Look Out For The Always Looking

(It is 10 minutes to closing time on a Saturday night. I am the only one in my department tonight, and I notice a customer walk in to the store.)

Me: “Hi, welcome to [Company]! What brings you in today?”

Customer: “Just looking around, thank you.” *starts to walk over to our tool chest section*

Me: “Was this your first time purchasing or were you looking to upgrade your tool chest?”

Customer: “No, thank you. Just looking.”

(I leave the customer so they can look around a bit while I make sure there are no other customers are in my department.)

Me: “Alrighty, then. If you need anything, please let me know.”

(I help and ring up the other customers that were in my department, and I notice the customer is still looking around the same section.)

Me: “Hello again. Were you able to make a decision?”

Customer: “No, still just looking.”

Me: “Okay.”

(I give them some useful product information about the various tool chests before walking away again. I go to prep the registers for closing time, and lock the doors. Immediately after locking the last door, I turn around and see the customer staring at me with wide eyes and planted feet. I open the door and greet the customer.)

Me: “H… Hi there, were you able to make a decision?”

Customer: “Yes. Where were you?”

Me: “I do apologize. It is 20 minutes after closing time, and I had to start locking up. Which one were you looking at purchasing today?”

Customer: “Oh, I wasn’t going to purchase today… I just needed to know if this was in stock.”

(I check stock on the register, and we have several available.)

Me: “Yes, sir. We do have them in stock.”

Customer: “Will they still be here on Tuesday?”

Me: “Unfortunately, since it’s Saturday, I cannot guarantee that it will be in and I can only place items on hold to be picked up on the same day of inquiry.”

Customer: “Okay, well, I’ll be back on Tuesday.”

Me: “Certainly. Here’s my card, and make sure to let them know you spoke to me when you pick it up. Also, feel free to ask them any more questions.”

Customer: “Thank you!”

(I unlock one of the doors, let the customer out, lock it back up. I start closing down the registers, and see one of our cool supervisors walk up to the one I’m counting.)

Supervisor: “Hey, you all right?”

Me: “Yeah. Hey, do me a favor.”

Supervisor: “Yeah?”

Me: “Remind me to never play Silent Hill before coming to work ever again!”

(We both laughed.)