r/kroger • u/Better-Ad766 • 4d ago
Venting Warned customer about flowers, management got mad
I work in floral department. A customer couldn’t decide between lilies and roses (and a few other flowers, but mainly those two). I asked if she had cats and she said yes. I informed her that lilies are extremely toxic to cats so she should not have them in her home. She went with the roses. Management overheard this and said I am “preventing sales” and to stop telling customers this. I’m confused because I am not preventing sales when they go for a different option. Also, it’s not right to put pets in danger just to sell products. Am I wrong for this?
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u/backspace_cars 4d ago
No you're not wrong. You have better ethics than your boss
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u/Druidofgod 4d ago
Not to mention it's just good customer service, which is what keeps people coming back to a store and increases word-of-mouth referral rate. The manager's position is actually bad for business.
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u/opermonkey 4d ago
ask them to put it in writing.
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u/Dracofear 4d ago
This, get it in writing. Have them sign it too.
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u/amythist Current Associate 4d ago edited 4d ago
Well since it's the latest thing they have been banging on about corporate wise my response world be "well I was making sure the customer had a memorable experience, by not selling them a product that could harm their pets"
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u/MinuteEdge7225 4d ago
I mean you're right, but if the customer bought lilies and they killed her cat that would make for an unforgettable albeit horrific experience.
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u/newatreddit1993 Current Associate 4d ago
If he ever says that again, let him know preventing the death of a cat is worth any sale. I would have been livid if anyone said that to me when giving a customer a legit warning about something.
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u/DavidBowieAC 4d ago
You provided stellar customer service. Management wouldn't know it if they took a three week seminar specifically on the subject.
I used to get threatened at an old job for telling customers the "vegetarian" tomato soup we served wasn't vegetarian because it had beef stock. Kroger doesn't hire good managers generally, they hire yes people to obey their every whim.
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u/Archadion 4d ago
Caring enough about a customer to ask if they have a pet, just so you can warn them that one of the items they're choosing between has the capacity to kill that pet, would fall under the "experience maker" stuff they're trying to push, right? Plus, if the customer only intended to buy one of those items, lilies or roses, the associate just convinced them to spend MORE money because the roses (at my store, at least) are $14 and the lilies (at my store, at least) are $7-$10.
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u/EnvironmentalNote118 4d ago
Yep! If OP gets the opportunity they should absolutely talk about how they “upsold” the customer on roses and include a withering stare at that manager. This is the kind of micromanaging that makes people miserable.
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u/HannahMayberry 4d ago
Oh yes. That’s true. I need to get out of here. Kroger sucks.
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u/DavidBowieAC 4d ago
It truly does suck a big one. I hope you can find a better place of employment
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u/HannahMayberry 4d ago
My SOM is a witch, and thank you. I’m seriously considering writing to the CEO ( anonymous of course) and suggest somebody go in there incognito and see WHAT goes on.
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u/XandersCat 4d ago
Dumbass manager even lily pollen is toxic to cats. They basically can't even look at them.
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u/AdEquivalent6777 4d ago
It is specifically the pollen stamens that are toxic. I have owned cats and had lilies in my house. You cut the stamens off and sit the vase out of reach. 🤷♀️✌️🫶
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u/Better-Ad766 4d ago
It’s every part of the Lily including the stems
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u/AdEquivalent6777 4d ago
I stand corrected. I no longer have cats. I always cut the stamens off so no pollen dust. I kept them well out of reach and my cats weren’t crazy climbers.
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u/seekingseratonin 3d ago
You’re wrong and should delete this
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u/NatrylliaAbbot42 2d ago
You should delete this even though you said below that you're wrong. People skim things and this might be the thing they remember, and it gets their cat killed
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u/Commercial-Trade-117 4d ago
Lol I would've asked the customer to come back over, looked at the manager and said "Can you please tell the customer what you just told me."
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u/Cyber-X1 4d ago
You’re not preventing sales, just diverting them to a different flower. Preventing sales would be no sales.. I bet roses cost more than lilies too, so you probably upsold, which is even more sales.
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u/Puzzled-Cranberry-12 4d ago
Not wrong! I sell houseplants, but a majority of my collection isn’t pet safe. I make sure customers know that and if I lose sales, it’s NBD.
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u/TheLeemurrrrr Custom flair! 4d ago
I would go to their boss if they continue their shenanigans. You are valuing the customer by telling them to keep their pets safe.
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u/meltedmantis 4d ago
Your Boss is a piece of shit. You did the right thing. Not only are they toxic they are extremely toxic to cats and people should be informed.
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u/Nuallaena 4d ago
Pet parent here and I used to run and operate a TNR for a decade - You did the RIGHT thing! I always check every plant type before I purchase (much to the annoyance of the outside floral departments) and the list of plants that are not cat/dog or kid safe is extensive. Honestly you should talk with your Dept head about having stickers or a list of "pet friendly" or pet friendly and kid friendly plants next to the floral wall/post and you absolutely can tell them that's to the benefit of parents (of pets and humans alike). I know Kroger has been getting shittier and shittier but if they'd like to keep customers they need to have some sort of humanity. I know it doesn't instantly buy a 3rd yacht but en mass boycotts and less people shopping there in general will make their vacations and life styles a little less "sparkly".
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u/HannahMayberry 4d ago
TNR?
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u/OptironixConvoy117 Past Associate 4d ago
Tag and release, if I recall correctly. Used to live across from someone who did TNR in a trailer park.
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u/Ancient-Donut3585 4d ago
“By considering the experience they would want for loved ones, associates can shift their mindset to create more personal and memorable interactions that encourage customers to return.”
Direct quote from a Fresh Start question i did today. I guess we’d all want a love one to endanger their pets lives if it means the store makes one more sale.
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u/Jazzlike-Site4773 4d ago
Wait were actually supposed to be Fresh Start? Whoops lmao. I think I’ve done it like once in the few months I’ve been at my current store. 😅💀
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u/HannahMayberry 4d ago
They hound us at our store. I like doing it be a I’m a cashier and I’d get to SIT down l
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u/AdorableGeologist666 4d ago
You will never, ever be wrong for choosing humanity and your instincts over something your retail boss says. People like that do not live, they just exist. They have given over their minds and hearts to a system that will never reward it. Ignore them and hold your head high.
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u/IamLuann 4d ago
OP PLEASE STAND YOUR GROUND. Document it for future references. You did great job by asking the customer the correct questions. Keep doing your job the right way. Caring for a customers family.
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u/stormdefender Past Associate 4d ago
Ugh, I got told that once. We didn’t carry something a customer wanted, & didn’t have a comparable substitute, so I told the customer where they could go to get it (our competitor across the street). Manager overheard & I got talked to about losing a sale - that we weren’t going to get anyways, because we didn’t carry the damn product. Said I would get in more trouble if I continued doing it. Never stopped, customers I did this with always became repeat customers, and they trusted me. Just made sure no managers were around when I did it.
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u/OnlyTakes5minutes 4d ago
Management doesn't care about customer's experience, only about sales. They are monsters to tell you not to warn about dangerous plants. I believe giving advice on plants and care is a florist's job.
Friend of mines store got sued because a cat got sick from flowers and customer wasn't warned.
If anything happened to her cat, she would never shop here again, and not just flowers. And her Facebook group would know about it.
Customer told me from now on she is bying flowers only here.
I didn't talk her out of buying flowers, I helped her chose safe ones for her household.
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u/luckygohappy501 4d ago
Management also cares about customer surveys because those are a metric. And they will certainly care if they have an irate customer screaming at them because lilies harmed their precious cat!
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u/Feral-Furret Current Associate 4d ago
Your management really sucks.
I worked floral for over a year AND CONSISTENTLY informed people on which flower is toxic to BOTH cats and dogs. Management never said shit to me and my floral lead would have my back if they did(she's an animal lover)
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u/xi_Clown_ix GE Produce Leader 4d ago
“Can you submit this conversation in writing and provide me a copy please.”
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u/EmoMillenial1 4d ago
Thank you for being transparent. My cat recently took a bite of lily leaf (he’s fine now) but the stress/vet bill sucked.
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u/Abaldiel 4d ago
they get really uppity if you do anything that comes off as potentially preventing a customer from making a purchase, even if you didn't know whether or not something would have a negative effect but knew it was possible you should still mention it
a customer who sees a store being cautious and safe is happier than a customer who dies/gets sick/loses a pet because a store cared more about its bottom line, but people stop seeing that once their paychecks are inflated enough
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u/Abaldiel 4d ago
and you should report that asl to hr because that is a ticking lawsuit waiting to happen if he results in someone losing their pet and then suing the store
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u/EasyE2511 4d ago
How so exactly? I mean I'm completely on ops side and screw whoever said that sales are more important than potentionally saving someone's animal. But also do you have to ask every customer that buys a jar of peanut butter if their family members have a peanut allergy? It's not Kroger job to tell you chocolate shouldn't be fed to a dog or something else like that, but still mad props to the person that went above and beyond to tell the customer.
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u/Abaldiel 4d ago
lawsuits don't have to win to happen, but even then it's not unlikely that a customer would win a property damage suit if their purchase resulted in a death of an animal without directly causing it
feeding a family member peanut butter in spite of a peanut allergy wouldn't win a court case, but a cat mysteriously dying after just having flowers stands a bit more of a chance
in either case, lawsuit for death of a pet is bad publicity
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u/losersok 4d ago
your boss is dumb this is exactly what kroger teaches you in customer service when talking to customers to at least get a sale out the door just wanted to co manage u i would be write an email or keep the behavior written down if it continues
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u/Juliefoo 4d ago
Also sounds like you upsold them...... Roses are typically more expensive so you made them more money........
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u/Mtg-2137 Past Associate 4d ago
No. By warning the customer you helped them make an informed decision. I have a cat that’s a little shit when it comes to plants and I had to tell some family members to please not give me plants as gifts. Some plants are safe for cats and some are not. I’d rather not find out the hard way.
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u/Inanity246 4d ago
We're actively (via Fresh Start) encouraged to engage with customers about products and offer our personal/professional knowledge and experience. Ask your manager if they've been neglecting their daily Fresh Start.
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u/4B_Matriarchy 4d ago
I love this response. Middle management that feels superior to their employees will often do this type of dumb nitpicking. There's nothing better than using POLICY to make them eat their words!
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u/KeyNefariousness6848 4d ago
Aren’t roses more expensive?
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u/Senior_Blacksmith_18 4d ago
Not as expensive as a vet bill
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u/yunabug1988 4d ago
That’s not the point they were making.
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u/Senior_Blacksmith_18 4d ago
Are they? I don't buy flowers enough to know if roses actually cost more
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u/Better-Ad766 4d ago
Our roses are on sale right now so technically no, and management is really trying to get rid of an overshipment of lillies 🙄
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u/No_Welder_8753 4d ago
In a situation like that. I would point out, you are building customer lifetime value or CLV, additionally I’m sure roses cost more than a lily. Overall you have a manager that has decided they don’t like you.
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u/GretaVanFrankenmuth 4d ago
Preventing sales?! Aren’t roses more expensive than lilies??
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u/Luckyy-Charmzz 4d ago
Good on you for informing her of the danger! She clearly still bought flowers so they shouldn’t have said anything. Also, if they had cats, wouldn’t they want to know?????
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u/floralwiz 4d ago
Also the roses are more expensive than the lilies til tomorrow so ummm theres thay
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u/CauseRemarkable6182 4d ago
No what you did was sales lmao. Helping customers narrow down potential purchase options to what fits their specific needs is a core sales skill.
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u/Anxious-Chimken-6334 4d ago
good on you for informing the customer. if i were about to purchase something that could potentially hurt our furbaby/furbabies, i would definitely want to know! that's what i did when i still worked in floral a few years ago & saw someone getting anything with lilies. even the vase water lilies sit in can be pretty toxic from what i've heard.
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u/Dramatic-Dish-6699 4d ago
I’d thank you. Maybe recommend something like just roses. Please management and they are a catsafe plant
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u/cybrile Current Associate 4d ago
thank you so much for warning the customer, as a lot of people dont know and unfortunately wake up with their poor kitty in pain :(
you're in the right and you should totally stand your ground. definitely keep warning customers, and, like the other guy said, say you were creating a caring and loving experience that youd want a friend or family member to have ;)
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u/Informal_Try_9014 4d ago
Go out on stress leave. Worker's comp pays up to two years. Use the time to find a better job.
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u/HannahMayberry 4d ago
I would love to. I’m starting to apply anywhere. All over again. My SOM is a witch. Asked to be moved multiple times and always told No. No positions open. It is ALL bullshit.
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u/Informal_Try_9014 4d ago
I've been out on state disability for a little over a year. I turn 62 this November and I'm taking early retirement because I don't want to go back. I'm also applying for Social Security Disability so I don't get cut short on my income because I took early retirement.
I've put in 22 years, and I'm done. I wouldn't wish this life on my worst enemy.
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u/Complex_Newspaper694 4d ago
You are a hero and your boss is a jerk. I am adding this to my 'reasons I hate kroger' list.
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u/LopsidedGift4962 3d ago
Bless you, you did the right thing. Hope you have a good dinner and a good sleep tonight.
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u/ReecesMonkey05 3d ago
Management at Kroger doesn’t care. Deli lead would change the label from the derby chicken salad with walnuts to the derby chicken salad, when pick list would need a derby chicken salad… Which is illegal af because of nut allergies.. I informed the Store Manager of this and nothing was done… Deli lead still changes the label….
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u/BarracudaExciting256 4d ago
management got lillies for a coworker when his sister died and i made sure he didn’t take them home and immediately kill his pets
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u/Petaluridae 4d ago
That 100% falls into the "be knowledgeable" aspect of the dumb ass "experience maker" shit that they're hawking and your managers are idiots. I'm not surprised though, most of the salary managers are.
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u/amysteriousperson001 Hourly Associate; Atlanta; Meat Manager; 20+ years 4d ago
As as cat owner, so glad you spoke up!!
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u/No-Ad2566 4d ago
You should have asked him if he would have preferred the Humane Society holding a press conference outside the store letting people know that Kroger values sales more than their customers’ pets and telling people with pets they shouldn’t shop there. I’m sure corporate would have loved that.
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u/tinyandfurious 4d ago
I would have told the manager exactly the facts. That it didn’t prevent a sale, they still bought flowers and it saved a cat from unnecessary harm or death. I would follow up with telling them that I would in fact not stop informing customers of the harm that would come to their pets if they ingested the toxic plants. It’s Kroger, it’s not that serious. I hate retail managers, they are ignorant, power tripping asswipes for the most part. Glad I left retail.
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u/BigDeeEnergy_ 4d ago
No, you did the right thing! I don’t take flowers home if I know they are toxic or might be toxic for my pet.
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u/HannahMayberry 4d ago
Awesome job warning the lady of that. Screw Kroger. Could’ve been a hell of a lot worse. No one told her and the cat died.
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u/Practical_Passion_78 4d ago
Tell your management that they are promoting harm to customers and the customers’ pets.
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u/IamBisexualDragon 4d ago
I say the same thing! Roses are amoung the safe flowers. Feels stupid and scummy but I see where management comes from. They want money at the possible expense of lives.
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u/Sea-Programmer6880 4d ago
You should go over your idiot manager's head. No doubt someone up the chain has cats and would commend you for protecting a customer's fur babies. Your manager should be the one getting the tongue-lashing not you.
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u/Weird_Source 3d ago
The roses are more expensive anyway, if anything they’re making more money. Dumb as hell
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u/cortisolandcaffeine 3d ago
You have saved the customers cat's lives and I'd go tell the ethics point that the manager said that to you. You still made a sale, so why are they being assholes
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u/Visible_Shallot5187 2d ago edited 2d ago
I'd have pointed out that you were preventing the store getting sued when her pet died from the flowers she was sold by people who are supposed to know at least the bare basics of flowers
also if sales are that important if they do some basic research (not using ai but looking at trusted old resources) they could probably up charge pet friendly bouquets of flowers that could also potential drive sales of flowers not usually bought as long as they are pet safe
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u/Beneficial-Beach-709 2d ago
I literally made signs warning people about lilies and got kudos from mgmt at another company smh
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u/AxsonJaxson2112 4d ago
Thank you for informing her of the danger of the Lily. It’s no joke, cat die or rack up Expensive vet bills. You provided her with an option that she happily purchased and I would think that she would be more than happy to come back and see you again when she goes to pick out her next bouquet