|
Post by Lydia on Jul 10, 2011 18:25:06 GMT -5
How do you deal with store clerks approaching you and asking you questions, especially if you're nonverbal?
|
|
|
Post by littlelily613 on Jul 10, 2011 22:46:14 GMT -5
I am verbal. I just awkwardly say, "I'm just browsing".
|
|
|
Post by Lydia on Jul 11, 2011 8:33:51 GMT -5
When I'm verbal I think I say, "No thank you," which is my typical response to anything I want to say no to or to go away. When I'm nonverbal, well, that's the issue is that they expect a response, and I can't give them one!
|
|
|
Post by verdandi on Jul 11, 2011 22:15:25 GMT -5
I am usually verbal. I brush them off. I do not like that they approach me while I am trying to browse. Stores are stressful enough without random needless interactions.
|
|
|
Post by Lydia on Jul 12, 2011 11:04:48 GMT -5
I agree, although I think most people appreciate the store clerks making themselves known.
|
|
|
Post by pensieve on Jul 12, 2011 22:34:43 GMT -5
I say 'No, just looking' or maybe if I am looking for something I will ask. I usually ask at the counter though.
There was a surf shop I walked into once and the clerks were overly friendly and I just couldn't get out of that place fast enough.
On the bad days I will shake my head. People seem to steer clear of me when I'm like that. Maybe it's the earphones I have in.
|
|
|
Post by verdandi on Jul 13, 2011 0:46:42 GMT -5
I agree, although I think most people appreciate the store clerks making themselves known. They probably do. I did work in retail and had to approach every customer to see if they needed help. Most didn't seem to want it. I lost the job fairly quickly because I had significant trouble with punctuality (and it was only a 20 minute walk from home) and because a lot of customers complained that I was quite rude, apparently. I kept it as long as I did because the owner had a lot of trouble hiring a replacement. I also learned that the wrong expression of sympathy to someone who confides that she has cancer is "That sucks."
|
|
|
Post by Lydia on Jul 13, 2011 12:56:18 GMT -5
I agree, although I think most people appreciate the store clerks making themselves known. They probably do. I did work in retail and had to approach every customer to see if they needed help. Most didn't seem to want it. I lost the job fairly quickly because I had significant trouble with punctuality (and it was only a 20 minute walk from home) and because a lot of customers complained that I was quite rude, apparently. I kept it as long as I did because the owner had a lot of trouble hiring a replacement. I also learned that the wrong expression of sympathy to someone who confides that she has cancer is "That sucks." People have always complained that I'm rude, too... when I have no clue what I'm doing wrong! And why is "that sucks" wrong to say? Granted, I rarely say sucks, or I try not to... but I still don't see why someone would get upset about it.
|
|
|
Post by verdandi on Jul 13, 2011 13:00:27 GMT -5
People have always complained that I'm rude, too... when I have no clue what I'm doing wrong! And why is "that sucks" wrong to say? Granted, I rarely say sucks, or I try not to... but I still don't see why someone would get upset about it. I think "sucks" was one of the first slang terms I started using. Anyway, I don't really know what's wrong with it, but she complained to the owner.
|
|
|
Post by Lydia on Jul 13, 2011 14:38:22 GMT -5
I wish my staff or my mom would just say, "She doesn't talk." Simple. But they won't. I'm sure staff would claim it's a HIPAA violation, and Mom... well... normally she does deal with the clerks and whatnot, I suppose. Still, I wish someone would save me from them instead of walking away! Then again, LOL, it's probably me that's walking away...
|
|
|
Post by verdandi on Jul 13, 2011 15:03:38 GMT -5
Your staff could help you deal with those situations. Just stepping in and saying "We'll let you know if she needs anything" would be enough, I'd think.
|
|
|
Post by Lydia on Jul 13, 2011 17:02:12 GMT -5
Well, yes, they could, but they don't, because the whole idea of having staff is to foster independence... therefore, in their minds, if I want the clerk to bug off, I need to tell him or her myself. No matter if I CAN'T, I simply should anyway. I never said they were logical...
|
|
|
Post by verdandi on Jul 13, 2011 18:28:36 GMT -5
Yeah, see, my mother's been staff in the past, and what she said is that she'd step in to talk to the clerk - not to reveal details about your symptoms (she says it really is a HIPAA violation) but because she'd be there to assist.
I'm not sure sink or swim helps with independence. I know it never did with me (and I think it's been tried twice on me since I turned 18).
|
|
|
Post by Lydia on Jul 14, 2011 8:39:30 GMT -5
I've kind of given up on fighting battles with the whole staff thing because I can't win, it feels like. Oh well. The store clerks will be ignored, and they'll deal.
|
|
|
Post by tamsin on Jul 14, 2011 16:41:44 GMT -5
I am usually verbal to some degree, though some days it's a chore, especially when I am depressed or stressed out. Usually if they talk to me I already have an answer ready, so if they ask me if I need help I usually say "No thank you, I'm just browsing" or something along those lines. Sometimes I smile at them and other times I can't even look at them. I kind of have a script, and when they go off the script I begin to freak out, like when I am checking out and they try to talk to me. I smile and nod and say "uh-huh" but really I am just hoping they will shut up and hurry so I can leave.
Sometimes when I don't feel like talking to them I will move away if I see one of them coming towards me, even if that means leaving the aisle and coming back later. I also used to listen to my iPod which helped calm me.
I have a friend with AS and she said that one time she complained to a store manager that the employees were harassing her because she couldn't get through the store without at least 10 people asking her if she needed help and she was getting fed up. Sometimes I am tempted to do the same thing, but I don't think I would actually have the gall to do so.
|
|