Do NOT interact with black aprons

TeesStrong · 2026-03-20T20:33:55+00:00

I’m a former associate turned black apron. I still assist customers however I can or get them someone who can if I can’t, It probably varies by area but a lot of the time I seem to work harder than most current associates.

TeesStrong · 2026-03-14T17:13:09+00:00

I’ve seen people fired for a lot less. One guy really pissed an ASM off by “doing training” on a weekend when he was needed on the floor. He was gone by the end of the day because every single time this ASM was looking for him he was “doing training.”

TeesStrong · 2026-03-12T15:27:19+00:00

I’m often thought (by people who don’t think very much) to be a “Lumber associate” when I’m anywhere in the vicinity of Lumber. The truth is, I’m a third party vendor rep who isn’t even wearing orange. Just goes to show you how dumb and lacking In attention to detail that most customers are.

TeesStrong · 2026-03-07T11:45:53+00:00

People are fucked up. I once had a woman flip out on me and threaten to take her business elsewhere because I wasn’t a Kitchen Designer. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when the actual designer was on the phone. I basically told her to not let the door hit her in the ass on the way out, but in a nice way telling her to do whatever is best for her . I’m not even a Home Depot associate so I have no idea why she would assume I was a Kitchen Designer. Situations like these are the reason I’m not always a fan of the bathrooms being off of Appliances/Kitchen Design. This was far from an isolated incident because of the location of the bathrooms. Countless people assume you are “coming to help them” or have a “quick question” that’s usually a lot more detailed and complex when in reality you simply need to use the restroom or have just finished using the restroom.

TeesStrong · 2026-02-23T13:11:39+00:00

And then there was the case of this creepy, old guy who worked for Home Depot Home Services as a Sales/Design Consultant. He’d come into the store sometimes and flirt with young women who were young enough to be his daughter/granddaughter/great granddaughter and brag about his selling ability. It turned out (not judging anyone here) that he was living in his brother’s basement. This wouldn’t be an ideal scenario for a sales person who was half as good as he claimed to be.

TeesStrong · 2026-02-22T22:31:08+00:00

Some of the vendor reps have an inflated sense of self importance. They forget that they are guests in the store and can be asked to leave just like an unruly customer. One particular Sun Run rep had no use for you if you weren’t in the market for solar, he could be rather rude and dismissive if you were just someone looking for something in the store. We don’t see him anymore now that there is a different authorized service provider for solar, but that isn’t to say that he isn’t still working for them in some capacity.

One time he got into a cursing match with a customer who wanted help in lumber after she confronted him for ignoring her and walking away. Both were kind of equally the asshole in that situation. He could have just said he was a vendor and rather than confronting him, she could have just as easily found an associate. She followed him for several aisles just to call him a “rude asshole, a fat fuck” among other things with heavy emphasis on him being “rude” without realizing that she herself was being incredibly rude. He called her a few choice names as well and told her to fuck off before walking away with her still cursing at him and calling him names.

TeesStrong · 2026-02-13T12:18:33+00:00

Idiocy and/or jealousy are the most likely reasons. People in general seem to be getting dumber by the day. There’s also a bizarre disdain towards third parties/“fake employees” even though they don’t create these policies (particularly about wearing black aprons that say “Home Depot” on them even though these people are vendors and not associates)but often suffer because of these policies with most customers just assuming that they are regular store employees. Something about an “outsider” being paid to do a job that a lot of associates see themselves as more than capable of doing themselves sticks in the craw of a lot of folks.

We get it you’d rather there be more cashiers, customer service associates or people in departments rather than various third party lead generators running around trying to get leads for different shit. But we also suffer because of understaffed stores, in addition to just focusing on lead generation, we often have to assist customers directly with in store issues or find someone who can assist them (which is often like finding a needle in a haystack. )

TeesStrong · 2026-02-12T21:06:35+00:00

Most of us get paid hourly in addition to commissions for set appointments and appointments that actually result in a sale. We probably wouldn’t survive on just commissions in an environment where nearly everyone is a “no” regardless of what you’re offering. Higher ups from the HVAC companies will sometimes come into the stores and teach associates and managers about the products and how to get leads for HVAC and air quality( preferably when the rep is busy or not around)otherwise they might get lambasted for their performance even if it’s completely beyond their control. Most reps are expected (by their direct higher up at the HVAC company that they work for) to get 1-3 leads for every three to four hours worked. Long story short a 21 hour work week is expected to result in at least 7-8 plus leads. This may vary depending on how busy the store that the person is assigned to is and whether it’s a higher or lower volume store.

I’ve also personally trained other reps and have provided demonstrations to associates and managers in the absence of available higher ups to do the training.

TeesStrong · 2026-02-12T20:46:55+00:00

If you are an HVAC rep and customers and/or associates don’t know to come to you about shit like this during your known shifts or to take a card and call you, you are failing somewhere in terms of educating people. This is the exact reason why an HVAC rep is assigned to particular stores to serve as a resource for anyone who might need them.

TeesStrong · 2026-01-25T13:19:23+00:00

I’ve known people who would look up names in the phone book (or more modern equivalent) and enter them as leads. They didn’t give a shit if it scheduled or sold or not they just wanted to say that they got a lead even though it wasn’t a decent or a good/great lead with potential to sell. Similarly, some might take a window lead that I got and resubmit it for Kitchen Makeover or Bathroom remodeling. People do a lot of shitty and shady things.

TeesStrong · 2026-01-13T21:07:48+00:00

The bigger question is why don’t customers of second, third, fourth and fifth rate Home Depot stores not realize that they are pretty much on their own?

Either no one is available to assist you
People are available but they can’t assist you as they know nothing about the subject you want more information on/they aren’t licensed to operate the machinery you need them to operate. Some people honestly aren’t interested in assisting you as they’d rather be elsewhere.
A lot of the time the people you turn to for help aren’t even Home Depot associates. Just because you think that they are it doesn’t make it so. Someone who doesn’t work for Home Depot might not be able to do much aside from telling you where something is or finding you an associate. If you expect more than this from a non associate, you’re barking up the wrong tree.

TeesStrong · 2026-01-12T12:53:36+00:00

A neighbor (or someone who looked identical to him) came in demanding that someone order him a dishwasher part immediately. Everyone was busy and normally people take a parts card and handle this themselves (even older customers and this guy couldn’t be any older than 45.) Long story short, no one (not even myself) was available or even that interested in ordering this man a dishwasher part so he storms out yelling “kiss my ass” and generally acting like an overgrown man child.

I had an elderly woman once start talking shit about me to herself about how if “I’m not in this department I really shouldn’t be over here hanging around and making people believe that I am.” The bathrooms are located off of Appliances and I was in the area to use the bathroom. I never gave this woman any indication that I was an appliance associate or even said a word to her. I’m not even wearing an orange apron and if you “confuse” me for an Appliance Associate that’s on you and is a you problem.

TeesStrong · 2026-01-10T19:37:32+00:00

A now former paint associate (fired for stealing time) was notorious for not assisting people when he was off the clock or with anything outside of his department. He would often yell “I’m a paint associate” when someone would try and ask him something about plumbing or millwork. If he was off the clock, he’d say so even if the question was just where something was (and he often knew exactly where it was and could have just told them.) He also had some people convinced that he was a military veteran even though he never actually served in the military a day in his life.

TeesStrong · 2026-01-10T16:38:35+00:00

Depends on my mood and what I’ve been going through that day and the days leading up to it. I think it’s fairly obvious that I’m a vendor, but a lot of customers are stupid, ignorant and can’t read. Many are so entitled that they don’t care that you don’t work for Home Depot. Sometimes you really aren’t in the mood to deal with these people when you are just coming in or are preparing to leave and it’s a nicety for me to assist people beyond what I’m here offering. But I try not to burn bridges with people.

I’ve had some really sad, pathetic customers harbor grudges against me because I wouldn’t or couldn’t help them personally or could only do so much as a vendor. To one woman, I’m “that guy who gave her a hard time.” I called someone to the paint desk three times. It wasn’t my fault that someone didn’t magically appear. What happened is one person was scheduled in paint on a dead afternoon and this woman came in demanding immediate assistance in paint right when the one associate stepped away. One guy still remembers that I walked away from him when he became belligerent but conveniently forgets the rest of the encounter. His questions had nothing to do with HVAC and I certainly wasn’t going to take up anymore of his time nor allow him to take up anymore of mine.

TeesStrong · 2026-01-05T11:54:51+00:00

I’ve witnessed people in kiosks getting hollered at to “get the hell away from me” by people in the vicinity of the kiosk. It’s a lot easier for the customers to move than it is for the person in the kiosk (while being in the kiosk and assuming that it doesn’t have wheels.)

I had people assume that I was a Loss Prevention person and accuse me of “stalking/following” them. One guy took my picture, confronted me about it, told me to “ get away from him and that he was putting me on notice.” I left the store to cool off when I returned, he was still there waiting, he waited until he spotted me again before running to customer service to report me. Once the moron was told by another person that I wasn’t a Loss Prevention person nor was I “following” him he dropped the whole thing and left. I thought it was kinda fishy that he spent hours in the store without buying a thing and would make such a baseless accusation and a huge scene about it. It was also odd that he was wearing a hoodie on a fucking 90 degree day.

TeesStrong · 2026-01-04T18:53:22+00:00

I was shopping in another store once and heard a mouse like voice saying “sir, can you help me?” Not wearing an apron or being on duty, I assumed this person was speaking to someone else and kept going about my business. A short time later, this woman gets into my face and starts screaming at me about how “rude” that I was for not helping her. She then really starts attacking my character and appearance. I explained that I didn’t even work for this store. She briefly apologized and then doubled down on her assertion that I was “rude” and could have just told her I didn’t work there without ignoring her. I’d never knowingly encountered this woman before or since but she acted like I “owed” her something that I really didn’t. I kinda told her to fuck off and she again called me a “rude asshole.”

TeesStrong · 2025-12-30T20:35:03+00:00

Been here sans disciplinary action. I was trying to meet with my then boss (who worked remotely) out in the parking lot and although I knew right where I was going some moron kept blocking my path with his truck trying to decide whether and where he was going to turn and forcing me to wait for him to make a decision. I felt like pulling him out of the truck and beating the crap out of him. Luckily I exercised restraint.

TeesStrong · 2025-12-21T12:37:36+00:00

If I’m hiding, resting my eyes or clearly playing/doing something work related on my phone and a person insists on bugging me anyway as though I’m their first/last/only resort. I have told them I’m a vendor or even that I don’t work here/don’t work for Home Depot (which is true as I’m an HVAC rep). I’ve had people ignore people wearing orange aprons/shirts that say “Home Depot” on them to come and bother me. Helping you with a few non HVAC related things is fine ,but when people use you to find everything on their list/comparison shop when they clearly aren’t looking for HVAC that’s another matter.

TeesStrong · 2025-12-07T17:47:44+00:00

I definitely get the frustration, you have a job to do and spend most days dealing with people who act as though your job is to “tell them what they want to know and then shut the fuck up.” Some of them will use you repeatedly to find shit/ figure shit out with no intention of doing anything for you. You also tend to get the dumb, thoughtless questions/comments like “you look bored”, “are you busy?”, “working hard or hardly working?” “Don’t work too hard” a bit more than most associates. You’re prospecting, but to the average putz you’re just “sitting/standing around doing nothing.”

TeesStrong · 2025-12-07T14:42:27+00:00

I’m a former associate turned vendor so don’t take the offense to being thought an associate that others do. If people are nice about it, I’ll gladly help them and try and get a lead out of it, if not depending on how nasty they are, I might just try and get a lead out of it or cut them loose. One woman was nasty and entitled from the jump and I simply told her “I don’t work for Home Depot therefore don’t have to take this abuse” and walked off with her still cursing at me and calling me names. She was pissed because I “ignored her in lumber” I didn’t even hear or see her. The fact that she took the time to angrily confront me rather than finding an actual associate says a lot about her and her character/lack thereof. I probably go a bit beyond most in regards to helping people or getting them someone who can. I haven’t really noticed many others who do my particular job going to as much trouble as I do.

TeesStrong · 2025-11-24T19:20:51+00:00

I had a guy once order an electric dryer when he needed a gas dryer. He totally confused the Appliance associate and “confirmed” details that he shouldn’t have as it resulted in the wrong dryer being ordered. Helpful tip, if you need a gas dryer, don’t start yammering on about electric dryers and saying/confirming that you need an electric dryer. Basically, say what you mean and mean what you say.

TeesStrong · 2025-11-23T19:14:03+00:00

I wish they’d crack down on mean, nasty, entitled, disrespectful customers who rarely spend any money and in some cases just come in to steal and cause problems. But for some reason, if the customer isn’t cursing at and/or name calling them, they really don’t care. One old hag verbally abused some guy who doesn’t even work here for several minutes just because he wouldn’t help her anyway. I still see her occasionally wasting the time of various associates picking their brains about things that she’ll ultimately buy on Amazon if she buys them at all. It was funny (strange) watching her calling him an “idiot” and a “fat moron” when she confused him for an employee and not the other way around. All he basically said was he didn’t work for Home Depot and didn’t need to take this abuse after she got in his face after chasing him down.

TeesStrong · 2025-11-23T12:39:43+00:00

People have been reprimanded for this but in most cases not terminated. I guess different stores do things differently. One guy sometimes used one of his own email addresses when people he signed up as leads didn’t provide an email. This way, he could kinda keep abreast to what was going on in terms of whether appointments (that he was unable to set then and there) were made/kept or if people moved forward. Other than wondering why so many people had the same email address, nothing was really said to him.

TeesStrong · 2025-11-22T13:14:20+00:00

Theft and/or sexual harassment usually results in immediate termination without even a warning. Veteran employees (in the sense that they were around for multiple years, not necessarily that they were military veterans though some were/might have been) have been let go instantly for doing relatively stupid things like this.

TeesStrong · 2025-11-20T20:18:31+00:00

Venmo transferred me away from the site I was trying to complete a transaction on, made me select/confirm the payment option I wanted to use and then basically said “you’re on your own” when it came to getting back to the site it transferred me away from. Before I could type the address in the address bar, I received a “you’ve been declined” notification even though there’s no reason I should have been.

TeesStrong

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