I need you on those phones

The phrase I hate most ? ARE YOU ALRIGHT THERE ? which seems to be the only phrase sales assistants say. I usually reply with YES THANKS, ARE YOU ? I've been employed in a few shops in my younger years, and CAN I HELP YOU always worked, so whats changed ? Training days appear to be the norm for half an hour a week, so WHY aren't they given guidance on how to talk to customers ? (get real Linda, most of the 'trainers' are probably still in nappies)

When I was a student and worked at M&S in the 80s we were "trained" to the Nth degree but we were told to stick to "thank you" not "cheers" or "Ta" or other phrase and I wish shops still attended to detail like this. "Cheers!" from a shop person tempts me to say "Bottoms up!" back!

"I need you on those phones" makes her sound like she's a supervisor at a call centre and you're one of her employees - really irritating and guaranteed not to have the desired effect on me.

I will not be sold to, instead I will choose to buy. Describe the product, go through features and benefits, tell me the price, that's all I need.

mink said:

:headbang:

Well that's a pity Jill because I just switched over, and I will do so every time I hear that phrase.
QVC is a hard slog these days, my favourites have gone (except for Julia of course) and it's the same presenters over and over again.
Bring back Julian and Debbie - normal and nice.

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I agree with everything you said.Thats a phrase that I would accept as being legit if it was something like Children in Need or any fund raising event..not a ****** shopping channel. They may as well say"c.mon we can't hear those tills ticking over..lets go people"

Mostly dislike most of them for one reason or another! Julia I have to admit is the most professional, Jill the girly girly NOT, Claire well what can I say ( well GO)? Debbie 'Ms HARD SELL', Chuntly 'can I put myself down again again' Julian thank heaven ( sorry) has gone,Craig--- well prefer not to watch anyway, Dale MR Smarmy, Charlie, quite like, Chloe liked at first but must have been taking lessons fron Deddie F, Jackie K GOOD!,Simon OOOOKKKK? Jilly, Ann ( I tell you what) & the rest don't rank!

I need you on those phones is just maddening. Why do you need us on the phones? Is it something to do with your upcoming pay review or do you have some sort of disorder?

I had high hopes for Chloe but I'm afraid she's picked a wrong'un as her role model. Just tell us about the item - is that so difficult? I know that someone is squawking in your ear but some presenters still manage to stay calm and describe the item so it can be done. We don't give a flying fig about who you need on the phones or why, we want to know what the stuff is made of, and how it will work for us. Tell us when it's limited stock and we can soon decide for ourselves if we need to be on the phones.

I would be quite happy to have no presenter. Just show me it/model wearing it and I've got enough intelligence to decide for myself if I want to buy it. The hard sell has the opposite effect of what you want and puts me off.

I haven't watched regularly for years and hardly ever switch on now, don't even know some of the newer presenters. Sometimes I buy from the website but rarely.

When I started watching QVC (about 1999/2000) it was a bit like a favourite old aunt: someone who was slightly dotty, occasionally eccentric, apt to wander off the topic or repeat herself, endlessly talkative, often predictable but would sometimes astonish you with something brilliant, stylish, quirky and witty. And she was 'good value' company: she never shouted at you or got distracted by her latest bit of technology, she made you feel comfy and relaxed.

Now she seems to have morphed into a screechy, vapid harridan - perhaps the condition is terminal :wonder:

brissles said:

The phrase I hate most ? ARE YOU ALRIGHT THERE ? which seems to be the only phrase sales assistants say. I usually reply with YES THANKS, ARE YOU ? I've been employed in a few shops in my younger years, and CAN I HELP YOU always worked, so whats changed ? Training days appear to be the norm for half an hour a week, so WHY aren't they given guidance on how to talk to customers ? (get real Linda, most of the 'trainers' are probably still in nappies)

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Oh I am so with you on this! It is my one big bugbear. Lately I have found it is "u ok?" and I have been know to reply back "yeah do I not look okay like?" In the future I might try "No, my cat just died!" It is just a lazy, bad-mannered quicker way of saying "just let me know if you need any assistance" I know but still it irritates me no end! I agree it is lack of training and it reflects very badly on the retailer looking like they don't care.

I have even been asked "is that it?" at the end of my dealings with a young cashier at Yorkshire bank before instead of "is there anything else I can help you with today?" which irked me no end, that and the tattoos on display and jeans on "dress-down-Friday" in Natwest Bank!

These days it seems you have to go very high end (Harrods/Fortnum & Mason) to get polite well-mannered service which is ludicrous as it shouldn't cost anything to provide.

A woman in front of me at the till the other day didn't even say thank you after being served. I know this may seem trivial, but it annoyed me.

Old fashioned service seems to be a thing of the past in many shops. I know shops are now bigger, more modern, computerised and often short staffed but courtesy at the till takes no time at all from both the shop assistant and the customer. A friend of mine works for Primark and on her particular floor there are just 4 staff to man the tills and refill stock, plus tidy rails and shelves. That`s ridiculous for a store that size and she says they only take on extra staff at Christmas and sometimes use agency staff to cover at other peak periods such as school holidays. Other stores are the same, in my local Marks I used to see a bank of people at the tills, now you see just one or two and when a queue forms they ring a bell for others to come but quite often that takes time because the staff are busy elsewhere. I often feel sorry for many shop workers because they seem to have to do half a dozen jobs at once.

i need you on those phones for tanslates to ....i need my commssion ...nothing to be ashamed of but just a bit pushy ...we all need to make a living but ...calm down Jill ....:

I have found I watch QVC less and less nowadays, the phrase 'I need you on the phones now' is the biggest turn off for me and I can't stand screeching presenters Chloe in particular. Debbie I used to really enjoy but her hard sell is a guarantee I won't bother watching let alone buy. I never thought I would say this but most of the stuff I have bought recently I have got from IW. :thinking:

Chloe has started to annoy me now. Watching Elemis last night - jeez she did not shut up. I don't watch Q much these days. Mostly just browse on internet. What is really annoying is when the guest is trying to speak and the presenter constantly interrupts with "100 of these have already gone" then a slight pause then "1000 of these have already gone" followed by either jump to the phones (a la Jilly Hair) or I need you on the phones/tap the app/press the red button" etc. It would be really nice if when there is a guest the presenter would actually let them finish a ****** sentence.

The two that grate on me are Jill and the Chloe. I turn over every time they are on. Jill just loves herself way too much and I think she somehow thinks people admire her. Chloe is so serious and hard sell and I cannot stand it.
I loved Debbie greenwood, she seemed normal. She needs to come back.

Victoria plumb said:

The two that grate on me are Jill and the Chloe. I turn over every time they are on. Jill just loves herself way too much and I think she somehow thinks people admire her. Chloe is so serious and hard sell and I cannot stand it.
I loved Debbie greenwood, she seemed normal. She needs to come back.

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I agree but she disappeared without trace in June, so I don't think it's gonna happen, do you? Hard sell seems to be the new QVC.

I was unfortunate enough to catch a presentation this morning with Claire Sutton, she seems to be even more over the top with the gushing than usual. Seems the sword of Damocles might be hovering over all the presenters making their sales patter even more desperate. Not great for viewing pleasure and totally putting me off browsing.

If Debbie Greenwood came back tomorrow, this time next week y'all would be moaning about her for whatever reason.

People just like to put people down.

I hadn't missed Debbie Greenwood, all the presenters are totally replaceable, in my opinion.

When I had to finish nursing because of my ill health I went to work at C&A`s in the 70`s part time and they started cutting down staff way before anyone else and utilizing the staff just about everywhere in whatever way suited the business ..the cleaners changed uniforms once their cleaning was done and manned tills and the packing desks freeing other staff to deal with stock and merchandising You had to be able to work in any department showroom stockroom cash office ..and I ended up in the kitchen one day cooking for the staff restaurant because the cook took ill and I did that for 4 days but did tell them that was it !! We were always thin on the ground and used to be doing at least two jobs at once They only closed down in this country because it was a family business and as the plder generation retired the younger members of the family didn`t want to work in the UK preferring to stay in main land Europe.