Mr Pound

[Kath]

Was my post about feeling uncomfortable in Mr Pound deemed unacceptable? It seems to have disappeared.

[Deniz1]

Why did you?

[Kath]

Constantly watched/followed by staff but non of them spoke, smiled or approached us. Found it a very unpleasant experience.

[steveodp]

We felt the same initially at our first visit, but then the attention of the staff became very useful when we couldn't find what we were looking for, and needed a price for something - and then we found them to be very friendly and accommodating.
When we revisited another day, the staff recognised us and were all smiles and welcoming.
In your original post you mentioned needing to use a trolley for walking, not having them upstairs, leaving it downstairs and it being tidied up etc - there are lifts that you can use to take trolleys between floors - they are a little hidden, and we had similar confusion initially, but staff will point them out.
We have found it to be a really useful 'one stop shop' for house basics.

[gates]

its the same with all shops none are doing very well . My wife the same i ask did you find anything cant put up with the hassle but how many thief's are going in there . Have they had lots if so you cant blame them . I had a shop once & it was amazing how quick fingered people can be . Some you would be amazed at . So help or looking is a norm over the world try Broadway they wont let you in without an appointment prices different but the thief's are out there what ever . Just imagine if it was your money would you not watch ?

[Laura B]

It's mostly about service not thievery. Here, as in Turkey, the staff are on hand to help should one require it. There has not been much 'service' in the UK for many years, due mostly to the cost of staff, but here there are many people willing to work for the minimum wage rather than no wage at all. Engage them in conversation, make them part of your shopping experience rather than imagining they are 'watching' you for some ulterior motive.

[David]

But where is your original post ?

[sophie]

Yes, I agree being followed around is very annoying, but you just have to get used to it I'm afraid. Even somewhere like Deniz Plaza is getting bad. Nothing like my early visits to China though. In those days, they actually breathed down your neck and if you turned round quickly you found yourself bumping noses!!!

[Chriswright03]

I must admit that I find it annoying being followed all the time but I have put it down to the fact that they have far more staff than we would in the UK and they are probably trying to make sure they get a sale if at all possible. I much prefer to look on my own and ask a member of staff for help if I need it but I also try to remember I am in their Country and need to adapt to the ways of the culture here.

We were in Murdo Concept and it was obvious they were not expecting me to steal a sofa or a bed so they were there ready to help me and not watch me in case I half inched something. When I politely said I would come and fine her if I needed assistance the young lady smiled and left us to it.

We were also in Mr Pound yesterday and it seems to me that they have an awful lot of staff hanging about doing very little so there is little wonder every time you turn into a different aisle there is another one waiting to pounce. We filled a trolley quite quickly with four table lamps and the assistant took them upstairs for us to collect later which was very helpful. Mind you there was also four members of staff hanging around in the cafe doing very little.

I am adjusting to it now and have started to accept that what is the norm in the UK is not always going to be the same here.

[a1sysman]

We too find it overbearing to have staff shadowing you around stores here. We are happy with a meet and greet approach and staff being visible to assist when, or if, the need arises.

My wife and I have been reduced to embarrassing giggling because, just as we anticipated, we have staff shadows in Mr Pound. Our trying to discuss what it is we are considering purchasing in an unwelcome ménage à trois experience. Giggling because it is so awkward to hold a private chat that is clearly not private given the proximity of the shadow. We have even played the game of splitting up, going down different aisles, to see how the shadow handles that. You guessed it - shadow No. 2 appears. We have learnt to suffer the shadowing in Mr Pound. We don't spent as much time browsing as we might have done because of the shadows, it just makes for an unpleasant experience so it is now a get in and get out operation for us. Not the staff's fault, I know. Sure the staff will have been given instruction to "close assist" customers.

Likewise, we find over attentive restaurant staff really annoying - so much so we won't frequent some restaurants again because of it.

The other side of the coin is UK related - rows of checkouts and only one or two attended. Post Office counters with just one or two open, with queues of customers waiting. Large stores with hardly any staff at all - fruitlessly searching aisle after aisle for a member of staff.

Can't please us, here or in the UK, it seems.

[sophie]

a1sysman, we have a choice of staying as we are with over staffing, or going back a couple or so years ago when you could walk into a shop, sometimes expensive ones at that, watched by 3 or 4 assistants, sitting in a corner chatting or playing games on their mobiles. They didn't care if you purchased or not, in fact you were made to feel like an intruder. Almost without exception I walked out. Perhaps that's why after 14 years of living here I've only bought two items of clothing in the TRNC.

[Deniz1]

I buy everything here and never had a problem.

[sophie]

Deniz1, my point being that until fairly recently, the sales assistants couldn't careless whether you bought anything or not, hence I walked out.

[Maisiemoo]

I was in Pound plus today and didn't notice any staff shadowing. There was one assistant in attendance in the 9 tl section who was able to point me in the direction of an item I wanted and a couple on the ground floor who seemed rooted to the ground. The only place I have had annoying shadowing was in the Airport Mall in a small fashion jewellery shop.

[sophie]

Maisiemoo, pop into Deniz Plaza and you'll see what it's like there. However, if in fact you are really looking for something in particular, they couldn't be more helpful. It's when you're browsing, then it drives me mad. There are far more sale assistants than customers in the most part.