Merry christmas...if you are not dead inside.

[J_L]

I would just like to say first off...I've been an LP for three years and I did not know such a forum exsisted on the internet....very cool. Second I would just like to say merry christmas. As an LP I commonly feel I am on the outside looking in at customers who don't know anything about the dirty tricks and slimy dirtbags behind the scenes. It's enough to almost ruin any christmas, but somehow amazingly mine is intact.

How do some of you feel the profession has impacted your view towards the holiday season?

[Chucky]

Good question. Personally I have never liked the people of the retail world. Talk about dead inside most the ones I have come in contact with over the years fit that bill. Why would someone volunteer to put up with the crap that they are handed by so many customers and their peers for so little pay and screwy hours never being able to make plans more than a week ahead. During Christmas our company doubles the armed retail locations with OT people.

I took a shift Friday and was chatting with a guy and asked him how he can have a normal family life as a store manager. He simply stated that some love it and some hate it. Many people are very stressed out by the season and take it out on the store people and that is what I am seeing. Finally to answer your question once I jump in my pickup I never look back and Christmas is in my front view. Have a Merry one and buckle up.

[LPAjh9558]

Although I haven't been an LP all that long (just a year and a half now), I've learned a lot from some of the other people that I've worked with. I've also had the opportunity to work in retail for well over 10 years at least...I'm old, can't count that high I've seen so much during that time including how "fellow" coworkers have handled customers when in fact, most seem to forget that we are customers to.

In my current position I sometimes see what could be the "worst" of other associates in terms of gossip, backstabbing etc. And for some reason this all seems to come about during the holidays Why? I don't know for sure but I'd like to think that maybe most of the associates start to "stress out" near this time of year. Or are simply just tired of working maybe...

And it could also have something to do with a majority of the associates that already have a family of their own are just getting "grouchy" cause they would rather be spending most of the time with their family instead of working.

Oh and yes, I do see lots of times where their frustration does get taken out on other associates (even customers to). And it's unfortunate to because I think that some of these people don't realize the kind of example that they might be setting for their coworkers.

In any case...Have a Merry Christmas as well

[dhawk52]

I was in loss prevention for several years, but have not worked in that field since Feb. 01. To this day, I may go in to a mall once a year (that is probably on the high end), I do not miss working in that field during the holidays and it has kind of ruined Christmas for me.

[NRM_Oz]

Yes but being in LP at moving up the totem pole is no fun either !!! At store level - I would be handing out dozens of business cards a week for complaints, comments, queries and a few compliments as well. I think the returns staff, cashiers, gift wrapping and customer pick up areas are the worst possible scenarios to work in. I had 1 customer who wanted me to take her parking ticket and pay for it because I had delayed her collecting her rug. I told her I could not do that and I would copy the ticket and pass on the complaint to the store manager. She had parked illegally and gone inside for lunch for another hour so I found out later.

A few times a customer would come to me for assistance believing I was a sales member and I would have to refer them to someone else (I always wore a dark coloured suit like the sales staff and name tag) and to some people it was fine, but to others it was "HOW DARE YOU - I AM A SNOB and I AM BETTER THAN YOU, BOY". I could not work retail like that - better to be behind the scenes and work that way.

[LPDADDY]

And why do you let the job get to ya like that . You ain't LP outside of work . Leave work at work.

I have worked LP going on thirty years now.Grocery,Retail,Distribution,Uniformed, undercover,covert and overt,Director,Supervisor,Regional and VP.
Started out in LE.Could not stand the robots who worked in the dept so I got out after eight years.
I work in a theme Park now as global LP for Parks and retail venues through out the world.
Best move I made was getting in to LP way back when you could beat the snot outta someone who just stole a pack a batterys! Its all changed now, but it is still fun..... and an easy job to leave at work.

I Love this Job!!

[NRM_Oz]

I enjoy the work and there are days I hate it with a passion - trouble is, it is never boring or routine and the investigations, busts and hasta-la-vista times make it all worthwhile. I don't enjoy the prissy princesses of the retail world or those who pretend to know every facet of the business but it becomes a challenge to me to circumvent their BS.

Some days I have worked 18 - 19 hours due to major events, sales or just a host of book signings, fashion lauches and enjoy meeting some very different and unique people which makes the bad days very distant from the good days.

[bpdblue]

Yeah, I agree with most here that working with the people, and customers, in retail can be a pain in the butt, but there are plenty of good people in the business out there too.

Try to seek them out, and avoid the dead ones. If your saying their all dead inside where you work, you better get outta there quick, then call in GHOST BUSTERS.

[LPDADDY]

I enjoy the work and there are days I hate it with a passion - trouble is, it is never boring or routine and the investigations, busts and hasta-la-vista times make it all worthwhile. I don't enjoy the prissy princesses of the retail world or those who pretend to know every facet of the business but it becomes a challenge to me to circumvent their BS.

Some days I have worked 18 - 19 hours due to major events, sales or just a host of book signings, fashion lauches and enjoy meeting some very different and unique people which makes the bad days very distant from the good days.

With ya on that NRM.
One of the toughest investigations/interviews to do is on somebody who is long term, maybe even a friend that somehow gets off the path and does something really stupid and gets caught.Those interviews are understandably tough to do and even tougher to forget.But if you use it to learn by its all good.

[LPAjh9558]

At my now "former" job I got to be good friends with lots of the people there and even saw more than that go through the place while I was there (over 300 associates)

In the time I was there I did see a handfull of people that I liked and yet they pulled something stupid and got caught. Which in turn, being part of the bust was hard to do but it's part of the job...so I'd deal with it.

As I've mentioned, this has been a valuable learning experience for me. And some of the things I did learn I can hopefully apply at my next job so that I'll be able to better interact with the new people that I'll meet

Wish I would've gotten in the business back when you could beat the snot out of someone to without the mess How I miss the good old days.......

[Curtis Baillie]

At my now "former" job I got to be good friends with lots of the people there and even saw more than that go through the place while I was there (over 300 associates)

In the time I was there I did see a handfull of people that I liked and yet they pulled something stupid and got caught. Which in turn, being part of the bust was hard to do but it's part of the job...so I'd deal with it.

As I've mentioned, this has been a valuable learning experience for me. And some of the things I did learn I can hopefully apply at my next job so that I'll be able to better interact with the new people that I'll meet

Wish I would've gotten in the business back when you could beat the snot out of someone to without the mess How I miss the good old days.......

Back in the 'old days' you couldn't 'beat the snot' out of someone without repercussions. I've terminated, and followed through with prosecution of a few loose cannons during my career.

[N. A. Corbier]

Rules 1 and 2

When wishing for the "good old days," please remember rules one and two.

Rule 1: First rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about fight club.
Rule 2: Second rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about fight club.

[LPAjh9558]

I always knew there were repercussions. It's just that after hearing some of the stories that the new LPM told us....I had to wonder who all this guy worked for...hmmm. That's why I think it would've been interesting to see if he really got away with that kind of treatment back then.

Don't get me wrong as I do know better than that. I just couldn't see anyone pulling some of the stuff that he did and really get away with it!