Followed in Shop

PowerHouseDan

Dunno if this is the right forum, Anyone, there is a guard in Champion sports in Mahon Point and town in cork, he does different days in different places i guess. I went into the town one last week with a friend, I would considering both of us as Decent looking respectable people, from the moment we walked into the shop the Guard followed us everywhere step for step, we just left it was so annoying, 5 days later i went to Mahon point champion sports same guard was in there with my girlfriend, He followed me all around the shop stopped when i stopped looking right at me, it made me very incomfable, so i left, next day my girlfriend friend went into the shop he did the exact same thing followed her she left cos she was afraid in case she did something wrong. I know its his job but jesus its a bit of a disgrace. I actually feel like i am a crimimal when i go into the shop.

Our man in Havana

I would go up to him and ask him what his problem is. I would do this in full view of everyone. Is he an inhouse security goon or a hired goon?

PowerHouseDan

Hired

SantaHoe

Maybe he's just a really lonely guy.
I'm sure he'd love someone to talk to, even if it's only to say "fk off following me you cnt".

I'd say if you're feeling bitter about it, you could have a quiet word with the manager along with a few other people who've experienced the same thing... I'm sure he would take notice if it's effecting his sales in a big way.
The manager could try sending in someone he knows personally and see if they experience the same thing.
If it was me though, I'd just shop somewhere else... screw it, I mean if they want to create a hostile shopping environment, then that's their loss.

SantaHoe

Bond-007 wrote:

I would go up to him and ask him what his problem is. I would do this in full view of everyone.

He's probably waiting for someone to get irritated and challenge him like that so he can throw them out on their ear.
I'd advise against dealing directly with this guy... take it to someone higher up and make sure your case is heard.
Think about it... would it look better if you're going to complain about this guy after he's already thrown you out? ... "ah yeah, that blokes a troublemaker, sure I threw him out there last week"... no, that'll only give him more leverage.
Stay as the innocent shopper that you are, don't give them any ammunition by getting (what could be considered) lippy.

PowerHouseDan

I am going to write a complain to the Manager of champion Sports and let them deal with it. I say someone but he is about 5.5 and Shaved head little tubby. Would i letter of a Email or both be best?

Gone West

an awfully large proportion of security guys are pure c***s I wouldnt mind him.

SantaHoe

Another approach is to break the ice and say hello, make some light conversation... actually get to know the guy on some level, so maybe he's a little less nervous of you.
Whether this works or not I suppose would depend on his own personality and how convinced he is that you're dodgy.
Or... if you don't care about maybe getting barred but would like to get your own back, you could turn to him, hand him a runner from the shelf and ask him: "do ye' have this in a size 12?"
Oh, I'm sorry, you were following me so much I thought you were a sales assistant

SantaHoe

Would i letter of a Email or both be best?

Uh, probably a letter sent by registered post... perhaps signed by a number of people who have experienced this.
Emails can so easily be misplaced/ignored/sent to someone stupid.

FuzzyLogic wrote:

an awfully large proportion of security guys are pure c***s I wouldnt mind him.

Yeah I totaly agree, if it were me - I'd let it go.
Even if something does get done about it, he'd probably just be sent to another shop you frequent... so instead he'll be following you around SuperQuinn making sure you don't steal any sausages. :rolleyes:

Gone West

never underestimate the power of mass hate mail.

Blackjack

I've never done this, but the mischevious side of me has come up with the following.
Let the guy follow you. Once you are out of his sight, walk quickly to another part of the shop (very quickly). He'll probably run after you. Each time he catches up, turn around and laugh, but not directly at him. This would work better if you get arrive with a friend to do the same. Keep doing it until either of you get bored. Make sure you give him no precise excuse to kick you out of the shop.
He'll soon find that there's a better way of being a security guard than following people around.

Chucky the tree

you could take a **** load of stuff off the racks then stick it in your bag, stick tunners down your pants, basically make it blanantly obvious, then sprint towards the door and stop just infront of it and head back into the shop. seems pretty pointless though, but would probaly piss him off.

Gordon

Complain to the manager.

[Jackass]

Wait for him to leave work and then follow him everywhere.

SantaHoe

DubGuy22 wrote:

Wait for him to leave work and then follow him everywhere.

loool yeah and stare blankly at him every time he turns around

Idbatterim

Maybe he is mistaking you for someone else, but i know for sure that if i was in your postition and had done nothing wrong and nothing to hide i would i would ask him straight out what his problem was, infront of everyone and anyone i woulndt care, whats he going to do? eh lets see nothing! he could throw you out thats it, could you imagine if he used force on you hed be sacked! he cant do anything, once id tried to establish what his problem was id go straight to the manager, if i they werent taking you seriously id get in contact witht the head office, who im sure would take it very seriously! You should really piss him off by browsing for a good hour!

Besprechen

Blackjack wrote:

I've never done this, but the mischevious side of me has come up with the following.
Let the guy follow you. Once you are out of his sight, walk quickly to another part of the shop (very quickly). He'll probably run after you. Each time he catches up, turn around and laugh, but not directly at him. This would work better if you get arrive with a friend to do the same. Keep doing it until either of you get bored. Make sure you give him no precise excuse to kick you out of the shop.
He'll soon find that there's a better way of being a security guard than following people around.

yeah, spot on, get more of your dodgy looking mates for that matter so the poor bstrd is well confused when youze are all shooting off in different directions

Zillah

This is very simple.

Guards sometimes follow people for security reasons.
Sometimes guards are heterosexual men.
Sometimes guards will follow pretty girls because if they're going to follow someone it may as well include a nice view.


Then again maybe you look shifty

OR!!! I just had the best idea. You could recrete that scene in The Thomas Crown Affair!!

Rossonero

Do what Travis (Robert De Nero) did in 'Taxi Driver' when he went up to the security guard.

-Stand beside him, with the same pose as he.
-Don't say anything for a second.
-Keep looking around you, and behind you.
-Then keep glancing at him 2/3 times.
-Then smile at him for a few seconds before opening the conversation with "Are you secret service? I bet you are! What kind of gun do you carry?44, 58?"
-"I saw some suspicious people over there. Yeh, they were pretty suspicious looking. They were......"

Gordon

I'll move this to Afterhours.

Blub2k4

Do what we used to do to a guard in Tescos Baggot Street, go in with a few mates then all split different directions and make sure someone gets batteries and someone else gets razors, watch the guy go mental. It worked for us a number of times and used to be a source of amusement every time we went in.

Zombienosh

I used to always get followed in dun laoghire shopping centre.... it was kinda funny.

whiskeyman

if this really annoys you, the best you can do is actually NOT to complain.
And... dont shop there anymore! And tell your mates not to either coz of what happened. Go to Elverys or Lifestyle..
Reason?
They'll have lost another customer, and without complaining, the management wont know why people in your position are switching their shopping preference elsewhere.

If you complain, that means they can resolve the situation and you are showing your loyalty to them by not taking ur business elsewhere. Thats basic quality control that you wont get paid for.

It's their problem... let them find out for themselves when sales go down.

Its something everyone should do. Anyway, so many complaints fall on deaf ears these days...

Rossonero

whiskeyman wrote:

They'll have lost another customer, and without complaining, the management wont know why people in your position are switching their shopping preference elsewhere.

....and if you complain the problem can be solved.

dahamsta

DubGuy22 wrote:

Wait for him to leave work and then follow him everywhere.

ROFL

whiskeyman

Herr Capitan wrote:

....and if you complain the problem can be solved.

yeah... and you've acted like a quality control staff member for the shop by highlighting an area that needs improvement (retrain or rehire new security staff) - you dont get paid for this duty, and you've shown you're loyalty to the shop by staying there.
Think about it.
A complaint can sometimes be the best thing a company wants.
Why?
Because it shows a consumer is brand loyal by staying there.
Its also free quality control.
The company can then act on it swiftly and make the customer satisfied.
If treated well, the customer will tell others of their happy experience

Of course, it all depends how the company acts on the complaint.
If it acts badly, be sure to kick up a right stink.

Fallschirmjager

i give yet another reason not to fuking shop in champions.... :rolleyes:

email the manager and give them a link and tell them NO ONE will shop there....

the best way to get back at that guy is to walk up to the desk and ask for the manager and be very polite...and tell him you are feeling harassed by the guy...to be honest it sounds like he is mistaking you for some other knackers..and lets be honest if you want knackers...champions is the place

RopeDrink

I remember the time when I was a Security Guard for Zhivago Records down here in Galway (and for a very VERY brief period of time I might add)...

I was known as 'That Guy Who Throws Shapes'...
Apparantly I had this demonic, wrinkled forehead expression that I threw to any customers that came into the place... This was for a few reasons, the main one being that I hated my job and wished that customers would **** off and leave the place empty so that I could wander around aimlessly until I could go home...

And sometimes I wondered why Security Staff would follow ME around sometimes... Maybe the rings, earrings, shaved head and same demonic, wrinkled forehead of death expression had something to do with it...

Remember that Security can be one damn boring job, depending on how frequent 'bad activity' is, so some guards are happy to aimlessly follow people around, because they have little to nothing better to do...

If you can't ignore them and continue with your shopping then just shop in a different store... It's not worth giving/getting aggro over.

joseph brand

There used to be a similar type fellow working in Dunnes clothes Dept. the Square Tallaght.

He was the image of Sting!

Alan Partridge:"That was De Doo Doo Doo, De Daa Daa Daa, that Gibberish classic from The Police, or as they're now known, . . STING!! It's 06:35 and you're up with the Partridge".

RopeDrink

Jebus, and you just reminded me of his song...

Every step you take... Every move you make... etc etc etc I'll be watching you... A rather suiting, if not discomforting theme for security guards everywhere!

Bob the Unlucky Octopus

Heya Ropey, long time no see

Superman

hey you don't know the meaning of followed till you go to dundrum shopping centre! my god, they wear suits talk into little badges and give follow you everywhere!

by the way does anyone know where you can get a cheap transciever that would work with security guard frequencies

the_syco

Just wondering; do you dress in tracksuit, wear your cap in a "radar" postion (45 degree angle), and have a knack3r tash? It could be just you.

=-=

If not, complain in writing to the manager. Not to his face, or he'll find a reason to kick you then. Under some equality act, they wouldn't be able to sack him, even if he acts the pr|ck. But if there's a complaint against him, they can sack him, and have a legit reason for it.

TwoShedsJackson

You sure you weren't wearing any Burberry? Anyway, maybe complaining to management while you're in the shop might yield better results than posting about it on the Internet.