I Don’t Work Here; YOU Work Here!

I am a promoter for a company with a wide range of products; I promote their product in another company’s store. I am usually near the front of the store, pitching whatever new products my company has to people as they pass by.

The number of times people have come up and asked me for help is STAGGERING. But most of the time I help, because I usually know more or less where everything in the store is, or I know where to find someone who does.

I am standing in front of the brushware and cleaning section, promoting a spin bucket mop, when a manager walks up to me with this confused-looking old man trailing behind.

Manager: “Where is the laminate floor cleaner?”

Me: “Sorry, I have no clue.”

I have only been here for a week, so I really have no clue.

Manager: “WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU DON’T KNOW?! THIS IS YOUR SECTION!”

I am really taken aback by this sudden tirade so I reply super quietly.

Me: “But I work for [Company], not [Store].”

Manager: “YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT’S IN YOUR SECTION!”

She then looked back at the customer, SIGHED DRAMATICALLY, and walked into the aisle to check for herself. How the h*** could she be so rude to a customer like that? This poor old man followed her like an unloved toddler while she looked through all the cleaning products. Not finding what she was looking for, she told him she would find someone to assist him and then stormed off.

This poor old man was left looking around, all confused, checking back to his shopping list like it would tell him where to go.

Five minutes passed, and I realised that help was not coming from the manager, so he was well and truly abandoned. I went to the promoter for another company and asked him to help, since he had been working there for a month already and was friends with the employees. He called someone to come help, and within seconds, the old man was being led off to another section by an employee.

I later found out the manager works at a desk and has zero clue how the rest of the store works.