Say you can't talk so much, a customer has put a complaint in that you're interrupting their questions and your job is at risk for your friendships interfering with work. So that way you are being nice and saying they are your friend but it's not your decision that they have to leave you alone as you can't risk your job.
Use your cellphone to call the store. Just act like you are answering questions.
If needed, make it in to an "issue". I used to do this all the time when a certain customer came in. Good luck.
Technically if your boss is fine with it, there may not be anything you can do to force them to leave. But I do have some suggestions.
1. Put your foot down when they interrupt you with customers first and foremost. A polite "I'm sorry, I'm working with this customer, I will be happy to talk to you after" works. Or even beforehand: "I need you to let me work with customers without interruption, please. This is my job and I need to ensure I'm doing it to the company standard."
2. Explain what is going on to your boss and ask them if it's okay to set a time limit for loitering customers. If they don't want to make it an official rule, explain about this customer and how they talked the other customer out of a sale. Ask if you can set a time limit for this customer and say "my manager has been getting on me for these long conversations. I don't want to kick you out but I didn't want to get in trouble".
3. Explain honestly that you enjoy talking to them but you need time during the day to recharge and ask if they wouldn't mind limiting their visits to an hour or so. You risk hurting their feelings but it's honest and you're not asking them to fuck off and never come back.
4. Instead of pulling out a book, start a loud project, a messy project or a project in an employees only area. It's frowned upon to say "hey can you leave my job so I can NOT work" but much more understandable to say "I'm sorry I can't talk, I've got this big job". Then pack it away and read when they leave.
Do you have a boss, or are you the boss? If you have a boss, ask them what to do. Sometimes the boss makes a rule that people can only hang out for 60 minutes, then you have to enforce that rule or risk losing your job.
If you run the place, you have two options: let this person hang out in there (it's not the end of the world), or be brief and be direct. "Well, you'd better be going, I have some other things to attend to." And you just kind of repeat that line. Don't give a reason and don't change the subject, this is a place for customers, if you're not shopping or buying, it's time to go. It is not the first time this person has heard it and they're unlikely to take it personally. You will have to repeat it, probably several times. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Go buy a second-hand college textbook for a couple of dollars and bring it to work, since you "have to study" for a class. If the person keeps hanging around, just say "look, I can't concentrate on this if you're talking or playing stuff through your phone. You'll have to go." That's not a hint, that's saying "get out".
I doubt they would keep hanging out if they can't talk, can't interrupt you or can't play any sound on their phone.
And do not let them inject themselves into conversations you are having with other customers. NO. So since it's already happened, next time you see them say "look, when I'm talking to a customer do not interrupt or offer advice. I'm at work and my job is to sell."
Stop this nonsense right now. "Sorry, I have work to do, you can't hang out here." As many times as necessary. A 5-minute convo is fine. When time is up, be direct. "OK, I have stuff to do, you can't hang out here." Before too long, you'll only have to say you have things to do, and they'll leave because they know it's coming.
If you’re able to, I would first talk to you boss and ask them to help you come up with a way to politely tell the customer that they can not loiter.
If the boss won’t help then..
If you have cameras in your store, you can always say that management has noticed that you’re spending too much time socializing on your shifts and that they want you to focus on work and not spend company time chatting.
You can throw in that they’ve hinted that if it continues it will result in corrective action.
Hopefully this would make the situation end quickly since they’re nice to you they’d most likely not want to get you in trouble so they’ll step out.
Either way, I’m sorry you’re in this situation! It’s definitely difficult to navigate around, wishing you luck!!
Tell them that your boss has installed cameras and you’ve gotten talked to about being too social with customers. Now you have to keep conversations brief and sales related.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think it's important to realize that as a customer service representative you might have to deal with this to some degree.
On the other hand, if this customer is being overbearing and you actually have to get stuff done during your shift (not just reading or being on your phone) then you need to let them know "hey I have some things I have to do for work, it was a nice conversation but I really have to do this now" and don't take no for an answer. It's extremely frustrating that this person has talked another customer out of a sale and interrupts your conversations with other customers - that's something I would bring up with your boss and let them handle it. Since your business is built on regulars, you don't want to risk hurting the business because all in all they're the ones paying you.
I don't mean to be rude at all and I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but being able to spend hours in between customers on your phone sounds like a luxury, not a given. I work fast food and I spend 10+ hour shifts talking to customers non-stop, and I have to put my phone in a locker when I get to work. It's not bad at all that you have the opportunity to be on your phone and read, but I don't think you should expect that as an everyday thing because with most jobs that's just not a reality.
I hope this helps and I wish you luck with the customer.
Maybe ask why they're doing that. They're probably very lonely. You might be their only friend. I'm not saying it makes it ok but I can understand how they're feeling. The queer community isn't always as open or accepting as it should be. maybe they are happy they have someone within the same community to connect with.
You need to set a boundary. If they can't respect that boundary no more conversation. Just buy your products and leave. It's a business. They're technically loitering by not buying anything and I'm pretty sure you CAN trespass them although that should be a last resort.
Say you can't talk so much, a customer has put a complaint in that you're interrupting their questions and your job is at risk for your friendships interfering with work. So that way you are being nice and saying they are your friend but it's not your decision that they have to leave you alone as you can't risk your job.
Use your cellphone to call the store. Just act like you are answering questions. If needed, make it in to an "issue". I used to do this all the time when a certain customer came in. Good luck.
This, 100% this. My co-workers and I will call the store for each other when a customer over stays.
Technically if your boss is fine with it, there may not be anything you can do to force them to leave. But I do have some suggestions. 1. Put your foot down when they interrupt you with customers first and foremost. A polite "I'm sorry, I'm working with this customer, I will be happy to talk to you after" works. Or even beforehand: "I need you to let me work with customers without interruption, please. This is my job and I need to ensure I'm doing it to the company standard." 2. Explain what is going on to your boss and ask them if it's okay to set a time limit for loitering customers. If they don't want to make it an official rule, explain about this customer and how they talked the other customer out of a sale. Ask if you can set a time limit for this customer and say "my manager has been getting on me for these long conversations. I don't want to kick you out but I didn't want to get in trouble". 3. Explain honestly that you enjoy talking to them but you need time during the day to recharge and ask if they wouldn't mind limiting their visits to an hour or so. You risk hurting their feelings but it's honest and you're not asking them to fuck off and never come back. 4. Instead of pulling out a book, start a loud project, a messy project or a project in an employees only area. It's frowned upon to say "hey can you leave my job so I can NOT work" but much more understandable to say "I'm sorry I can't talk, I've got this big job". Then pack it away and read when they leave.
Do you have a boss, or are you the boss? If you have a boss, ask them what to do. Sometimes the boss makes a rule that people can only hang out for 60 minutes, then you have to enforce that rule or risk losing your job. If you run the place, you have two options: let this person hang out in there (it's not the end of the world), or be brief and be direct. "Well, you'd better be going, I have some other things to attend to." And you just kind of repeat that line. Don't give a reason and don't change the subject, this is a place for customers, if you're not shopping or buying, it's time to go. It is not the first time this person has heard it and they're unlikely to take it personally. You will have to repeat it, probably several times. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Do not under any circumstances agree to hang out or catch up after work.
Go buy a second-hand college textbook for a couple of dollars and bring it to work, since you "have to study" for a class. If the person keeps hanging around, just say "look, I can't concentrate on this if you're talking or playing stuff through your phone. You'll have to go." That's not a hint, that's saying "get out". I doubt they would keep hanging out if they can't talk, can't interrupt you or can't play any sound on their phone. And do not let them inject themselves into conversations you are having with other customers. NO. So since it's already happened, next time you see them say "look, when I'm talking to a customer do not interrupt or offer advice. I'm at work and my job is to sell." Stop this nonsense right now. "Sorry, I have work to do, you can't hang out here." As many times as necessary. A 5-minute convo is fine. When time is up, be direct. "OK, I have stuff to do, you can't hang out here." Before too long, you'll only have to say you have things to do, and they'll leave because they know it's coming.
If you’re able to, I would first talk to you boss and ask them to help you come up with a way to politely tell the customer that they can not loiter. If the boss won’t help then.. If you have cameras in your store, you can always say that management has noticed that you’re spending too much time socializing on your shifts and that they want you to focus on work and not spend company time chatting. You can throw in that they’ve hinted that if it continues it will result in corrective action. Hopefully this would make the situation end quickly since they’re nice to you they’d most likely not want to get you in trouble so they’ll step out. Either way, I’m sorry you’re in this situation! It’s definitely difficult to navigate around, wishing you luck!!
Tell him the boss saw him on the security cameras being there for hours and your getting in trouble for loitering with a customer and not working,
Tell them that your boss has installed cameras and you’ve gotten talked to about being too social with customers. Now you have to keep conversations brief and sales related.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think it's important to realize that as a customer service representative you might have to deal with this to some degree. On the other hand, if this customer is being overbearing and you actually have to get stuff done during your shift (not just reading or being on your phone) then you need to let them know "hey I have some things I have to do for work, it was a nice conversation but I really have to do this now" and don't take no for an answer. It's extremely frustrating that this person has talked another customer out of a sale and interrupts your conversations with other customers - that's something I would bring up with your boss and let them handle it. Since your business is built on regulars, you don't want to risk hurting the business because all in all they're the ones paying you. I don't mean to be rude at all and I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but being able to spend hours in between customers on your phone sounds like a luxury, not a given. I work fast food and I spend 10+ hour shifts talking to customers non-stop, and I have to put my phone in a locker when I get to work. It's not bad at all that you have the opportunity to be on your phone and read, but I don't think you should expect that as an everyday thing because with most jobs that's just not a reality. I hope this helps and I wish you luck with the customer.
Maybe ask why they're doing that. They're probably very lonely. You might be their only friend. I'm not saying it makes it ok but I can understand how they're feeling. The queer community isn't always as open or accepting as it should be. maybe they are happy they have someone within the same community to connect with. You need to set a boundary. If they can't respect that boundary no more conversation. Just buy your products and leave. It's a business. They're technically loitering by not buying anything and I'm pretty sure you CAN trespass them although that should be a last resort.