How do I get "exciting" or "crazy" stories out of establishment owners?
August 27, 2021 8:23 AM Subscribe
I am no conversationalist, a tad socially anxious and I've been on a years-long excitement diet. Also, I'm English, so this assignment will be a challenge.
Hello,
I have been given a writing assignment, part of which involves leaving the house and interacting with other, real life human beings, in the actual flesh. I will be interviewing shop owners and attempting to get exciting information out of them. Let's say it's pubs (it's not), if they could be considered shops (they can't). I use that as an example as they are the kind of establishment that would have "crazy stories".
Some of the owners I've contacted ahead of time and warned that I shall be lurking around them, with phone-camera and questions. They have agreed. Others, I have not contacted, as I won't know that their establishments even exist until I travel to the overly-edgy area this weekend. I am setting off early enough that the owners won't be overwhelmed by customers but also late enough that I can avoid the wild and screaming night-people who might still be roaming the streets just after dawn.
I don't even know where to start.
How do I get exciting stories out of people? Do I ask questions like "who's the craziest customer you've ever had?" but without asking that exact question in that exact cringey way? If so, how? I am already embarrassed and I haven't yet set foot outside my door.
It might help if you could give me an example of someone who you think interviews people well and gets great information out of them? If you have done this before yourself, how do you even approach this? Also do you record them onto your phone (with permission) or just use shorthand like it's the olden days? I am lost at sea!
I want to ask no more than two questions to each person (for their sake and mine), before I retreat back to safety.
Thanks.
Hello,
I have been given a writing assignment, part of which involves leaving the house and interacting with other, real life human beings, in the actual flesh. I will be interviewing shop owners and attempting to get exciting information out of them. Let's say it's pubs (it's not), if they could be considered shops (they can't). I use that as an example as they are the kind of establishment that would have "crazy stories".
Some of the owners I've contacted ahead of time and warned that I shall be lurking around them, with phone-camera and questions. They have agreed. Others, I have not contacted, as I won't know that their establishments even exist until I travel to the overly-edgy area this weekend. I am setting off early enough that the owners won't be overwhelmed by customers but also late enough that I can avoid the wild and screaming night-people who might still be roaming the streets just after dawn.
I don't even know where to start.
How do I get exciting stories out of people? Do I ask questions like "who's the craziest customer you've ever had?" but without asking that exact question in that exact cringey way? If so, how? I am already embarrassed and I haven't yet set foot outside my door.
It might help if you could give me an example of someone who you think interviews people well and gets great information out of them? If you have done this before yourself, how do you even approach this? Also do you record them onto your phone (with permission) or just use shorthand like it's the olden days? I am lost at sea!
I want to ask no more than two questions to each person (for their sake and mine), before I retreat back to safety.
Thanks.
Definitely let them know ahead of time. Even if it's briefly ahead of time, like you see them sweeping out the front of their shop before opening and you ask if you could come back in a little while once they're done with that.
You'll get better results with a couple "warmup" questions. Like "how did you get into this business", "what do you like about it", stuff like that to get the conversation going. Then turn it towards the specifics, like "what kind of customers do you get" or "what's this neighborhood like after dark." Then you can get to "what's the craziest thing you've ever seen happen here." Remember if these are proprietors or managers, they will want to speak proudly about their business before they talk about the wacky stuff.
(I used to interview for a living. I type at the speed of speech, so took notes that way. Couldn't do it on a phone - would have to record it.)
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:42 AM on August 27, 2021 [14 favorites]
You'll get better results with a couple "warmup" questions. Like "how did you get into this business", "what do you like about it", stuff like that to get the conversation going. Then turn it towards the specifics, like "what kind of customers do you get" or "what's this neighborhood like after dark." Then you can get to "what's the craziest thing you've ever seen happen here." Remember if these are proprietors or managers, they will want to speak proudly about their business before they talk about the wacky stuff.
(I used to interview for a living. I type at the speed of speech, so took notes that way. Couldn't do it on a phone - would have to record it.)
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:42 AM on August 27, 2021 [14 favorites]
Yeah, you're not gonna get the interviewing skills of a Phil Donahue by watching a few videos in a few days, but: People love to talk about themselves, and their tribulations. Once you get past the "How did you get into this?" openers, then "What's the craziest customer you've ever had?" is a good question. "Have you ever had to throw someone out of the store?", "Has a customer ever made you fear for your safety?", "What's the weirdest question you've been asked?"
If they can't come up with "the most" kinds of answers, some questions about what hours and days tend to be hardest to work, the largest sales they've made, the most time they've spent with a customer and not made a sale.
Because "who's the craziest customer you've ever had" is not a cringey question. It's an honest one, and everyone has more than one answer to it.
posted by straw at 8:45 AM on August 27, 2021 [4 favorites]
If they can't come up with "the most" kinds of answers, some questions about what hours and days tend to be hardest to work, the largest sales they've made, the most time they've spent with a customer and not made a sale.
Because "who's the craziest customer you've ever had" is not a cringey question. It's an honest one, and everyone has more than one answer to it.
posted by straw at 8:45 AM on August 27, 2021 [4 favorites]
Once you get past the "who the hell is OP and for what nefarious reason are they interviewing me?" This should be fairly easy.
So call ahead and explain in human terms what this is for. Be very clear what you are and aren't going to do with it (publish it on the internet, for instance).
As a journalist, the crazy stories question was my favourite. People love to tell those, once they're convinced you're not going to do them any harm.
Warm up questions:
1) So do I have this right, in your job here you do XYZ? (Paraphrase, let them explain more)
2) How many people come in here every day? Wow, that's a lot!/ Not as much as I thought. (Put them in the frame of mind where they think about these people)
3) Feel free to ask one or two more that paint a picture, like "what's the most ordered drink people order" or "what's your favourite kind of customer"
4) As you know, I've been tasked with collecting weird customer stories! Not, like, to poke fun at people but to show what weird and crazy stuff can happen when you're serving customers. I'll be asking a lot of other pubs as well. D'you have any good ones? Do you even get weird things happening here? (For some reason people will want to rise to that challenge, nobody likes being boring!)
It helps if you can name a concrete example of what kind of thing you'd consider crazy/fun because it's not very clear.
posted by Omnomnom at 9:09 AM on August 27, 2021 [5 favorites]
So call ahead and explain in human terms what this is for. Be very clear what you are and aren't going to do with it (publish it on the internet, for instance).
As a journalist, the crazy stories question was my favourite. People love to tell those, once they're convinced you're not going to do them any harm.
Warm up questions:
1) So do I have this right, in your job here you do XYZ? (Paraphrase, let them explain more)
2) How many people come in here every day? Wow, that's a lot!/ Not as much as I thought. (Put them in the frame of mind where they think about these people)
3) Feel free to ask one or two more that paint a picture, like "what's the most ordered drink people order" or "what's your favourite kind of customer"
4) As you know, I've been tasked with collecting weird customer stories! Not, like, to poke fun at people but to show what weird and crazy stuff can happen when you're serving customers. I'll be asking a lot of other pubs as well. D'you have any good ones? Do you even get weird things happening here? (For some reason people will want to rise to that challenge, nobody likes being boring!)
It helps if you can name a concrete example of what kind of thing you'd consider crazy/fun because it's not very clear.
posted by Omnomnom at 9:09 AM on August 27, 2021 [5 favorites]
Oh, and, if you interview lots of people, maybe one in five people will be awkward. They'll feel just as awkward as you, or worse. They'll be very short with you, like "Um. We don't really get weird customers here...er." Shuffle feet. "I don't know what to tell you. What's this for, anyway?"
Don't die of awkwardness now! It's not your fault! Maybe he needs more warming up than you gave him. Maybe he's never going to warm up. It happens, even to seasoned journalists. Try and save the conversation by backtracking. Explain your mission again. Be human, tell them it's been a wild ride for you, asking so many people these questions, but also really cool because you've learnt so much! Ask them what their favourite customers are, ask other customer questions. Eventually, you'll probably get a story out of it.
If not, that's okay. There's always some duds.
posted by Omnomnom at 9:40 AM on August 27, 2021 [3 favorites]
Don't die of awkwardness now! It's not your fault! Maybe he needs more warming up than you gave him. Maybe he's never going to warm up. It happens, even to seasoned journalists. Try and save the conversation by backtracking. Explain your mission again. Be human, tell them it's been a wild ride for you, asking so many people these questions, but also really cool because you've learnt so much! Ask them what their favourite customers are, ask other customer questions. Eventually, you'll probably get a story out of it.
If not, that's okay. There's always some duds.
posted by Omnomnom at 9:40 AM on August 27, 2021 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks very much for the answers so far. These are really helpful!
Phil Donahue? We don't know him too well over here. Is he exciting? I think the editor wants more of a Lester Bangs thing, sadly.
It helps if you can name a concrete example of what kind of thing you'd consider crazy/fun because it's not very clear.
Yes, unfortunately, that's because I can't. I should have put those words in quotes (bold ones). The 'crazy' and 'fun' thing was a brief from the editor. I have no sense at all of what 'crazy' might be. Debauchery?! I was hoping to get tips on what an exciting story might even look like to "most" people so that I could find the right questions or the right prompts. I have a feeling they might ask me "what do you mean by crazy?" To that, I would have no answer.
The shops will have famous customers and the editor seems to wants me to ask about them too but I don't want to make the owners defensive, especially if the famous people are their regular customers. This won't be anonymous.
posted by ihaveyourfoot at 10:07 AM on August 27, 2021
Phil Donahue? We don't know him too well over here. Is he exciting? I think the editor wants more of a Lester Bangs thing, sadly.
It helps if you can name a concrete example of what kind of thing you'd consider crazy/fun because it's not very clear.
Yes, unfortunately, that's because I can't. I should have put those words in quotes (bold ones). The 'crazy' and 'fun' thing was a brief from the editor. I have no sense at all of what 'crazy' might be. Debauchery?! I was hoping to get tips on what an exciting story might even look like to "most" people so that I could find the right questions or the right prompts. I have a feeling they might ask me "what do you mean by crazy?" To that, I would have no answer.
The shops will have famous customers and the editor seems to wants me to ask about them too but I don't want to make the owners defensive, especially if the famous people are their regular customers. This won't be anonymous.
posted by ihaveyourfoot at 10:07 AM on August 27, 2021
OMG, the possibilities. The thing to keep in mind is that most retail workers, whether they're lowly stock clerks or owners of an entire chain, regard their jobs as a kind of field anthropology in terms of observing human behavior, and rightfully so. The "craziest customer" question is cringey, but the other big problem with it is that, for most retail workers, it'll be too hard to limit their answer to one. They see so much that you won't be able to keep up if you get them started. That said, some conversation starters:
-Ask about regulars. Most shops have customers they see over and over again. Who are they? Why do they keep visiting this shop over and over? Do they buy things each time?
-Ask about famous people they've seen. I worked in a specialty sporting goods store after college, and it was common to have pro athletes stop into our shop. (On preview: You can still ask. Play dumb if it helps. There are non-embarrassing stories about famous people too. I kind of remember seeing a Youtube video about a famous guitarist, don't remember who, sitting around and just shredding. Which reminds me that I actually bought my first guitar amp from a local music store employee who would go on to win an EGOT, which is kind of memorable.)
-Ask about customer they later found out something else about. One of the minor celebrity regulars at my sporting goods store was a TV weatherman, who would always call to announce his impending arrival and introduce himself as "This is Firstname Lastname, you may know me as the meteorologist from Channel X". Everybody hated him for that pomposity. We'd always complete his sentence for him: "Yes, I know, we may know you as the meteorologist from Channel X." A couple years later he was busted for kiddie porn.
-Ask about workplace injuries, but be clear you're looking for funny ones, not tragic ones.
-You mentioned not showing up right as they open. Ask if that's a thing people do. When they unlock the doors in the morning, is there a line of people waiting to get in? What about closing? Do people bang on the doors after they've closed up at night? Lots of good story potential from both.
-Ask about their busiest times of day. For some stores, it's predictable, but for others, you might learn something. To use your pub example, it would be quite interesting if a pub landlord told you his busiest time of day was at 2:30pm, when all the stay-at-home moms come in for a drink on their way to pick up the kids from school, wouldn't it?
-Parents can be really bizarre with their kids. Once I was ringing a family up, and when I announced the total, the dad looked down at his kid and asked "do you think you're worth that much?" Awkward.
-Have they ever had to call the cops? Maybe not appropriate in certain neighborhoods (I mean, this is how George Floyd happened). But in areas where the stakes aren't as high, there might be potential. I've heard a lot of stories about people pooping.
-Most people working in specialty retail, especially shop owners, are doing so because there's something about what they're selling that they're really passionate about. Ask them about that. You might not get "exciting" stories, but it'll give a lot of background, and they'll trust you and talk more openly with you.
-Think about something unusual that's happened to you in a store. One time when I was a kid, I was looking at toys in K-mart and some random guy came up to me and said "think fast", then threw something at me. Being like, six, and completely unprepared to catch anything, I did not think fast, and the thing fell to the ground and smashed into a bunch of pieces. So weird. Why? You probably have a story like this, which will help you relate to workers and get them thinking about similar stories they might have.
-Just observe. You don't have to look hard to find odd stories in retail. They literally come to you. If you spend enough time shadowing retail workers, you'll see something memorable.
Jezebel used to run a feature called Behind Closed Ovens, in which restaurant workers would tell their most memorably weird stories. There used to be a bunch of Livejournal communities like that, too, for restaurant workers, retail, call centers, various other service jobs. I would imagine that's probably moved to Reddit, but I don't know my way around Reddit and can't help you there. I just did a quick Google search for "weirdest retail stories", and it looks like Buzzfeed has a few lists, and there are some Quora questions. But I generally think you're overthinking this. Retail stories are a genre that's assigned so often because it's so easy to write. People love telling them.
posted by kevinbelt at 10:17 AM on August 27, 2021
-Ask about regulars. Most shops have customers they see over and over again. Who are they? Why do they keep visiting this shop over and over? Do they buy things each time?
-Ask about famous people they've seen. I worked in a specialty sporting goods store after college, and it was common to have pro athletes stop into our shop. (On preview: You can still ask. Play dumb if it helps. There are non-embarrassing stories about famous people too. I kind of remember seeing a Youtube video about a famous guitarist, don't remember who, sitting around and just shredding. Which reminds me that I actually bought my first guitar amp from a local music store employee who would go on to win an EGOT, which is kind of memorable.)
-Ask about customer they later found out something else about. One of the minor celebrity regulars at my sporting goods store was a TV weatherman, who would always call to announce his impending arrival and introduce himself as "This is Firstname Lastname, you may know me as the meteorologist from Channel X". Everybody hated him for that pomposity. We'd always complete his sentence for him: "Yes, I know, we may know you as the meteorologist from Channel X." A couple years later he was busted for kiddie porn.
-Ask about workplace injuries, but be clear you're looking for funny ones, not tragic ones.
-You mentioned not showing up right as they open. Ask if that's a thing people do. When they unlock the doors in the morning, is there a line of people waiting to get in? What about closing? Do people bang on the doors after they've closed up at night? Lots of good story potential from both.
-Ask about their busiest times of day. For some stores, it's predictable, but for others, you might learn something. To use your pub example, it would be quite interesting if a pub landlord told you his busiest time of day was at 2:30pm, when all the stay-at-home moms come in for a drink on their way to pick up the kids from school, wouldn't it?
-Parents can be really bizarre with their kids. Once I was ringing a family up, and when I announced the total, the dad looked down at his kid and asked "do you think you're worth that much?" Awkward.
-Have they ever had to call the cops? Maybe not appropriate in certain neighborhoods (I mean, this is how George Floyd happened). But in areas where the stakes aren't as high, there might be potential. I've heard a lot of stories about people pooping.
-Most people working in specialty retail, especially shop owners, are doing so because there's something about what they're selling that they're really passionate about. Ask them about that. You might not get "exciting" stories, but it'll give a lot of background, and they'll trust you and talk more openly with you.
-Think about something unusual that's happened to you in a store. One time when I was a kid, I was looking at toys in K-mart and some random guy came up to me and said "think fast", then threw something at me. Being like, six, and completely unprepared to catch anything, I did not think fast, and the thing fell to the ground and smashed into a bunch of pieces. So weird. Why? You probably have a story like this, which will help you relate to workers and get them thinking about similar stories they might have.
-Just observe. You don't have to look hard to find odd stories in retail. They literally come to you. If you spend enough time shadowing retail workers, you'll see something memorable.
Jezebel used to run a feature called Behind Closed Ovens, in which restaurant workers would tell their most memorably weird stories. There used to be a bunch of Livejournal communities like that, too, for restaurant workers, retail, call centers, various other service jobs. I would imagine that's probably moved to Reddit, but I don't know my way around Reddit and can't help you there. I just did a quick Google search for "weirdest retail stories", and it looks like Buzzfeed has a few lists, and there are some Quora questions. But I generally think you're overthinking this. Retail stories are a genre that's assigned so often because it's so easy to write. People love telling them.
posted by kevinbelt at 10:17 AM on August 27, 2021
I was hoping to get tips on what an exciting story might even look like to "most" people so that I could find the right questions or the right prompts. I have a feeling they might ask me "what do you mean by crazy?" To that, I would have no answer.
That's...hard to answer without knowing what kind of establishment it actually is. Pubs are different from shops! Can you ask your editor for an example of what they're looking for?
posted by Omnomnom at 11:10 AM on August 27, 2021
That's...hard to answer without knowing what kind of establishment it actually is. Pubs are different from shops! Can you ask your editor for an example of what they're looking for?
posted by Omnomnom at 11:10 AM on August 27, 2021
Some really great tips above. When I think of fantastic interviewing, I often think of many This American Life episodes. One that comes to mind which is similar to your situation is 24 hours at the Golden Apple, where they literally camp out in a 24/7 diner and just talk to the people there. You might enjoy listening to it for some inspiration (and entertainment).
posted by unid41 at 11:13 AM on August 27, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by unid41 at 11:13 AM on August 27, 2021 [2 favorites]
Loads of good suggestions above, I'd nth giving people advance warning if you can so they have the chance to think of things.
I want to ask no more than two questions to each person (for their sake and mine), before I retreat back to safety.
This isn't a good plan. People won't go from zero to crazy stories in two questions, you need to get beyond the "Here I am asking you a stilted question" stage, through and out the other side into "Here's just two people having a fun chat", so that they can relax and chinwag as if you're just hanging out together, and that's going to take 4 or 5 questions at least. Much better to get two really good, in depth stories full of laughs than 10 different people just saying "Yes, I like being a shop keeper, no I don't really get any crazy people."
Omnomnom's list is great - the first couple of questions shouldn't be things you actually want to know, they're just the pair of you warming up and getting used to speaking to each other, tuning into each others' voices and building a bit of trust and rapport. It lets them take their mind out of guarded mode and move into free-flowing mode in time for your later questions, when you ask the stuff you really want to know.
Do I ask questions like "who's the craziest customer you've ever had?" but without asking that exact question in that exact cringey way?
Asking that doesn't seem at all cringey to me! If it's what you want to know, ask it. Maybe prepare several ways of getting at the same thing and you can ask them all, or as many as it takes - 'Who was the worst customer you've ever had? The best? Your favourite customer?" "Ever have a day when you couldn't believe what happened?/Someone did something that meant you couldn't wait to just close up and get home?" "Have you ever had any emergencies?" "What do people get up to here when they're drunk?" (even if it's just a grocery store) "Anyone ever do anything where you just didn't know how to respond?" "Did you ever have a disaster when you were new to the job?" "Ever had to call the police/other emergency services?" "Ever had to close early?"
I was an old school reporter so always used shorthand, but do you know shorthand to 100wpm? Even if you do, it can be a real skill to write shorthand while leaning on the corner of a counter, maintaining decent eye contact, pulling appropriately encouraging and interested facial expressions, listening to precisely what's being said, and thinking up your next questions so that conversation doesn't dry up. Unless you're confident you can do that, you're probably better recording it, but *always* check your recording from start to finish when you step outside, especially if they've said some good stuff, so that you can go back in and redo it if it's not worked. Worth duplicating the file straight away as well, to guard against accidental deletion if you're flustered.
Always check spelling of names even if it sounds obvious, keep an exact note in your notebook of which person/place tallies with which recording - it's easy to think in the moment that you'll surely remember when you get home, but if you do several, you're going to really need those notes to keep them straight. To save time when it comes to writing up, also write some quick notes after each interview to help you find the good stuff. eg. "Recording 3, Terry in the Sunshine Corner Store - good story re. potato landslide, moving bit at the end about his mum".
Some people will be naturally chatty and others won't, so don't panic if the first person you speak hardly says anything or acts like you're weird for asking, that doesn't mean you're doomed, you just have to do the numbers to get enough good ones.
Good luck!
posted by penguin pie at 11:27 AM on August 27, 2021 [5 favorites]
I want to ask no more than two questions to each person (for their sake and mine), before I retreat back to safety.
This isn't a good plan. People won't go from zero to crazy stories in two questions, you need to get beyond the "Here I am asking you a stilted question" stage, through and out the other side into "Here's just two people having a fun chat", so that they can relax and chinwag as if you're just hanging out together, and that's going to take 4 or 5 questions at least. Much better to get two really good, in depth stories full of laughs than 10 different people just saying "Yes, I like being a shop keeper, no I don't really get any crazy people."
Omnomnom's list is great - the first couple of questions shouldn't be things you actually want to know, they're just the pair of you warming up and getting used to speaking to each other, tuning into each others' voices and building a bit of trust and rapport. It lets them take their mind out of guarded mode and move into free-flowing mode in time for your later questions, when you ask the stuff you really want to know.
Do I ask questions like "who's the craziest customer you've ever had?" but without asking that exact question in that exact cringey way?
Asking that doesn't seem at all cringey to me! If it's what you want to know, ask it. Maybe prepare several ways of getting at the same thing and you can ask them all, or as many as it takes - 'Who was the worst customer you've ever had? The best? Your favourite customer?" "Ever have a day when you couldn't believe what happened?/Someone did something that meant you couldn't wait to just close up and get home?" "Have you ever had any emergencies?" "What do people get up to here when they're drunk?" (even if it's just a grocery store) "Anyone ever do anything where you just didn't know how to respond?" "Did you ever have a disaster when you were new to the job?" "Ever had to call the police/other emergency services?" "Ever had to close early?"
I was an old school reporter so always used shorthand, but do you know shorthand to 100wpm? Even if you do, it can be a real skill to write shorthand while leaning on the corner of a counter, maintaining decent eye contact, pulling appropriately encouraging and interested facial expressions, listening to precisely what's being said, and thinking up your next questions so that conversation doesn't dry up. Unless you're confident you can do that, you're probably better recording it, but *always* check your recording from start to finish when you step outside, especially if they've said some good stuff, so that you can go back in and redo it if it's not worked. Worth duplicating the file straight away as well, to guard against accidental deletion if you're flustered.
Always check spelling of names even if it sounds obvious, keep an exact note in your notebook of which person/place tallies with which recording - it's easy to think in the moment that you'll surely remember when you get home, but if you do several, you're going to really need those notes to keep them straight. To save time when it comes to writing up, also write some quick notes after each interview to help you find the good stuff. eg. "Recording 3, Terry in the Sunshine Corner Store - good story re. potato landslide, moving bit at the end about his mum".
Some people will be naturally chatty and others won't, so don't panic if the first person you speak hardly says anything or acts like you're weird for asking, that doesn't mean you're doomed, you just have to do the numbers to get enough good ones.
Good luck!
posted by penguin pie at 11:27 AM on August 27, 2021 [5 favorites]
Oh! And leave the famous customer question to the end so that if it makes them bristle it doesn't ruin anything. My second-ever paid writing job back in the late-90s was to go and write something about Primrose Hill in North London for a property magazine. At the time it was celeb-central, so I was told to ask shopkeepers the same kind of thing about famous clients.
Most of them were tight-lipped but I eventually got the dog groomer to admit to doing Les Dennis's dogs :) It was so ridiculous it was funny and made a great line for the piece a la "Primrose Hill is supposed to be full of famous people but I spent the afternoon there and the nearest I got was Les Dennis's dog groomer."
posted by penguin pie at 11:33 AM on August 27, 2021
Most of them were tight-lipped but I eventually got the dog groomer to admit to doing Les Dennis's dogs :) It was so ridiculous it was funny and made a great line for the piece a la "Primrose Hill is supposed to be full of famous people but I spent the afternoon there and the nearest I got was Les Dennis's dog groomer."
posted by penguin pie at 11:33 AM on August 27, 2021
I have two suggestions.
The first is because I'm in journalism: Before you end the interview, ask them if there's anything else you should know, something you forgot to ask, something along those lines! You could certainly get something interesting sneaked in that way.
The second is from me as a reader: Are there ghosts? Is the place haunted? Anything unusual ever happen here when you're working alone?
posted by Occula at 1:49 PM on August 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
The first is because I'm in journalism: Before you end the interview, ask them if there's anything else you should know, something you forgot to ask, something along those lines! You could certainly get something interesting sneaked in that way.
The second is from me as a reader: Are there ghosts? Is the place haunted? Anything unusual ever happen here when you're working alone?
posted by Occula at 1:49 PM on August 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
You might want to read up on some of the stories on Not Always Right (which I think is from Reddit, just in a more readable form), customer service tales from all sorts of businesses. There are a lot of people who are beyond weird. It might help framing your questions.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:56 PM on August 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:56 PM on August 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
If all else fails, ask how Covid has changed what they can expext of customers. (Expectation: people come in less often, spend less money, buy different things, are in a worse mood). It's a no-brainer question that won't raise suspicions, everyone has an answer to it and it might lead them to tell you some interesting follow up things.
posted by Omnomnom at 3:00 AM on August 28, 2021
posted by Omnomnom at 3:00 AM on August 28, 2021
I always ask people what would surprise outsiders the most about (their shop or their customers or their industry or ... you get the idea). Given your assignment, you might ask:
1. What’s the most exciting thing that has ever happened here?
2. What’s the most unexpected or surprising thing that’s ever happened while you’ve been working?
3. Have you heard any stories about exciting things that have happened in the neighborhood? Who are the best people to talk to for exciting stories about local shops?
Ask the people if they would like to read your work after it’s done. If they say yes, get the contact info. Start the interview by thanking them for their time. End it by thanking them again. Record it on your phone. Have fun! I think interviewing strangers is the most fun ever.
posted by Bella Donna at 2:07 PM on August 28, 2021
1. What’s the most exciting thing that has ever happened here?
2. What’s the most unexpected or surprising thing that’s ever happened while you’ve been working?
3. Have you heard any stories about exciting things that have happened in the neighborhood? Who are the best people to talk to for exciting stories about local shops?
Ask the people if they would like to read your work after it’s done. If they say yes, get the contact info. Start the interview by thanking them for their time. End it by thanking them again. Record it on your phone. Have fun! I think interviewing strangers is the most fun ever.
posted by Bella Donna at 2:07 PM on August 28, 2021
Response by poster: Well, I did it!
Thank you all for your stories and tips. They were funny and very helpful. I listened to that Golden Apple cafe link to get myself psyched up. I'd never listened to This American Life before and I'd really like to hear more of that type of thing.
It was quite a nerve-wracking experience. My voice went 3 octaves higher. When I listened back I thought it was a tiny child!
I made the mistake of trying to finish people's sentences, which was not a good idea!
Some people were generous with their time. Others asked me to call them on the phone instead, as they were busy (to be expected). If given this sort of assignment in the future, I will probably do it over the phone!
One was a straight "na!" and he looked at me like I was a sundried turd that just rolled into his shop. It felt like a punch to the stomach.
I also didn't realise how tricky it would be to try to disguise looking at the next question while the interviewee answered the current one. It's hard to pull off.
I'm glad I did it. It made the article richer. As much as I love hearing people's stories (in a Humans of New York way), I don't think I like being the person interviewing them. At least I know it isn't for me.🙃
Thanks again!
posted by ihaveyourfoot at 11:51 AM on September 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Thank you all for your stories and tips. They were funny and very helpful. I listened to that Golden Apple cafe link to get myself psyched up. I'd never listened to This American Life before and I'd really like to hear more of that type of thing.
It was quite a nerve-wracking experience. My voice went 3 octaves higher. When I listened back I thought it was a tiny child!
I made the mistake of trying to finish people's sentences, which was not a good idea!
Some people were generous with their time. Others asked me to call them on the phone instead, as they were busy (to be expected). If given this sort of assignment in the future, I will probably do it over the phone!
One was a straight "na!" and he looked at me like I was a sundried turd that just rolled into his shop. It felt like a punch to the stomach.
I also didn't realise how tricky it would be to try to disguise looking at the next question while the interviewee answered the current one. It's hard to pull off.
I'm glad I did it. It made the article richer. As much as I love hearing people's stories (in a Humans of New York way), I don't think I like being the person interviewing them. At least I know it isn't for me.🙃
Thanks again!
posted by ihaveyourfoot at 11:51 AM on September 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Yes! Or maybe "What's the weirdest thing that's ever happened in your store?"
Literally anyone who has spent any time in customer-facing role has an unbelievable story they have probably told a million times and will be happy to tell a million more times.
I saw more crazy stuff in my five years at Burger King than I've seen in 25 years as a cube dweller. Like, absolutely unbelievable stuff. I could write a book and if someone asked me about it, however sheepishly they asked, I would be absolutely thrilled to go on and on and on about everything I witnessed. Customers are THE WORST.
posted by bondcliff at 8:32 AM on August 27, 2021 [13 favorites]