it is always bad business to reprimand them or an employee (in front of the customer). There are too many other places to visit, so you better keep people happy and if you're going to enforce the rules, you need to do it in a nice/better way. The employee knew my co-worker was buying the kids size for herself (and not her son), but the employee couldn't prove it, so she did the right thing (business wise) and let it slide because there was no way to actually prove it.

Sometime in business you have to let the customer get away with these things in order to maintain them as customers.

 

[MarkHastings]

I'm telling you that if the employee refused the kids size, my co-worker would have been upset, but she still would have returned as a customer...and I certainly have no problems with the store policy. Refusal wouldn't stop me from going there.

Again, this has nothing to do with store policy and has everything to do with the methods used to enforce the store policy.

Imagine if you had a sick kid at home and stopped by CS to get him an ice cream. Now imagine ordering a kids size and CS makes an employee follow your car home, so they can spy inside your home, to ensure the ice cream was (in fact) given to a child?

They're just enforcing the policy, so there's nothing wrong with that, right?

 

[RobertR]

If he does, I wouldn't say he's inconsistent. The expectation of privacy is quite different.

 

[MarkHastings]

Spying is an invasion of privacy no matter where it takes place.

 

[nolesrule]

All customers are potential thieves in any retail storefront business.


That said, I do agree with everyone else as to the way the original situation described in this thread was handled.

 

[David Range]

I agree with you in some instances, other times its better not maintain them as customers. I don't think this is one of those instances however.

 

[David Range]

Another thought came to mind after I sent the last message, so I'll just throw it out in a new post. I would encourage the coworker or Mark to visit the store again and ask to speak to the manager to hear his side of the incident and allow him to give you an apology should you not be satisfied with his explanation. It couldn't hurt, and should he still act like a bonehead, the owner or corporate should be notified to rectify that situation.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Hmmmm. Not a bad idea, David. Sounds like Mark and the co-worker go there a lot...because it's close...and convenient.

Probably not a good idea for them to let him know how many times he's been called a bonehead in this thread...

 

[drobbins]

I can't see why a store like that would need security cameras. They sell ice cream. Not much chance of shoplifting or employees takeing home in their pockets. Money at the register could be tracked by math: $ at begining of shift + sales = $ at end of shift. It sounds like it is in a good neighborhood and is probably not open all night, so armed robbery is not an issue.
Cameras are everywhere these days. I drive pass 2 cameras along I65 each day to work. They are located in rural areas so they do not monitor traffic. If they can read licence plates from space, I am sure that they read each one as it goes by.
They saying that "As long as you are not doing anything wrong, why should you care" doesn't sit well with me. Should the same apply to phone conversations or internet usage? Who decides what is "wrong"? Our government?
There was a guy who won the Powerball earlier this year. The store where he bought the ticker matched the time stamp on the ticket to this security film and gave his picture to the Press. His picture was in the papers before he turned in the ticket. If I won the Powerball I think I would want some time to secure my family and make financial arrangements before going public.
I don't think people know how many times their picture is taken and what it is being used for. Maybe there will be a new tv show "Hidden Camera Bloopers"

 

[MarkHastings]

Me too, I don't think it's fair that I be spied on because they are trying to catch thieves.

nolesrule said " All customers are potential thieves in any retail storefront business."

So? Like I asked before, does that also give them the right to pat you down as you leave the store? If everyone is a potential criminal, then they would be able to catch thieves that way.

You know, it's funny how people accept the use of these security cameras to watch the customers, but what if the manager followed you around the store, to make sure you did nothing wrong? What if he stood by you the entire time, listening to your conversation? What if he followed you around the store, hiding behind every corner to make sure you didn't sneak anything into your coat?

I bet a lot of people would be upset if they were followed by someone like that, but how is this different than a video camera?

 

[RobertR]

How is being patted down the same? Do you object to gamblers being observed in a casino for signs of cheating?