Dear Blake,
I work in an expensive store that closes at 9 p.m. Clients often walk in here two minutes before we shut the door and spend 20 to 30 minutes inside before leaving. We employees still have to clean after they leave and, after eight hours of working, we just want to get home to our families. Shouldn’t shoppers be considerate and refrain from coming in if they know they will be here past closing, or does it not matter?
Signed, Justin
From Santa Monica, California
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Dear Justin,
What the customers are doing is absolutely disrespectful. Since they obviously have plenty of money to shop there, make them pay a heavy price for inconveniencing you and your co-workers. Here are some of my suggestions. Place a sign on the front stating anyone in the store that’s still shopping after hours, the prices of is quadrupled every five minutes. Or, you can announce on the intercom that the store unchains security pit bulls to roam free beginning at 9:01 p.m. How about this one? Inform all customers at 8:30 p.m. that if they are in the store 30 minutes later, they must buy at least $25,000 worth of merchandise, pay for the employees overtime and match their 401k’s. However, probably the most efficient way to stop people from shopping on your time, is to go to a local bar, and hire the biggest ugliest bouncer there, that has some serious anger management issues. When quitting time rolls around, tell him he is free to do whatever he wants to the consumers. My guess is, after he throws a few of them through a plate glass window, other patrons will be scared to shop there passed noon. I hope this helps.
Blake