plus them asking gives a chance to say you’re on break or something vs them directly asking and then awkwardly needing to say “yes I could help you but I don’t want to right now ask someone else”
I'm so terminally awkward about all this. Cuz I want to be sure that the person I'm about to ask for help isn't like on break or waiting for their shift to start or something and "Excuse me, are you on the clock?" Sounds super condescending to me. So I just awkwardly default to "Do you work here?" or "Do you know someone who can help me?" because English is basically impossible for my dumbass self.
I feel like this is fair to just ask if they know someone who can help. It gives the person an out in case they are on break or don't work there. I know I've been asked for help in places where I'm just another customer.
I get the total opposite. I'm a security contractor. People will look at me 30 feet up on a scissor lift pulling cable and ask where to find the diapers. They see ladders and tools = must be store employee.
Lol, if you see a person wearing a tucked in blue polo shirt with dress pants with a yellow splotch on his shirt, you can probably make a safe assumption that they work for best buy :)
Well, there was a whole community on the other place about not working in a place and being asked where stuff was and for help regarding products and an endless stream of angry Karen's who wouldn't take "I don't work here lady" as an acceptable answer.