Tesco arkeen turing customers away at 20:45 official closing time is 21:00

Oink

I'm glad the staff got home early. But the sign on the door is intended for customers.

Telling the customers "Open until 9" means they can come in until 9 (ish). Not "open until 9 but it will take us x amount of time to lock up so you need to deduct x minutes from the advertised closing time". How are customers supposed to guess what time a certain shop is going to close at if they can't rely on the time on the door??

At the same time I don't expect to be allowed to roam the aisles for 10 minutes at closing time either, thats fair enough. But ffs 9:00 does not mean 8:45. And whether I leave my 2 minute shopping until 8:45 or not is nobody's business...

Adyx

Oink wrote: »

I'm glad the staff got home early. But the sign on the door is intended for customers.

Telling the customers "Open until 9" means they can come in until 9 (ish). Not "open until 9 but it will take us x amount of time to lock up so you need to deduct x minutes from the advertised closing time". How are customers supposed to guess what time a certain shop is going to close at if they can't rely on the time on the door??

At the same time I don't expect to be allowed to roam the aisles for 10 minutes at closing time either, thats fair enough. But ffs 9:00 does not mean 8:45. And whether I leave my 2 minute shopping until 8:45 or not is nobody's business...

Doesn't matter what the sign says, there's no law that says they have to stay open till 9. Legally I could stay open till 1:30 am or 2 am - most nights I work, that rarely happens lately though because it's not worth paying the costs for it. Customers just have to expect that retail requires a certain amount of flexibility since the business is so changeable. If that's unacceptable to anyone I suggest they get access to Ranting & Raving and read the Cries of Retail thread. Even if you've never worked in retail you'll feel like punching customers in the head.

shinzon

you or your father had all day to go there in fact had all day to go anywhere to get whatever you needed, yet for your convenience you wanted to roll up new years eve and expect the shop to remain open so you could do your shopping, delaying the workers in there from getting home to spend the remainder of New years eve with family and friends

What a selfish obnoxious attitude to have.

Shin

NSAman

Used to work in retail, you could be DAMNED sure some A***ole would walk in at 5 minutes to closing and keep everybody behind for an hour and walk out having purchased nothing. Christmas Eve (which is a nightmare for staff they are exhausted, New Years Eve, anytime you need to close and get some family time) there was always one or two who would do this. Eventually we started closing the doors at 10 minutes to closing, stopped the issue completely.

Staff in retail have a crap time at Christmas, when many people are off work, they deserve time to themselves and closing time is 9.00pm, what was wrong with the OP getting off his ass earlier and doing some shopping, they were open all day!

The Bowling Alley

This is becoming a thread of people who work with the public V people who don't.

saintchrisburg

First off, I think it's completely within reason to turn away people a quarter of an hour before closing. Anybody who sees "closes at 9" and thinks they can go 8:45 and be fine is just taking the pi$$. Even offices that interact with the public still see issues like this. In previous jobs I've had, I've seen people come 4:58 (office closing at 5) and expect to be able to have a full interaction. Sorry, it isn't fair to the employees to have to sacrifice personal time in order to assist someone who is just being an a$$. There will always be exceptional circumstances of why the person couldn't arrive earlier, and we can sympathize in those cases, but it still is what it is.

Seems the easiest way of going about it, from the shop's perspective, would be to add one line. "Doors close at 8:45. Shop closes at 9:00" or "Close at X:XX. Last entry 15 minutes prior". Something like that. Would save the shops and customers a lot of headache.

Sully

Lets put the handbags away folks. No need to get personal!

twowheelsonly

shadowcomplex wrote: »

The ol lad said he only wanted to get 1 thing, probably just wanted to get a few cans of Guinness or a bottle of whiskey. I think most people going in at this time know their time is limited

You should hang around a bit and watch a bit more. I'm willing to bet that there were people still arriving at 8.50, 8.55, 9.00, 9.05 and probably up to close to half past. Where do they draw the line? They decided on 8.45 and it's their business so they can do that if they like.
This was one of my bugbears in retail. Even with the doors closed and main lights out you'd have someone trying to take the doors off the hinges. "It says you close at 5.30 and it's only twenty to six now..... I just want to have a quick look around..." etc.

TrustedApple

Notting wrong in my eyes refusing people at 8.45 EG just like last orders in a pub there last people to come in was before that and it takes people on AVG 10 mins in shop to get what they won't and to have a look around so 9.00pm is perfect for them to be closing at and expecting people to be out by then.

There is no need to give out about there closing time if you wonted something so bad you would have made the effort to head to tesco earlier to get what ever said item is.

NSAman

twowheelsonly wrote: »

You should hang around a bit and watch a bit more. I'm willing to bet that there were people still arriving at 8.50, 8.55, 9.00, 9.05 and probably up to close to half past. Where do they draw the line? They decided on 8.45 and it's their business so they can do that if they like.
This was one of my bugbears in retail. Even with the doors closed and main lights out you'd have someone trying to take the doors off the hinges. "It says you close at 5.30 and it's only twenty to six now..... I just want to have a quick look around..." etc.

I can vouch that Christmas morning at 2.30am my phone rang one year, to open the store as Daddy forgot to pick up juniors present. Being a silly fool, I drove the 20 minutes to work, opened up and was abused for closing on time.

Where was Daddy? In the pub with his friends.

Some people just need a swift kick in the ass. NEVER again did i do this. Kids being disappointed, sorry, parents have responsibility too.

looksee

Some years ago my youngest daughter was working parttime in a local supermarket. They always seemed to end up leaving late because cleaning had to be done after closing, though pay was only until closing. On Christmas eve she was due to finish at 7 so I went to pick her up as it was lashing rain. I waited and waited, finally she emerged at 8. She had closed and cleaned the deli, but someone came in after 7 - the doors were being reopened by the boss as there were people still wandering in. She had to reopen the deli to serve someone, then re-close it. Eventually around 7.30 the final customers left and then they had to do the clean up and close routine. Of course the staff was all part time youngsters who were afraid of losing their jobs so they did as they were told. That was totally greed on the part of the boss and lack of consideration from the customers. Thankfully it was a pretty useless store and eventually shut.

Flutterby80

What people who have never worked in retail fail to understand is that when a store closes that does not mean that the staff can down tools and walk out the door. The store has to be tidied and ready for trade the following day, you never know when an area manager is going to spring a suprise visit. Tills have to be taken off and in some cases reconciled before lock up. Staff searches have to be carried out before anyone can leave.
I can guarantee you that no one left that store before 9.15 at the earliest so I'm sorry but they were more than entitled to close the doors at 8.45, especially when it's a supermarket where people could potentially spend anything up to an hour shopping.
I work in retail managent myself and I will often close the doors 10 minutes prior to the store closing time particularly if the store is busy. The staff have a right to get out of work reasonably on time, if I didn't close the doors we wouldn't get locked up til at least 6.30/6.45 some days!

dzilla

God what a thread out of nothing.

Contact tesco and complain if you feel so strongly.

JohnC.

shadowcomplex wrote: »

I'm sorry but your wrong and I did mind my own business. The simple fact remains is that a business has advertised to be open until 21:00

Meaning it closes at 21:00. So are they technically not within their rights to shut down the tills and tell everyone inside to leave the second it hits 21:00, weather they've been through the tills or not? If you're shopping isn't done, tough, we're closed. What would your opinion be on following the rules that way instead? I mean, it isn't breaking the rules you say they should abide by, even if you only enter at 20:59:59 and they shut down a second later.

Boooourns

Probably the most boring thread title I've ever seen, well done on that.

evolving_doors

Boooourns wrote: »

Probably the most boring thread title I've ever seen, we'll done on that.

So how would you 'sex it up' so?

ACANDROID

Probably been said already but if they were still letting customers in at 9, the staff would never get out.. feel bad for the guy who they wouldn't let in but having spent seven years in retail, last minute shoppers are the worst..

Digital Society

What a ****ty thread. So an idiot actually expect all the employees to stay past there paid contracted time just cause that typical asshole who leaves everything to the last minute gets his few cans.

Shops have been doing this for how many decades now and slow mo comes in and complains after he can't get his cans.

And then the best bit is he comes on Boards expecting a huge reaction from others and for people to take his side.

radharc

Digital Society wrote: »

What a ****ty thread. So an idiot actually expect all the employees to stay past there paid contracted time just cause that typical asshole who leaves everything to the last minute gets his few cans.

Shops have been doing this for how many decades now and slow mo comes in and complains after he can't get his cans.

And then the best bit is he comes on Boards expecting a huge reaction from others and for people to take his side.

A lot of people with no clue of retail ITT. The opening hours advertised are the houra the business is ppen to the public, not the employees' clocking off time.

Wanderer2010

How the hell did this thread get to 4 pages.....

If you need to get something then organize your time so you are not arriving at the last minute and causing hassle for the staff, just common sense really. I never understood these idiots who wait until the very last minute to get stuff, nobody is that busy that they cant put aside time for shopping ffs. :mad:

my3cents

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

How the hell did this thread get to 4 pages.....

If you need to get something then organize your time so you are not arriving at the last minute and causing hassle for the staff, just common sense really. I never understood these idiots who wait until the very last minute to get stuff, nobody is that busy that they cant put aside time for shopping ffs. :mad:

Mostly due to posts full of righteous indignation by the look of it :pac:

mirrorwall14

To be honest I'm on the OPs side here. If I checked an opening time and arrived to be told it was closed 15 mins early Id be irritated. I've worked retail myself and I've no problem with tills shutting at 9 on the button but I'm well able to run in the door with 15 minute to go and be at the til with 10 mins to go. I would be very conscious of staff and get in and out fast. And if I was dawdling and told sorry the tills closed after arriving at the checkout after 9 then that I would argue is the customers fault and while Id be annoyed Id be annoyed with myself not the shop. Closing the shop doors early is not the customers fault.

The arguement that staff get delayed should be moot, the staff should be getting paid for clean up anyways-particularly in a big chain like tesco. Id be more forgiving of a small local shop where that may not be the case

riffmongous

I'm with the OP too, close the doors a bit early by all means but you have to let people know then how early they will be closed. I've never seen a shop close the doors more than 5 mins beforehand and for all the people saying the OP is selfish, I think it's quite selfish of the staff to close 15 mins early on a one off and not inform people.

my3cents

I used to pick my wife up when she worked as a checkout supervisor in a 36 till store in the UK. The shop stayed open to customers till whenever the closing time was but the majority of staff also went home at that time. There would be a supervisor and about 4 other staff each night that stayed and closed up. It was different staff each night so while it was an unpaid imposition it was only one night a week or less for staff that worked late. It wasn't like everyone working late had to stay well past the time the shop closed each night.

With self service tills you would only need 2 staff to cover the checkouts for the late comers (one on SS one on a conventional till) so its more likely that management of Tesco wanted to get home early.

Boooourns

Armelodie wrote: »

So how would you 'sex it up' so?

Not even a spray of sex panther would work here.

Sully

my3cents wrote: »

I used to pick my wife up when she worked as a checkout supervisor in a 36 till store in the UK. The shop stayed open to customers till whenever the closing time was but the majority of staff also went home at that time. There would be a supervisor and about 4 other staff each night that stayed and closed up. It was different staff each night so while it was an unpaid imposition it was only one night a week or less for staff that worked late. It wasn't like everyone working late had to stay well past the time the shop closed each night.

It's the holiday season, and regardless, in awful fairness it's unfair to expect staff to hang around while customers come in at the last minute to do shopping.

With self service tills you would only need 2 staff to cover the checkouts for the late comers (one on SS one on a conventional till) so its more likely that management of Tesco wanted to get home early.

I'd imagine those machines need to be emptied and cashed up, which appears to take sometime.

I've seen Tesco in Tramore do this when it first opened, not sure what their policy is at the moment. Security on the door 15mins to closing would stop you from entering.

DeanAustin

OP has a point even though I strongly disagree with them.

The big issue I have with the OP is the completely over the top and arrogant attitude. To describe a shop refusing people entry 15 minutes before closing on New Years Eve as "a disgrace" is just over the top nonsense and undermines any argument they might have had.

mirrorwall14

I suppose my support of the OP is on the basis that if they were closing the doors to arriving customers at 845 then that is what should have been published, not 9. How he said it is a different matter of course

collie0708

Having worked in retail the one thing I know is no matter what time you close there are always people who come at the last minute or just after the store closes for just 1 item. My opion is the supermarkets are open enough hours a year that retail staff deserve to Finnish on time for a Christmas and new year.

robtri

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

I suppose my support of the OP is on the basis that if they were closing the doors to arriving customers at 845 then that is what should have been published, not 9. How he said it is a different matter of course

It said the shop was open till 9am... it never said anything about what time last customer would be allowed in...
give the guys a break... they put up with so much crap over the year they deserve a bit of a break....
if you think its bad form, shop with your feet and go somewhere else... simple