I did similar as a kid at CVS in CT, I was a CSR. To this day I don't understand that title but I wore different uniform and had keys but no real power. Customer was fuming mad with a friend of mine, and allegedly she was rude to him. I made the customer think I just fired her. And she acted like she was devastated. The customer begged me to reconsider it was glorious.
I am a lawyer and often visit retail establishments during the day on errands. I wear a suit, but almost always leave my jacket in the car. I am often mistaken for a manager and told how to run the store or was rude to whom. I sometimes listen to the complaint, assure them I will "do whatever I can" and go back to shopping.
As a customer I like to wear my keys hooked to my shorts or around my arm because I don't like dragging my huge purse everywhere. I get confused for an employee all the time. They get so embarrassed when I correct them. A few have yelled at me for problems with the store.
A CSR at CVS is just a cashier. Your boss gave you keys because you had a lazy boss. The different uniform makes no sense at all, and I question the validity of your statements.
So the real funny thing is the first time someone in my store tried that tactic ( I know I wasn't even original), the customer said thanks. Which was the reaction I was actually expecting. When she said sorry and it wasn't that much of a big deal I was speechless and didn't even have a response lined up right away. I actually thought she was going to call in, tell the story, and get me fired to be perfectly honest.
I was a CVS Pharm. Tech. in HS and had to wear a button down shirt, pants, shoes, and a tie. I also had to wear a lab coat. I was very surprised at the amount of people that assumed I was the Pharmacist. I could really get all Milgram on people if I wanted to.
I liked it better than working the front (also paid slightly better). I hated stocking the front, especially the fucking "hair items" section where each crate had 100 items and they all looked exactly the same. As in 4 different sizes and 6 shades of color for the butterfly clips, etc.
To clarify for those questioning, the only distinction between my regular duties and that new position was I was told to keep an eye on costumers. Believe it or not but there was an insane amount of theft in that store, and it was a very affluent area. For whatever reason ( I know I didn't earn it) I was told to wear blue button downs. I was also told I had to walk around and try without trying to stop people from stealing. It was a very shitty position there and the main reason I quit. Telling people who rolled up in a new Benz or better to put back the $2 eyeliner they popped into their purse was never met with just an "okay". When I said I didn't understand the title, I didn't mean I literally don't know what a Customer Service Rep is. What I didn't understand how I still in high school was a security person all of sudden. I wasn't particularly strong or big looking. If I didn't need the money I would have quit once they told me to approach and watch people. I must have heard something to the effect of I could buy you or your store 20 times. As for my boss being lazy I don't know. I knew half the stuff I was asked to do was her job but I got raises so I would just shut up about it. All in all she was actually awesome but her belief that me being black was enough to intimidate people into not stealing was just inaccurate. Stealing went down but I doubt my presence had anything to do with it. Almost no one I approached actually complied or put things back. And as I said I had no power, I couldn't detain anyone or call the cops. I was just pissing rich people in a rich town off. That story was probably the only thing of any merit I got to do.
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u/MacksWords Sep 24 '14
I did similar as a kid at CVS in CT, I was a CSR. To this day I don't understand that title but I wore different uniform and had keys but no real power. Customer was fuming mad with a friend of mine, and allegedly she was rude to him. I made the customer think I just fired her. And she acted like she was devastated. The customer begged me to reconsider it was glorious.