Retail Workers - What do customers do that annoys you? (Part 2)

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  • mills705mills705 Posts: 556
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    I work in retail, part time 10 hours a week.
    So training for our store opening I was sent to one down south. And when i was there a woman rang up and complained that the bottled water was off. But she had drank all 6 multipack bottles!

    The other day on checkouts, A woman had a huge fit coz i asked if she wanted a bag for a few items and then ranted on about plastic coming from oil etc.
  • ChristmasCakeChristmasCake Posts: 26,078
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    I had some guy ranting at me today about challenge 25, he wasn't even buying an age restricted product!

    I was SO confused. Why would you go up to someone and just start ranting at them, I called security and let him deal with it?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 953
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    I had some guy ranting at me today about challenge 25, he wasn't even buying an age restricted product!

    I was SO confused. Why would you go up to someone and just start ranting at them, I called security and let him deal with it?

    Rationalise it... a certain percentage of the population are nutters, most people need to visit shops... well at least the ones that aren't (yet) detained.
  • mills705mills705 Posts: 556
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    I had some guy ranting at me today about challenge 25, he wasn't even buying an age restricted product!

    I was SO confused. Why would you go up to someone and just start ranting at them, I called security and let him deal with it?

    So challenge 21 became challenge 25, but im sure the latter is just done by supermarkets to cover themselves as they have the people coming in to test us dont they?
    Well im now 22, and view this quite dimly in quite honestly.
    In my opinion use your nonce! I dont really like the fact that if someone looks 25ish do you really have to ID?!
    There are people that IMO take this too far!
    I was on a checkout one day and a couple id place at late 20's coming through the till opposite me. the cashier is 40ish and asks them for ID. I couldnt believe it, the woman did but the guy didnt. Im not saying its wrong but it was obvious they were well above the age of 18!
  • HelixHelix Posts: 1,485
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    mills705 wrote: »
    So challenge 21 became challenge 25, but im sure the latter is just done by supermarkets to cover themselves as they have the people coming in to test us dont they?
    Well im now 22, and view this quite dimly in quite honestly.
    In my opinion use your nonce! I dont really like the fact that if someone looks 25ish do you really have to ID?!
    There are people that IMO take this too far!
    I was on a checkout one day and a couple id place at late 20's coming through the till opposite me. the cashier is 40ish and asks them for ID. I couldnt believe it, the woman did but the guy didnt. Im not saying its wrong but it was obvious they were well above the age of 18!

    Some supermarkets now do their own tests with people that are over 18 but under 25 and the cashier can get in trouble for not asking for ID. Not because it is against the law but because they went against store policy.
  • Button62Button62 Posts: 8,463
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    5.20pm on Xmas Eve ....
    " Do you sell ties ? " .....

    Erm ... why don't you cast your eye around the jewellery cabinets and make an educated guess ?

    Yesterday ......

    " Have you got any of those liquorice allsorts necklaces ? "

    I explained that we have only ever sold bracelets in that range and she argued with me for 10 minutes saying that I was a liar because she had SEEN them last week.

    Even when I explained that my daughters and I make all the jewellery she would not be deterred...... I'm afraid I wound her up completely by suggesting that maybe the jewellery making fairy had paid a visit one night and made magic things but it was only visible by customers.
  • JC_GTA2010JC_GTA2010 Posts: 2,226
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    God I love this thread as we are all in the same position.

    I work at the motorway services and on my break and went for something to eat in the cafe and i lined up and this woman behind me tapped the back of me and said 'do you know where boots is' and i said 'sorry there is not one on this site' and i could not believe her response 'oh oh like that is it eh, can't be bothered to tell me the directions to the boots because you lot are all eyeing up that cake counter while you should be giving out customer service'. Then she was rabbling about other things 'second time i stopped off here and the toilets are atrocious, don't they have cleaners, oh of course they do, they just stand there like tits in a trance' and i thought to myself, why are you telling me this it has nothing to do with me and I could not believe her ignorance just before. Why should I put up with that on my break and all of this because I said there was no boots, why on earth would I lie about there not being a boots!?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,341
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    Hey, you lot. You seen the thread complaining about this thread?
  • JC_GTA2010JC_GTA2010 Posts: 2,226
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    Also one thing that annoys me is when the shutters are completely down and there is no food on show, customers come over and say 'are we open?' So bl**dy irritating it is beyond belief seriously. If I went to the local co op and the shutters were down i would not ask if they were open? I do wonder about some people.
  • JC_GTA2010JC_GTA2010 Posts: 2,226
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    motsy wrote: »
    Hey, you lot. You seen the thread complaining about this thread?

    I have and I would love to see the ass who wrote that thread to jump into our shoes and put up with customers. The thing is if the person who wrote that thread worked in sales, they would actually regret creating that thread. Anyone in sales relates to this thread, obviously if you don't work in retail then it does not apply to them, as they don't have a clue what it is like.
  • Button62Button62 Posts: 8,463
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    motsy wrote: »
    Hey, you lot. You seen the thread complaining about this thread?

    Yup :)

    " The customer is always right " is being bandied about a bit.

    Some of my customers are lovely, but some of them are so thick they shouldn't be out unsupervised.

    The one who called me a Capitalist Pig definitely wasn't right in my humble opinion. Nor was the one who came in and clicked her fingers at my daughter and bellowed " Service over here girl "
  • JC_GTA2010JC_GTA2010 Posts: 2,226
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    Also add customers crowding and screeching food orders around the counter at you when you can only serve once person at once. The list is endless.......
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,341
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    Button62 wrote: »
    Yup :)

    " The customer is always right " is being bandied about a bit.

    Some of my customers are lovely, but some of them are so thick they shouldn't be out unsupervised.
    "

    1. WHAT A LOAD OF BOLLOCKS!!
    2. II agree with you on that. If a csustomer looks a bit lost, I go over and ask if they're alright (most of the time they're alright considering looking lost).
    When I drop in at the pub on the way home I sometimes get recognised and on the shopfloor I see some of the people from the pub coming in. Even had some guy's wife asking if there's any jobs going once.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,341
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    JC_GTA2010 wrote: »
    Also add customers crowding and screeching food orders around the counter at you when you can only serve once person at once. The list is endless.......

    Be fair. At least some of them do it decently instead of ME! ME! ME!
  • ChristmasCakeChristmasCake Posts: 26,078
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    dapa wrote: »
    Rationalise it... a certain percentage of the population are nutters, most people need to visit shops... well at least the ones that aren't (yet) detained.

    Well it was just the way how he was like can I ask you something? And I was so polite and nice, even showed him my dance moves, and then he starts ranting... I was just like..:confused:..
  • JC_GTA2010JC_GTA2010 Posts: 2,226
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    motsy wrote: »
    Be fair. At least some of them do it decently instead of ME! ME! ME!

    Yes I know, but when you get hooligans etc or footballers shouting in your face then....:)
  • lovedoctor1978lovedoctor1978 Posts: 2,327
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    Boxing day night I went into town and to a student bar I am regular in. I used to work in pubs and the majority of staff knew this.
    After being there a while all of a sudden a massive rush came on and the three staff were struggling to cope. A friend of freind came in and we got talking. At that point the shift manager collared me and asked if I would glass collect and wash as they were getting desperate - not a problem. All this while blond bint was listening.
    Fast forward 10 minutes later I come behind the bar with about 50 pint glasses stacked up put them down and take a full basket out to shelve.
    Blond bint grabs my arm almost making me drop the basket:
    BB: "you gonna serve me?"
    Me: "erm.... no."
    BB: "how come?"
    Me: "you know I dont work here, im just helping them out with glasses."
    BB: " yea but its ok to serve me"
    Me: "no, it isnt, apart from anything else i dont have a till key"
    BB: "why not?"
    I just walked away shaking my head. Just to make things worse some random guy who was stood next to her, listening and taking a great deal of interest in her, stopped me on my way back and said "I got the right money, can i have a pint of carling". :eek:
    I was always told that when glass collecting in a club or large bar like that, if you're behind the bar to keep your head down and dont make eye contact with anyone. I understand why now!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,163
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    Boxing day night I went into town and to a student bar I am regular in. I used to work in pubs and the majority of staff knew this.
    After being there a while all of a sudden a massive rush came on and the three staff were struggling to cope. A friend of freind came in and we got talking. At that point the shift manager collared me and asked if I would glass collect and wash as they were getting desperate - not a problem. All this while blond bint was listening.
    Fast forward 10 minutes later I come behind the bar with about 50 pint glasses stacked up put them down and take a full basket out to shelve.
    Blond bint grabs my arm almost making me drop the basket:
    BB: "you gonna serve me?"
    Me: "erm.... no."
    BB: "how come?"
    Me: "you know I dont work here, im just helping them out with glasses."
    BB: " yea but its ok to serve me"
    Me: "no, it isnt, apart from anything else i dont have a till key"
    BB: "why not?"
    I just walked away shaking my head. Just to make things worse some random guy who was stood next to her, listening and taking a great deal of interest in her, stopped me on my way back and said "I got the right money, can i have a pint of carling". :eek:
    I was always told that when glass collecting in a club or large bar like that, if you're behind the bar to keep your head down and dont make eye contact with anyone. I understand why now!

    Cardinal sin that mate, helping out. The public are a bunch of ungrateful bar stewards.
  • lovedoctor1978lovedoctor1978 Posts: 2,327
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    Cardinal sin that mate, helping out. The public are a bunch of ungrateful bar stewards.

    The public may be, but with the amount of free pints I got Im not complaining about the bar staff, esp. the hot shift manager ;)
  • TigerpawsTigerpaws Posts: 11,165
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    JC_GTA2010 wrote: »
    Also one thing that annoys me is when the shutters are completely down and there is no food on show, customers come over and say 'are we open?' So bl**dy irritating it is beyond belief seriously. If I went to the local co op and the shutters were down i would not ask if they were open? I do wonder about some people.

    We have people knocking on the door of the shop when we are closed - lights are off signs off so clearly closed begging for us to serve them - the tills are done so its not going to happen most accept it and wander off but have had some stand outside slamming the grate door swearing at us :rolleyes: Yep like thats going to work.
    Also its not like we haven't been open long enough the shop doesn't shut till 5am on weekends!
  • Stewie_CStewie_C Posts: 1,739
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    I work for a property maintainance company, and many of our contracts are with housing associations and local authorities. Many anecdotes there! But I'll just mention one that happened just prior to christmas.

    Got called to a block of flats. They wanted the lights in the corridors on 24/7 for security reasons. Fair enough - I see the point. Easy enough job. The lights worked off motion sensors on the ceiling, and only difficulty is that the sensors had to come off to do the job and the ceiling has a textured coating. Now the textured coating may contain asbestos, and our company has a policy that if we suspect there may be asbestos we have to check the clients asbestos register before starting the job and follow the clients procedures depending on if it's negative or positive. Made the phone call, but it took some time to get a reply back. They did have all the lights working - they just wanted them to work 24/7, so in my mind it was less of an emergency than a little old lady with no power at all.

    The problem for me was one tennant who I think was clearly looking for a fight. She came out of her door and started raging that the lights "had to be on today". I informed her that I was just waiting for a reply on the asbestos report and if it was negative I'd do the job today. In the meantime I was attending to some other jobs in the block that had been reported. This answer wasn't good enough - she thought I was being obstructive and started getting arsy with me. Now I'm used to arsy people. Sometimes they have a point, as they have been lead a merry dance by the powers that be and are angry because of their stupidity. In that case I do all I can for the tennnant. However, in this case it wasn't the PTB's fault.

    The problem in her eyes was that some months ago somebody came and put the sensors in at the request of the tennants, and whoever put them in obviously didn't follow the asbestos procedure so she wanted his name to report him to the health and safety executive. (In fact, the guy who did the work HAD followed the procedure it's just that she wasnt there at the time).

    In the time it took to get a response (some 45 minutes) I had a constant barrage of how the last guy must be prosecuted as he obviously was in the wrong, and she wanted his name. At that point I didn't know if we'd done the original works, who it was or if they had followed the procedure or not, and wasn't about to try and find out as none of that was relevant to the job in hand. Once I'd got the reply back that the ceiling had been tested and was negative she changed her tune! Instead of wanting to prosecute the last guy, she wanted to prosecute me for being obstructive and awkward in refusing to do a very simple job as requested. I repeatedly had tried to explain the procedure to her, but she just kept changing her tune and constantly railing at me.

    In the end, I decided that it was too dark to start the job, as if I turned the lights off to do it there may have been an accident as a result, so stated that and left. She went apoplectic!

    If she'd just gone into her flat and let me get on with it, even after the barrage of abuse I'd have done the job. But the result of it is that her block will now be charged for both calls. I think the other residents won't be too pleased with her.
  • Margo ChanningMargo Channing Posts: 5,240
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    "I've been trying to call your company over the last few days why haven't you answered?"

    BECAUSE ITS BLOODY CHRISTMAS YOU IDIOT.

    I mean ffs we even had an automated message stating when we would be open again.
  • miss_zeldamiss_zelda Posts: 589
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    Haha, this thread's brilliant. I really couldn't work as a shop assistant again, too many nutcases out there!
  • rockerchickrockerchick Posts: 9,255
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    A few months ago i broke a money box in birthdays, i did offer to pay for it. But they were all over loaded onto this shelf and just blowing on them could have knocked them off! (ok slight over exaturation there but you get my point!)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,068
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    Button62 wrote: »
    Nor was the one who came in and clicked her fingers at my daughter and bellowed " Service over here girl "

    I was walking past the self checkouts yesterday when there was a customer at one of them (we have 20 of them, and they were right up the other end). There were 4 staff working on the self checkouts but rather than waiting for someone to come over this woman clicked her fingers and shouted "oi, you, here, now". I walked past ignoring her and told the self checkout attendants not to assist her.

    The other customer that really ground my gears this week as a woman who walked up behind me, poked me in the side and said "I need a lightbulb", I replied "I don't serve customers that poke me" and walked off. She walked out :)
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