So, I work at a Sephora in SoCal. I've been complained to and about, once was justifiable and the other was ridiculous. As an employee, I've also complained about another store. I went into a different store than the one I work at, and the DIC (person who oversees the floor at the time) took immediate notice to me being there. I was greeted and whatnot, but immediately she started sending people over to "help" me. I said that I didn't need any help--I didn't mention I worked at another store because I wanted them to think I was like any other client, and I wanted to see how their management operated--a few people later, I finally said "No I don't need anything, thank you." And moved to another area of the store, where there were less people working. Then I heard her use a common code phrase we have for potential problem clients. I lost it. I walked right up to her and checked her, and asked to speak to her Store Director (head manager) or her Specialist (2nd head manager.) Turns out she WAS the fucking specialist. AND, she attended my first group interview for my first store! When her store director came out--Who was the leader of my basic traning!--I told her what happened. The Specialist who sent her cast members to pay special attention to me said that she only did it because I looked familiar. Of course I looked familiar, you had a hand in hiring me at another store! I had a lengthy conversation with the SD, and I called our HALT Line, and I had a long discussion about it with our regional director. Unfortunately, that particular Specialist had been dancing on thin ice for awhile, and a few months later she was let go for several other reasons. If I hadn't complained, if I had just left the store and ignored it, she probably would have done it to a lot more people before she was let go. And she probably did it to tons of people before me. It's unfortunate, but at the same rate, we have an obligation to protect ourselves and our stores from loss. I'm not saying people should be profiled, and unfortunately they often are. In Southern California, we have a big problem with theft and big returns on high priced items without receipts, and because we have such a liberal return policy, we often have to take them back even if we know it's a shady one.
There's a ring of over 75 people in SoCal right now, possibly including former and current cast members, where high ticketed items are being stolen from stores and returned to other ones, and the giftcards being sold for cash. They're making thousands of dollars a week returning items. They even have children involved. The ring involves young african american women, young african american men, and older Hispanic ladies among others. Some stores don't have cameras, so we have to track this ring based on description only, which sometimes aren't as specific as we like. So if someone comes into my store and fits the description of someone we've seen stealing or bringing back possibly stolen product, I make it aware to those working around me, so that we can protect our inventory and in turn ourselves. Anybody who works in retail would understand this.
I'm not suggesting you don't complain, because if you were feeling disrespected, you absolutely have a right to be heard and are entitled to an apology. However, experiences at Sephora stores are on a store to store basis. No store would train their cast members to profile anyone, or to talk down to clients for any reason. It's not something we're trained to do, and it's not something we would be proud of being known for.
So I encourage you to make your concerns heard, but please take it into consideration that we have to do what we can to protect our merchandise, and there's no reason in the world we should trust everybody who comes into the store, because when we aren't looking, there's someone in the back loading their purse with lipglosses or mascaras and leaving empty boxes hidden in the units for us to find later, and at the point, there's nothing we can do about it. If it takes awhile for you to hear anything back about your customer feedback, don't think we aren't listening. Unfortunately, complaints called into corporate have to trickle down. It goes to the regional team, then is brought up to the district manager, and finally it makes its way to the actual store that the incident occured in. If you want your feedback to be dealt with faster, before leaving you should ask for the cast members' name(s) who you felt were being rude to you, then ask to speak to a manager. If one isn't available, let them know that you will be calling in a complaint. However, there should always be a manager available, and even if they are busy, they'll stop what they're doing to handle a client's complaint or concern. Nothing is more important to us than our clients, because without them, we wouldn't be in business. I'm sorry you had a terrible experience, and while i don't know the details of what happened, I hope that the cast member who disrespected you or made you feel uncomfortable is dealt with asap.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CreamPuffer
LOL, me too. I can't take two steps before someone is next to me asking me if I need any assistance. Can't tell you how many times someone came up to me and handed me a basket even though I had like 1 or 2 things in my hand.
|
Just FYI, we HAVE to give you a basket. Even if you don't have anything. It's apart of our training. I've been "coached' about not giving clients baskets, even if they're just holding onto a lipstick.
Quote:
Originally Posted by scorplove
YOU did, but many others were making excuses for the associates behavior. Everything in MY situation happened just trhe way I said it did, but by the end of the thread it had been switched around into something that was completely way off base. Like I "deserved" what happened to me.
My uncomfortableness was REAL. No, I wasn't crying and security didn't need to be called, but being confronted as if I was a potential thief was deeply disturbing, especially when I wasn't doing anything to warrant it.
ETA: You'd be surprised at how wide-spread this problem is with Sephora. I go to the Hollywood/Highland store now and the management style is completely different. I told them what happened at the Beverly Center location and they told me that they have clients that will travel MILES to their location, because the Beverly Center associates leave their customers feeling very uneasy and they're not very knowledgeable.
Even if you "think" I'm a potential thief you don't have to treat me like one.
|
I've actually heard really terrible things about the Beverly Center store, and I hope something happens to correct the behavior. I've been told that cast members there are rude and make a habit of following specific types of clients to ensure they aren't stealing. Unfortunately, while they're following the wrong person, they're losing their DiorShow Mascaras to someone else.
Quote:
Originally Posted by scorplove
Better becareful throwing the "D" word around here. You'll have some people posting how it was your fault somehow and that the associate may have been justified in his/her actions.
You need to CALL CORPORATE to vent your frustrations. I went through something similar, but security wasn't called. I haven't been back in that location since. I can barely tolerate looking at the front entrance of the store without wanting to role my eyes at somebody.
|
I agree. Call the store manager and tell them how unsatisfied you are.
Because we don't know this particular situation, nobody should say it was her fault. Right now, given the limited details we have about the incident, I'm going to believe that the client is always right. Anytime a client feels disrespected, the employee that made them feel that way is in the wrong. Unless you walked into the store raising hell and THEN they called security and had you removed, then you would be wrong and the complaint would just be someone venting about getting thrown out of a store for being a bitch. Because that's not what happened, it wouldn't be fair to say it was brought on herself.
In other threads, sometimes people take things personally and always make it a matter of race or other forms of discrimination, when they don't realize they displayed a behavior that raises a red flag to us.
People who come in with strollers and no evidence of a baby can raise a red flag, because it's just one of many scams we have going on right now. A woman will come in with a stroller filled with shopping bags or her purse--basically everything but a baby--and leave with product in her bags and stroller because we can't see where she's concealed it. A clever woman was apprehended at our Fashion Valley location doing the same thing with a Baby Bjorn. She had it wrapped around her with a blanket over it, and was cuddling it just like it was a sleeping baby, and when a cast member approached her, she got startled and jumped, and product fell from underneath the blanket. At that point, our Loss Prevention agent was able to ask her if she had any product she'd forgotten to leave, and she said no. They had her on camera the entire time stuffing the Baby Bjorn with product, all the while rocking it and cooing to make it look like she was holding a real child.
Women who hold a bunch of product in their hands and refuse a basket are people we should keep an eye on. Suddenly product will start to disappear from their hands, and they can leave with over $200 in their bag.
People who open the boxes and remove live product: that's another scam we're dealing with. People will open the live product, and replace it with the tester, or stuff it with tissue or sponges and make off with the live product inside. When we go to check the box and make sure it's not empty, it feels full. Then a client picks it up to purchase it, gets home and it's a tester or a piece of trash; how humiliating for us. If a store is keeping its merchandise in order and its tester's clean and available, there should never be a reason for clients to have to open live product.
I know it's not right and can seem very discriminatory, but we have to protect ourselves somehow. Just the same way clients have rights that protect them, we have to take every measure to ensure our merchandise is treated properly, and is protected from loss or damage, however, it seems that some stores and cast members are forgetting that our clients are still top priority, so they shouldn't make you feel that way, so please make yourself heard until there's a resolution to the problem. I hope this doesn't sour you from shopping with Sephora at all, and if you feel that uncomfortable in that store, and there isn't one near you, shop online. Beauty Insider points are redeemable online, and orders over $50 ship absolutely free.
I hope everything works out.
