Scene from the “Who Gives A Shit” File

sneakersINT. DAY. SKECHERS SHOE STORE, SHERMAN OAKS GALLERIA.

The shop is empty except for an OLDER WOMAN, the customer,  and TWO 20-SOMETHING MEN, the sales staff.

The woman is carefully examining the shoes on display. The young men are hanging out at the front of the store talking and rearranging shoes in the display window. They pay no attention to her and finally she holds up a shoe and interrupts:

WOMAN

What material are these shoes made of?

FIRST SALESMAN

Ummm. I don’t know.

WOMAN

 (unbelieving) You don’t know?

FIRST SALESMAN

(Uncertain) Um, no

WOMAN

You work here and you don’t know what material the shoes are made of?

FIRST SALESMAN(to SECOND SALESMAN)

No, do you?

SECOND SALESMAN

No. They’re shoes.

WOMAN

I know they’re shoes. But are they leather? Are fabric? Are they–

SECOND SALESMAN

Yes, maybe, whatever.

WOMAN

I came in here specifically to buy a pair of Skechers, but you’ve just lost the sale.

FIRST SALESMAN

(a bit pathetically) But why?

WOMAN

Why should I spend my money in a store that doesn’t even care enough to train its sales staff–

SECOND SALESMAN

(interrupting) Yeah, well, whatever. (waves arms motioning for the woman to leave)

WOMAN

( walking away) Was this the millenial idea of retail service? Or was it ageism?

 

6 thoughts on “Scene from the “Who Gives A Shit” File”

  4. I think it’s a little of both – but you nailed it by blaming managers for not training staff (who they probably pay minimum wage) not only in courtesy and customer service, but also in product detail.

  5. Certainly not ageism. If a salesman can’t respond to a simple question, he doesn’t deserve the sale or the job. Shows a lack of work ethic. I encountered a lot of these people who just wanted to collect a paycheck.

Comments are closed.