Week 13

As I've observed my fieldsite, I've noticed that the relationships between employees and customers flow very well. If one employee isn't ‘vibing’ well with a customer, another employee will smoothly intervene and take over. This system usually works very well and everything flows like a well-oiled machine. Occasionally, however, the system derails. These moments are the most informing and entertaining. 
         During one of my observations an interesting woman came into the store and tested the system. She was a blonde, attractive, teenager. Nathan, a 21-year-old married employee, was assigned to be the greeter that day. He was also assigned to assist anyone in the front of the store. He greeted the young woman and helped her find sizes she needed. After taking her to a dressing room, Nathan approached Caitlin, an employee that has been working as Fossil since it opened in Greenwood. He informed her that he felt uncomfortable with the teenage girl and that she had been incessantly flirting with him. Caitlin agreed to take over the sale and went to the dressing room to ask the girl if she needed any new sizes. Caitlin continued to help the girl. The teenager than asked why Nathan had stopped helping her. Caitlin tried to make up an excuse, saying that Nathan was on break. Nathan, posted behind the cash wrap, was obviously not on break. This upset the customer and she left.
 Customers like that teenage girl disrupt the norm in the subculture and force the employees to think on their feet.