Observation #2
I entered the mall with the intention of looking at how the employees responded to customers. I sat outside of a shop called Gap Kids. I was looking at one entrance to a room at the shop in which there was one employee working. The employee inside the entrance was a woman wearing a headset who appeared to be arranging clothing. She was not wearing a uniform. Instead, she had on black pants and a black sweater. This employee looked at the entrance periodically while she was arranging and rearranging clothing. She was taking articles of clothing from a bottom shelf and refolding it and putting it neatly on the top shelf.
A female customer walked into the shop. The employee looked up at her but didn't approach her. The employee then smiled and said "hello." The employee carried clothing to the other side of the rack so that she was now facing the customer as she worked. She was now watching the customer while she straightened the rack she was standing at. I am not sure if the clothing needed straightened or if the employee was simply trying to look busy.
Another lady came into the store. The employee looked at her, smiled, and said "hello." The lady walked past her and the employee turned and began straightening again at the same rack. The employee then turned to a wall display where she seemed to be preoccupied with rearranging clothing.
Another customer walked by the rack ant the employee moved to the side of a clothing rack across from the customer. The customer then walked out of the store without a bag and the employee walked to the other side of the rack to where she could see the door.
Another customer walked out of the store and the employee remained in a position where she could see the door. She appeared to be busy working with articles of clothing and didn't look as if she was watching anyone or anything except the clothing she was working with.
There was a pair of pants lying on the floor beside the employee but she didn't bend down to pick it up and put it away (Is this because she is interested in remaining in a position where she can see the entrance to the shop?). The employee began refolding clothing that appeared to have already been folded adequately and continued this for several minutes. The employee then dropped another article of clothing onto the floor and continued to fold for a few more minutes. The employee then dropped another article of clothing to the floor on tope of the previous two and continued to work at the top of the rack.
Another customer walked out of the store and the employee greeted her. The customer says "thank you" and leaves the store. Two customers walk into the store and began looking at products on a table in the center of the room. One of the customers said something to the employee. The employee then walked over to the table where the customers were and began looking for something while talking with the customers. The employee then left the customers at the table and went back to the rack against the wall and began folding clothing again.
The employee then moved around the floor looking for something and turned and left the room. She walked to the back of the store and began talking with someone she appeared to know. A young girl walked into the store at the entrance to the shop and the employee walked quickly back to the rack where she had been folding clothing before. The employee watched the girl walk back to the corner of the room. Another customer came into the room and began looking at clothing at the wall opposite where the employee was standing. The employee was watching this customer.
Another employee who also was wearing a headset and was wearing street clothes walked into the room, looked at the employee and turned and left. Another customer came into the shop and walked behind the employee looking at clothing on the wall. The employee continued to fold clothing and didn't look up at the customer. The employee then turned to the rack the customer was looking at but didn't say anything. The employee needed to get around the customer to the other side of the rack. She said something to the customer and smiled as she moved around her.
The employee began folding clothing that was on the floor. The employee didn't look up as two customers, both carrying bags, walked out of the store. The employee then put the clothes that were on the floor back onto the rack. Two more customers walked into the shop and the employee continued to clean up the floor. The employee began to leave the room, then turned to look at the racks as if she was concerned with how they looked. She then walked out of the room leaving customers there alone.