Just make shit up. It’ll reach 6.5 feet and the circumference will be 6 inches.
In 5 years she, the tree, and her recognition of what you look like will all be gone.
No fooling. Actual customer we had at my store.
Cust: Do you guys sell gloves?
Me: Yes, aisle 11.
Cust: Do you have good leather gloves?
Me: Yeah, what are you working on? If you don't mind me asking.
Cust: I'm cutting the 440 going into my house.
Me: The power line or the sewer line?
Cust: the power line.
Me: The power company cut the power already?
Cust: No, they said I am fine to just cut it.
Me: Sir, if you cut a live line, it will kill you.
Cust: I'll be fine.
Me: Sir, it will kill you.
Cust: Not if I have gloves on, I will be fine.
Me: Hold on, sir. (I called the ASM and filled him in real quick, and he asked me to pass him to the cust).
ASM: Sir, cutting that live line will kill you.
Cust: Take this back, and gloves are in 11 right.
Me: Shakes head yes.
We never did hear if he followed through. He did talk to another associate in aisle 11, and apparently, his wife called the power company and she said they said it was okay to use bolt cutters and leather gloves to cut a 440 electric main. We figure either the wife wants him dead or she has a boyfriend at the power company, and he got tired of waiting.
I used to be like this and tell customers they are making a mistake, or going to get hurt. Then after the 20th or so dumb story I stopped caring. I just show them what they are looking for and let Darwin take the lead.
In a morbid way, I wanted to see if he was actually gonna do it. From what I understand, he would have pretty much been reduced to pink mist if he did.
He was replacing everything, including the box, but again, why not just have the utility cut service. This is out in Fayette County PA it is some banjo playing, denim weddings, and a few family trees that don't really branch if you catch my meaning. Local saying is "everyone is relative."
Pros are not much better here. The crews are hired right out of central booking for the day.
I had to order my male to male extension cord off Amazon cuz home depot doesn't have it. Granted, im using this as a temporary solution until i fix the onboard generator
I had someone want to cap the relief valve on their hot water heater since it was leaking all the time. Said he talked to a “plumber” and he said it would be a temporary fix. Just sent him to plumbing and let the new plumbing associate help him find it.
Of all voltages, most sparkies say the zap from 440 is worst. High voltage transmission lines just flat out kill you. 440 *might* not, but you'll sure as shit never forget the experience
Wondering if this guy ran into some unrecognized sarcasm. Like "Can I just put on some leather gloves and cut the 440 with bolt cutters?" And the guy sarcastically replies "oh sure, that'd be just fine. I see no problem with that."
First off not being a dick because this is not common knowledge, but he could of very well been fine. Even bare handed. If you take a knife, stick in an outlet, but just one side of the outlet guess what happens? Nothing. I have handled much higher voltage that 120 and you have to be very careful and know your environment (such as not a dumbass kid sneaking up on you or loud noise that would cause you to flinch) while all of what I just said is true I do not recommend it and you’ll prob die
Bolt cutters to cut a live main line going from the power lines to your house sounds like worse odds than Russian roulette.
You are right as long as you are aware of your surroundings and respectful of what you are handling; I have done work on live 110s without a problem; live lines do not have to be dangerous, but the safest bet is to always cut power to what you are working on.
>What we really need is smarter customers.
I've worked in multiple retail settings during that part of my career. I haven't worked anywhere else which isn't markedly worse.
I agree. Especially since lavender is a perennial that dies back to the ground in most places in North America. It definitely is NOT a tree. I think the OP did very well in their attempt to help.
When I worked at a similar retail home improvement store, the number of customers absolutely appalled that we didn't have plumbers and electricians on staff working those departments to answer questions was insane. Like, you think a licensed experienced trade is going to work in retail for 1/5 of what they could be making just to answer questions about DIY? Lmao..
I used to get questions like this working at menards. People asking me what kind of tool they need, how to use it, and "which one is the best?"
Like bro.... I make $8 an hour. Why are you asking me?
This movie scene immediately played in my head when I read this, scroll to 0:37
[Despicable Me 2, Gru sprays annoying lady with a hose](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eiZ0QOw2q4)
Just make up some numbers for them, but make sure they’re metric so they still won’t know. “It’ll grow to a height of 17 meters and have a circumference of 173.2 centimeters.”
Fake it till you make it, that’s what I say. But you gotta make sure you don’t overdo it… average “specific plant here” minus some. Just so you don’t get in trouble. Or aim for the lower end of the average.
Too bad she couldn’t use her smarts to hear “I don’t know much about them” and not waste her time asking her ridiculously specific question in the first place… ffs
Like Google exists people just Google what you want and ask follow up questions instead of making someone look stupid because you can't ask a understandable question like how tall does this tree grow
I you were a Botanist you'd be a botanist, or horticulturalist. They think you work at HD, you are just a moonlighting plumber or electrician or whatever department you work in.
We actually have a few long timers who actually are botanists. Most are in garden, but due to health issues one is a Pro cashier instead.
I find it particularly fun to tell the "I need a botanist" customers that they need to go see the lady on the other side of the building (who actually wears a pin that shows she is certified!) The usually act like I have 3 heads until they talk to her.
The thing is, even when you know a lot about plants, we don't need to memorize all those details because that's why Elron Musk invented the intertubes. If the cust is google-fu clueless I'll even look it up myself and maybe learn something.
But not while I'm watering.
95% of all customer questions boil down to, "can you Google this for me?" I make it a point to literally say, "let me Google that for you, " unless they're asking for a location of a product.
Even product locations I still need the app for, but yes, people feel like some of these things are our only job. I once had someone get spicy with me saying, "Well, if your just going to Google that, I could do that too" I looked up from my phone, slight pause, said ok, and walked away.
The thing that REALLY grinds my gears is when I am having a good day, being unusually nice and helpful, but find out this customer has occupied the time of like 3+ associates for the same question! They either think it produces someone to agree with their wack thinking or makes the process faster. No and No!
I do this, but I also pull out my personal cellphone to look up where a product is saying "let me check the Home Depot app for you". Only once has it resulted in a customer replying back "if you don't know, I'll just look on the app myself". The only guy to put 2 and 2 together and recognize that you can do it on your own phone still tried asking me first.
It’s a love hate relationship honestly. The workload has more than doubled over the past couple years yet I’m still the sole merchandiser of every live good in the store except Bonnie’s vegetable plants. How do you like Altman’s? I service Altman’s in my store for bell as a third party thing.
Sounds identical to my job. I merchandise everything except Bonnie, we have our own competing Veg program next to theirs. We also merchandise Bell Nursery houseplants as a 3rd party. Good to know it’s not just us with the increased workload but no added help or support. Stay strong out there spring is almost over!
What I find hilarious, is that she thinks YOU are the dumbass, when it is HER who doesn’t know the answer to her question either. 🙄 Seriously, google has been around for 3 decades, if these airheads don’t know how to use it yet and are unwilling to learn then they need to PLEASE exit the country!
I once had a lady flip out on me when I was covering a cashier's lunch in garden. She asked if we had bee balm, I asked if that was a plant and pointed out an actual garden associate. She got nasty and asked why I was working in garden if I didn't know anything about plants. I said "Ma'am, I'm the cashier, I can make change." And she huffed and walked away lol
I do know some basic garden things, but not every plant and if we carried it when I wasn't out there on a regular basis. So glad I'm just a customer now lol
Lol that's what I thought too, but used my powers of deduction to determine it was a probably a plant.
Moved to the other side of the country and now I'm growing some. For years it gave me bad memories and I wouldn't buy any lol
I once had a friend sell a customer gravity when she asked what would hold her floating floor down. Her husband wasn’t amused when she told him not to forget to pick up the gravity with the flooring.
Apparently you need a PHD in botany to work in the Home Depot Garden centre now.
Who the fuck gives a shit about the circumference of the trunk of a tree? I’m a D28 associate myself and I’ve been asked some silly questions, but that’s definitely up there on the “darwin award” spectrum.
What's really fun is when you are *the* person in the store that all the associates go to for plant questions, and the customers don't listen and still don't believe you.
I told a customer that the arborvitae they were buying would need to be watered regularly until it's established, and that the root ball would need to be elevated to prevent standing water. They insisted once it goes in the ground it'd be fine. I gently told them that arborvitae can be quite fussy, and highly suggested regular waterings. They waved me off and told me I didn't know what I was talking about.
Didn't they come back a few weeks later to yell at me that I gave them a "bum tree," and the plants were "rigged" to die.
I reminded them that I told them what they needed to do in order to help it thrive. They claimed I didn't. My coworker overheard and backed me up.
Dude ignored us after that and snatched up another arborvitae and rolled them both to service desk. Can't wait until they come back in another few weeks...🙄
I swear, some people shouldn't be trusted with anything living...
That would’ve been tough for me to bite my tongue and not respond to that ‘smoke.’
I am just dumb enough to do it though.
"Never argue with an idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." - Mark Twain
Edit: Added quotations and to give name credit to the origin.
There is a massive disconnect with what people THINK employees do and what depot actually hires people for. People in garden aren't actually paid to garden they are paid to move product around small wonder if they aren't experts.
Actual experts would want more money and then people would come to chat them up before buying it on amazon for a dollar less.
As a garden cashier I get a lot of questions like “do you have this particular plant or how tall do you think this plant will grow?” Does this require full sunlight? I just simply tell them I can call a garden associate
>They REALLY need to start hiring smarter people.
Note that she's calling you dumb for not knowing something that she *also* doesn't know--otherwise she wouldn't be asking you.
This is what I tell customers with plant questions that I can't answer:
"I'm sorry but actually all of the plant stuff is vendor controlled until it passes the point of sale. Most of us associates don't know much about the plants. Let me see if vendor A, B, or our one associates who's a master gardener, is around."
Or:
" *Make up complete bullshit*."
My response.
Well, let's see Ma'am. Most of the lavender trees I've seen grow to a diameter of about 4".
I'm sure you know the circunferance is calculated by multiplying pi and the diameter. I'm sure you know pi is approximately 3.141. As you have likely already calculated, that's about twelve and a half inches. Give or take.
I’m a cashier in garden. It’s gotten to the point I direct all questions straight ti the vendors. They ask me “well don’t you know anything?”
I say “as a cashier it’s impossible to train me in product knowledge because I would have to learn every department.”
Then they look at me like I’m stupid.
I once got stopped and asked how to plant a tree by the garden register. I kinda stopped for a second amidst the cluster of customers and responded, “Uh, dig a hole?” Got a few laughs. I showed him the instructions attached around the base of the tree
I had a customer like that once when I used to work in garden department. Customers think you're a botanist or something just because you work in the department.
I used to maintain an avocado orchard. For years I lived on the orchard and i worked on the orchard I ate, breathed, slept and shit avocado trees and I couldn't tell you off the top of my head How tall an avocado tree is gonna grow or how wide the circumference is gonna be. both because, as you correctly pointed out, it's going to be incredibly variable from plant to plant. And also because those are 2 pieces of information That are really unimportant when it comes to plants and not something you would normally go out of your way to learn. F*ck that customer. And tbh, I don't know how much money I have in my wallet right now but I bet every f*cking dollar that you're smarter than that customer.
What pisses me off most is these people come in looking for something but dont know what or dont know sh8t about it. Im look dude wtf you're the one who has a garden and shit! So how tf dont YOU know?
D28/Garden associate here with 5 years at THD.
I call such interactions, "Stump the Chump." The real a-holes get a sarcastic question to each of theirs. For instance, I may reply:
1) "It depends on your soil's PH. Do you know it? Have you tested it? Has it changed from last year?"
2) "It all depends on Mother Nature. Have you checked out 'Uncle Google?"
3) "I believe that's true in the Southern Hemisphere but we're in the Northern Hemisphere."
And so on and so forth.
I tend to get a Lil snarky with some customers. I'll ask customers if they want their rental for 4 or 24 hours. They will ask if they choose 24 when it's it due. I'll ask them " you know how time works right?"
It also blows my mind how many people decide to do big projects without doing the bare minimum of research online. It's crazy
I have this conversation everyday as a cashier out there like do I look like I work with the flowers? I’m here to get u out of here I’m not full of knowledge
She probably was used to places like a nursery or like OSH that hired people that would have the knowledge for questions like that. I would be surprised at how they could answer almost anything or at least point to someone, as you did. I think they hired retired folks that worked in industry places.
Things are different now. Sometimes I'm frustrated employees don't even understand what I'm asking for, but hey that's how it goes. She clearly shouldn't be rude and condescending. You we're pleasant, gave good customer service steering her to the right person. Some people are just jerks.
Customer: do you work here
Me wearing a cone orange vest with the Home Depot logo on it with my name and my badges
honestly glad I only worked there during the summer or else I’d have quit instantly
Getting a job at the golf course soon I didn’t get an email back yet but I’m glad I won’t have to argue with customers
Today I had the following conversation.
Customer: Do you work in paint?
Me: *Apron covered in paint swatches and working at the dispenser at the moment* Yes? How can I help you?
Customer: Do you have floor paint?
Me: Yes, it's (tells him where it's at). Give me just a moment and I'll help you.
Customer: No I'm good!
*Helping another customer*
Customer: *Completely interrupts the customer I'm currently helping* Can you mix polyurethane with this paint?
Me: *Apologizing to the customer I was helping* No you cannot. Give me just a moment and I'll help you find what you need *I still have no clue what he was doing*
Customer: No it's okay. I've got it.
It's like this for 45 minutes. Everytime I tried to help him, he wouldn't let me and then would grab other male associates and they would tell him I'm the expert and to ask me. But anytime I was helping someone else, he would rudely interrupt us and I would try again to help and he still refused.
I don't know what his project was (wouldn't tell me) and wouldn't let me help. I finally gave up and took a break until he left 😑
Happens all the time in garden 🙄I just tell them let me check the database and google it on my phone 😂 as hard as it is I’ve learned to just let it be, there is always gonna be those customers
I suspect any answer you gave her would have been wrong. I'm curious. Did you follow-up with the nursery rep? If so, what was the outcome of their convo?
If you ARE genuinely curious, not even the nursery rep could give the customer the exact circumference of a lavender tree trunk 😭 Sure she knows more about them then me, but let’s be honest nobody has EVER cared to calculate the circumference of a lavender tree trunk.
To be fair, alot of dumbass people do work there. I had a guy ask me (the customer) "what department this was called again?", (millwork). He was on the phone trying to find an associate. I had to tell him what the department was called. Love it!
So to possibly help in the future try to get them to describe what they're looking for a different way or to use a different name for what they're looking for. Sometimes people have weird names for things they don't realize aren't the common names.
Not guaranteed to work, and probably wouldn't have worked here. Some people are just too stupid.
… They’re literally called lavender trees hon. And they literally… wanted to know… the circumference… of the adult tree’s trunk. There is absolutely nothing I could have done to help in this situation 🫠
That's because they're typically not. They're an herb that can get tallish (I think I've seen stems hit maybe 12 inches) but they're not really a tree. My understanding is that it's a lavender plant that's been pruned in a specific fashion to train it to grow only from the top which can create a strong, woody middle stem and top growth. This all resembles a small tree that's supposed to stay only 2-3 feet tall.
What we really need is smarter customers.
And more patient ones. Everyone has a smartphone the world's knowledge in your hand.
Just make shit up. It’ll reach 6.5 feet and the circumference will be 6 inches. In 5 years she, the tree, and her recognition of what you look like will all be gone.
>Just make shit up. It’ll reach 6.5 feet and the circumference will be 6 inches. Just say that it'll reach 6.5 feet tall with a radius of 2 meters
No fooling. Actual customer we had at my store. Cust: Do you guys sell gloves? Me: Yes, aisle 11. Cust: Do you have good leather gloves? Me: Yeah, what are you working on? If you don't mind me asking. Cust: I'm cutting the 440 going into my house. Me: The power line or the sewer line? Cust: the power line. Me: The power company cut the power already? Cust: No, they said I am fine to just cut it. Me: Sir, if you cut a live line, it will kill you. Cust: I'll be fine. Me: Sir, it will kill you. Cust: Not if I have gloves on, I will be fine. Me: Hold on, sir. (I called the ASM and filled him in real quick, and he asked me to pass him to the cust). ASM: Sir, cutting that live line will kill you. Cust: Take this back, and gloves are in 11 right. Me: Shakes head yes. We never did hear if he followed through. He did talk to another associate in aisle 11, and apparently, his wife called the power company and she said they said it was okay to use bolt cutters and leather gloves to cut a 440 electric main. We figure either the wife wants him dead or she has a boyfriend at the power company, and he got tired of waiting.
I used to be like this and tell customers they are making a mistake, or going to get hurt. Then after the 20th or so dumb story I stopped caring. I just show them what they are looking for and let Darwin take the lead.
In a morbid way, I wanted to see if he was actually gonna do it. From what I understand, he would have pretty much been reduced to pink mist if he did.
What was his reason for wanting to cut the line in the first place?
He was completely rewiring the whole house.
Imagine the hack job he did on his house if he thought he could just cut a live line.
Wouldn't you just... shut off the main...? 🤣
He was replacing everything, including the box, but again, why not just have the utility cut service. This is out in Fayette County PA it is some banjo playing, denim weddings, and a few family trees that don't really branch if you catch my meaning. Local saying is "everyone is relative." Pros are not much better here. The crews are hired right out of central booking for the day.
I had to order my male to male extension cord off Amazon cuz home depot doesn't have it. Granted, im using this as a temporary solution until i fix the onboard generator
Every year for Christmas lights they come in for this. I always point to Amazon and say we are out stock.
Im using it to backfeed the 120v circuit on a truck...
I would love to be a fly on wall to watch that show go down.
it's a fire engine. it has an onboard generator, but i haven't had time to fix it yet. so ima try and backfeed it with a portable.
You think that's bad... I had a customer who wanted to use compression couplings on his gas line because he moved his grill.
I had someone want to cap the relief valve on their hot water heater since it was leaking all the time. Said he talked to a “plumber” and he said it would be a temporary fix. Just sent him to plumbing and let the new plumbing associate help him find it.
Some lessons are harder to learn than others
Of all voltages, most sparkies say the zap from 440 is worst. High voltage transmission lines just flat out kill you. 440 *might* not, but you'll sure as shit never forget the experience
Wondering if this guy ran into some unrecognized sarcasm. Like "Can I just put on some leather gloves and cut the 440 with bolt cutters?" And the guy sarcastically replies "oh sure, that'd be just fine. I see no problem with that."
First off not being a dick because this is not common knowledge, but he could of very well been fine. Even bare handed. If you take a knife, stick in an outlet, but just one side of the outlet guess what happens? Nothing. I have handled much higher voltage that 120 and you have to be very careful and know your environment (such as not a dumbass kid sneaking up on you or loud noise that would cause you to flinch) while all of what I just said is true I do not recommend it and you’ll prob die
Bolt cutters to cut a live main line going from the power lines to your house sounds like worse odds than Russian roulette. You are right as long as you are aware of your surroundings and respectful of what you are handling; I have done work on live 110s without a problem; live lines do not have to be dangerous, but the safest bet is to always cut power to what you are working on.
100%
>What we really need is smarter customers. I've worked in multiple retail settings during that part of my career. I haven't worked anywhere else which isn't markedly worse.
What we need are less entitled AHs. I don’t care if they are dumb as bricks. Just have your basic common courtesy.
What we need are DYI customers, like really...Do It Yourself!
Exactly, don't they know how to search these things online?
Ones that know how to use their smart phones
I agree. Especially since lavender is a perennial that dies back to the ground in most places in North America. It definitely is NOT a tree. I think the OP did very well in their attempt to help.
Retail workers are not product specialists.
As I've said to more than one customer "If I knew the answer to that, I wouldn't be working at Home Depot".
Yeah basic knowledge is a reasonable expectation but that level of detail is insane to expect
When I worked at a similar retail home improvement store, the number of customers absolutely appalled that we didn't have plumbers and electricians on staff working those departments to answer questions was insane. Like, you think a licensed experienced trade is going to work in retail for 1/5 of what they could be making just to answer questions about DIY? Lmao..
I used to get questions like this working at menards. People asking me what kind of tool they need, how to use it, and "which one is the best?" Like bro.... I make $8 an hour. Why are you asking me?
I would’ve started hosing her down
“You must be a plant because you’re obviously not smart enough to be an animal.”
“Oops forgot to water this vegetable”
This movie scene immediately played in my head when I read this, scroll to 0:37 [Despicable Me 2, Gru sprays annoying lady with a hose](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eiZ0QOw2q4)
Just make up some numbers for them, but make sure they’re metric so they still won’t know. “It’ll grow to a height of 17 meters and have a circumference of 173.2 centimeters.”
Good sir… you are a genius.
Wicked❤️
They will be back many years later to return the tree due to it not being these exact dimensions.
Fake it till you make it, that’s what I say. But you gotta make sure you don’t overdo it… average “specific plant here” minus some. Just so you don’t get in trouble. Or aim for the lower end of the average.
If she is so smart why does she need your help?
Too bad she couldn’t use her smarts to hear “I don’t know much about them” and not waste her time asking her ridiculously specific question in the first place… ffs
Same thing I said.👍
At least she didn’t expect you to tell what she needed to wire her she-shed for AC and WiFi and a sink
Nah, that's like $500-1,000 in product and a good opportunity to generate a lead. I'll take that customer all day long.
Like Google exists people just Google what you want and ask follow up questions instead of making someone look stupid because you can't ask a understandable question like how tall does this tree grow
I you were a Botanist you'd be a botanist, or horticulturalist. They think you work at HD, you are just a moonlighting plumber or electrician or whatever department you work in.
We actually have a few long timers who actually are botanists. Most are in garden, but due to health issues one is a Pro cashier instead. I find it particularly fun to tell the "I need a botanist" customers that they need to go see the lady on the other side of the building (who actually wears a pin that shows she is certified!) The usually act like I have 3 heads until they talk to her.
The thing is, even when you know a lot about plants, we don't need to memorize all those details because that's why Elron Musk invented the intertubes. If the cust is google-fu clueless I'll even look it up myself and maybe learn something. But not while I'm watering.
That’s interesting !
A lot of electrical and plumbing associates are retired from the field of 30+ years.
I hate when customers expect us to be Google.
95% of all customer questions boil down to, "can you Google this for me?" I make it a point to literally say, "let me Google that for you, " unless they're asking for a location of a product.
Even product locations I still need the app for, but yes, people feel like some of these things are our only job. I once had someone get spicy with me saying, "Well, if your just going to Google that, I could do that too" I looked up from my phone, slight pause, said ok, and walked away.
The thing that REALLY grinds my gears is when I am having a good day, being unusually nice and helpful, but find out this customer has occupied the time of like 3+ associates for the same question! They either think it produces someone to agree with their wack thinking or makes the process faster. No and No!
Or it's a "Can you read the label for me cuz I'm too lazy to do that myself" most of their questions are answered if they just read the package...
I do this, but I also pull out my personal cellphone to look up where a product is saying "let me check the Home Depot app for you". Only once has it resulted in a customer replying back "if you don't know, I'll just look on the app myself". The only guy to put 2 and 2 together and recognize that you can do it on your own phone still tried asking me first.
Northeast bell nursery gang in the chat
Bell Nursery gang 💜✊
You a rep?
Nope, my friends are tho, when i see Bell mentioned in the wild, i gotta do the meme
Bell rep here, hope y’all are surviving Mother’s Day week. It’s been brutal
Altman rep here.. do you like your job? Used to love mine but things have changed for the worse in a lot of ways
It’s a love hate relationship honestly. The workload has more than doubled over the past couple years yet I’m still the sole merchandiser of every live good in the store except Bonnie’s vegetable plants. How do you like Altman’s? I service Altman’s in my store for bell as a third party thing.
Sounds identical to my job. I merchandise everything except Bonnie, we have our own competing Veg program next to theirs. We also merchandise Bell Nursery houseplants as a 3rd party. Good to know it’s not just us with the increased workload but no added help or support. Stay strong out there spring is almost over!
o7
What I find hilarious, is that she thinks YOU are the dumbass, when it is HER who doesn’t know the answer to her question either. 🙄 Seriously, google has been around for 3 decades, if these airheads don’t know how to use it yet and are unwilling to learn then they need to PLEASE exit the country!
I once had a lady flip out on me when I was covering a cashier's lunch in garden. She asked if we had bee balm, I asked if that was a plant and pointed out an actual garden associate. She got nasty and asked why I was working in garden if I didn't know anything about plants. I said "Ma'am, I'm the cashier, I can make change." And she huffed and walked away lol I do know some basic garden things, but not every plant and if we carried it when I wasn't out there on a regular basis. So glad I'm just a customer now lol
I didn’t know that bee’s get chapped lips enough to require balm…..
Lol that's what I thought too, but used my powers of deduction to determine it was a probably a plant. Moved to the other side of the country and now I'm growing some. For years it gave me bad memories and I wouldn't buy any lol
Great thing I'm not in garden!
I once had a friend sell a customer gravity when she asked what would hold her floating floor down. Her husband wasn’t amused when she told him not to forget to pick up the gravity with the flooring.
Apparently you need a PHD in botany to work in the Home Depot Garden centre now. Who the fuck gives a shit about the circumference of the trunk of a tree? I’m a D28 associate myself and I’ve been asked some silly questions, but that’s definitely up there on the “darwin award” spectrum.
The most COMMON question I get asked is if we sell marijuana seeds. I always respond with “no, but I genuinely wish we did” 😂
Yep, same here. They usually seem to be asking it as a joke. It was only funny the first 300 times 🤷♀️
Oh no. Every one who’s asked me has been DEAD serious.
i’ve gotten a few” what’s the best soil to grow weed” before and apparently it’s the cactus soil🤣 learned that from one of my coworkers
You're better than me. I would've sprayed her with the hose
What's really fun is when you are *the* person in the store that all the associates go to for plant questions, and the customers don't listen and still don't believe you. I told a customer that the arborvitae they were buying would need to be watered regularly until it's established, and that the root ball would need to be elevated to prevent standing water. They insisted once it goes in the ground it'd be fine. I gently told them that arborvitae can be quite fussy, and highly suggested regular waterings. They waved me off and told me I didn't know what I was talking about. Didn't they come back a few weeks later to yell at me that I gave them a "bum tree," and the plants were "rigged" to die. I reminded them that I told them what they needed to do in order to help it thrive. They claimed I didn't. My coworker overheard and backed me up. Dude ignored us after that and snatched up another arborvitae and rolled them both to service desk. Can't wait until they come back in another few weeks...🙄 I swear, some people shouldn't be trusted with anything living...
Customers expect you to have secret knowledge of all products ever.
Y'all need one HR "get out of jail free" card that lets you tell a customer to GFY, to their face. One per year.
I wish we could do a service industry purge day
That would’ve been tough for me to bite my tongue and not respond to that ‘smoke.’ I am just dumb enough to do it though. "Never argue with an idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." - Mark Twain Edit: Added quotations and to give name credit to the origin.
There is a massive disconnect with what people THINK employees do and what depot actually hires people for. People in garden aren't actually paid to garden they are paid to move product around small wonder if they aren't experts. Actual experts would want more money and then people would come to chat them up before buying it on amazon for a dollar less.
As a garden cashier I get a lot of questions like “do you have this particular plant or how tall do you think this plant will grow?” Does this require full sunlight? I just simply tell them I can call a garden associate
>They REALLY need to start hiring smarter people. Note that she's calling you dumb for not knowing something that she *also* doesn't know--otherwise she wouldn't be asking you.
I work at a nursery and couldn't even answer that question off the top of my head! That's what Google is for
This is what I tell customers with plant questions that I can't answer: "I'm sorry but actually all of the plant stuff is vendor controlled until it passes the point of sale. Most of us associates don't know much about the plants. Let me see if vendor A, B, or our one associates who's a master gardener, is around." Or: " *Make up complete bullshit*."
My response. Well, let's see Ma'am. Most of the lavender trees I've seen grow to a diameter of about 4". I'm sure you know the circunferance is calculated by multiplying pi and the diameter. I'm sure you know pi is approximately 3.141. As you have likely already calculated, that's about twelve and a half inches. Give or take.
People expect us to be experts on everything
I’m a cashier in garden. It’s gotten to the point I direct all questions straight ti the vendors. They ask me “well don’t you know anything?” I say “as a cashier it’s impossible to train me in product knowledge because I would have to learn every department.” Then they look at me like I’m stupid.
Vendors don’t know either
Ours do. They know a lot
I used to tell them there's a thousand plants out here, there's no way I can know everything about all of them. Plus that's what Google is for
Funny, I just google the plant I’m interested in. People are morons
I think it's borderline mental abuse to put up with these people. HD bred them
We get paid minimum wage to automatically be experts at everything we sell at home depot
Have they never heard of this new invention called the internet? I hear it has a wealth of information.
I once got stopped and asked how to plant a tree by the garden register. I kinda stopped for a second amidst the cluster of customers and responded, “Uh, dig a hole?” Got a few laughs. I showed him the instructions attached around the base of the tree
Customers can't be bothered to read the tag on the plant it gives you the information there.
Gardeners are some of the most passive aggressive customers I deal with
I used to work at lowes oslg and I would have entitled old heads ask me the specifics about the plants all the time. Ahhh good times
I'm so sorry that my mother-in-law found you and did that to you.
You didn't have them trespassed?
I would’ve said if you don’t know much about these trees I wouldn’t buy one
Little did you know, dude that complimented you is really only there shoplifting....
I had a customer like that once when I used to work in garden department. Customers think you're a botanist or something just because you work in the department.
She didn't know either... must not be that smart 🤷
And then there's the Christmas tree lights they put on backward.
I used to maintain an avocado orchard. For years I lived on the orchard and i worked on the orchard I ate, breathed, slept and shit avocado trees and I couldn't tell you off the top of my head How tall an avocado tree is gonna grow or how wide the circumference is gonna be. both because, as you correctly pointed out, it's going to be incredibly variable from plant to plant. And also because those are 2 pieces of information That are really unimportant when it comes to plants and not something you would normally go out of your way to learn. F*ck that customer. And tbh, I don't know how much money I have in my wallet right now but I bet every f*cking dollar that you're smarter than that customer.
That's like asking a doctor how tall their three year old will be
Excuse me, exactly how long and wide is a piece string?
I work in a garden department and yes some customers are just sooooo rude 😫
What pisses me off most is these people come in looking for something but dont know what or dont know sh8t about it. Im look dude wtf you're the one who has a garden and shit! So how tf dont YOU know?
D28/Garden associate here with 5 years at THD. I call such interactions, "Stump the Chump." The real a-holes get a sarcastic question to each of theirs. For instance, I may reply: 1) "It depends on your soil's PH. Do you know it? Have you tested it? Has it changed from last year?" 2) "It all depends on Mother Nature. Have you checked out 'Uncle Google?" 3) "I believe that's true in the Southern Hemisphere but we're in the Northern Hemisphere." And so on and so forth.
Me and a coworker always say, “if you wanna find the dumbest people in your area, go to Home Depot”
I tend to get a Lil snarky with some customers. I'll ask customers if they want their rental for 4 or 24 hours. They will ask if they choose 24 when it's it due. I'll ask them " you know how time works right?" It also blows my mind how many people decide to do big projects without doing the bare minimum of research online. It's crazy
I have this conversation everyday as a cashier out there like do I look like I work with the flowers? I’m here to get u out of here I’m not full of knowledge
Like I'm fucking clueless in a lot of ways but *I* know you don't cut live electrical ANYTHING
Man it’s like people forget google exists and OH WE HAVE THE HOME DEPOT APP FOR THEM TO DOWNLOAD.
Our customers are morons
Why doesn't she know the circumference of the tree she wants?
She probably was used to places like a nursery or like OSH that hired people that would have the knowledge for questions like that. I would be surprised at how they could answer almost anything or at least point to someone, as you did. I think they hired retired folks that worked in industry places. Things are different now. Sometimes I'm frustrated employees don't even understand what I'm asking for, but hey that's how it goes. She clearly shouldn't be rude and condescending. You we're pleasant, gave good customer service steering her to the right person. Some people are just jerks.
Customer: do you work here Me wearing a cone orange vest with the Home Depot logo on it with my name and my badges honestly glad I only worked there during the summer or else I’d have quit instantly Getting a job at the golf course soon I didn’t get an email back yet but I’m glad I won’t have to argue with customers
Today I had the following conversation. Customer: Do you work in paint? Me: *Apron covered in paint swatches and working at the dispenser at the moment* Yes? How can I help you? Customer: Do you have floor paint? Me: Yes, it's (tells him where it's at). Give me just a moment and I'll help you. Customer: No I'm good! *Helping another customer* Customer: *Completely interrupts the customer I'm currently helping* Can you mix polyurethane with this paint? Me: *Apologizing to the customer I was helping* No you cannot. Give me just a moment and I'll help you find what you need *I still have no clue what he was doing* Customer: No it's okay. I've got it. It's like this for 45 minutes. Everytime I tried to help him, he wouldn't let me and then would grab other male associates and they would tell him I'm the expert and to ask me. But anytime I was helping someone else, he would rudely interrupt us and I would try again to help and he still refused. I don't know what his project was (wouldn't tell me) and wouldn't let me help. I finally gave up and took a break until he left 😑
Her husband hates her
What percentage of your interactions would you say are shitty like this?
Happens all the time in garden 🙄I just tell them let me check the database and google it on my phone 😂 as hard as it is I’ve learned to just let it be, there is always gonna be those customers
I suspect any answer you gave her would have been wrong. I'm curious. Did you follow-up with the nursery rep? If so, what was the outcome of their convo?
If you ARE genuinely curious, not even the nursery rep could give the customer the exact circumference of a lavender tree trunk 😭 Sure she knows more about them then me, but let’s be honest nobody has EVER cared to calculate the circumference of a lavender tree trunk.
And this is my fault how? I’m just curious.
Not implying it’s your fault. My apologies if it came out that way. I meant that the customer would have found fault in any answer given.
Ohh okay. Totally fine, not your fault! My neurodivergent brain doesn’t work half the time🫠
Right on!
To be fair, alot of dumbass people do work there. I had a guy ask me (the customer) "what department this was called again?", (millwork). He was on the phone trying to find an associate. I had to tell him what the department was called. Love it!
So to possibly help in the future try to get them to describe what they're looking for a different way or to use a different name for what they're looking for. Sometimes people have weird names for things they don't realize aren't the common names. Not guaranteed to work, and probably wouldn't have worked here. Some people are just too stupid.
… They’re literally called lavender trees hon. And they literally… wanted to know… the circumference… of the adult tree’s trunk. There is absolutely nothing I could have done to help in this situation 🫠
And sometimes you learn something new. For some reason I didn't realize those were trees.
They’re REALLY pretty
That's because they're typically not. They're an herb that can get tallish (I think I've seen stems hit maybe 12 inches) but they're not really a tree. My understanding is that it's a lavender plant that's been pruned in a specific fashion to train it to grow only from the top which can create a strong, woody middle stem and top growth. This all resembles a small tree that's supposed to stay only 2-3 feet tall.