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Shop assistants talking instead of serving

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 12,830
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in General Discussion #1
There was this guy in this shop and he was talking to someone else and other people were waiting to be served in a queue and he just goes on and on and seems to ignore the queue. They do this a lot and it might cost customers, who might say, I can get service elsewhere.
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    Pumping IronPumping Iron Posts: 29,891
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    #2
    Should be on the 'trivial things that annoy you greatly' thread, but I agree with you OP, it's bloody irritating!
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    eluf38eluf38 Posts: 4,874
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    #3
    If someone did that to me, I would walk up to the counter, place my purchase on it and say 'Excuse me, we're waiting to be served.'
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    CravenHavenCravenHaven Posts: 13,953
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    #4
    the more peter tards, the more my brain higgies
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    Bex_123Bex_123 Posts: 10,783
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    #5
    CravenHaven wrote: »
    the more peter tards, the more my brain higgies

    :D There is actually a dedicated thread in Chatter made by the mods for all the wonderful Petertardisms. I think there might be a Higgy one soon.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,837
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    #6
    They do this in my local Tesco at the kiosk. 3 tills, only one open and not serving as whoever is on it is busy having a conversation about nothing to do with work. You are not being paid to do that.
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    rbdcayrbdcay Posts: 12,041
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    #7
    My pet peeve is when they are actually at the counter serving and still have to have a conversation with the person (co-worker) nearby. It's not as if the person purchasing stuff matters right.
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    tim59tim59 Posts: 47,188
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    #8
    Was the shop assistant talking and dealing with a customer or a friend, if a customer what did you want him to do leave that customer and deal with the others
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    cas1977cas1977 Posts: 6,399
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    #9
    This is a spanish custom as well. Very often, the shop assistant will be irritatingly slow due to her talking to the customer as she's scanning the ítems across, and even when the money is being very slowly exchanged, they're still gassing and when it's 35º outside and you're standing in the queue with melting icecream, it's really bloody aggravating.

    But the worst is whenever there's a baby in a pushchair with the customer, because they'll always stop to admire the baby and that then lengthens the conversation by another few minutes.........
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    hyperstarspongehyperstarsponge Posts: 16,717
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    #10
    They should serve then talk when its empty.
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    skp20040skp20040 Posts: 66,874
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    #11
    petertard wrote: »
    There was this guy in this shop and he was talking to someone else and other people were waiting to be served in a queue and he just goes on and on and seems to ignore the queue. They do this a lot and it might cost customers, who might say, I can get service elsewhere.

    If the someone else was a customer then other customers will have to wait their turn , just as others will when they are being served, that's correct and fair.

    If however they were chatting with another colleague and ignoring customers and if it has really got up your nose and you can shop elsewhere without inconvenience I would go and get the most expensive item in the shop, walk up to them and say "this is what I was going to buy if you had served me , now I will get it elsewhere" and leave it with them as you leave (but only if you don't need to shop there again)
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 842
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    #12
    Can you blame them for not putting an effort in!

    I wouldn't on the wages they are on, so what the hell you can't bash them when they are on such low pay.

    Chill out next time and remember a shop assistant is only good as there hourly wage!
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    skp20040skp20040 Posts: 66,874
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    #13
    cynet wrote: »
    Can you blame them for not putting an effort in!

    I wouldn't on the wages they are on, so what the hell you can't bash them when they are on such low pay.

    Chill out next time and remember a shop assistant is only good as there hourly wage!

    "If a job is worth doing it's worth doing well " being at the lower end of a pay scale should not mean you offer bad service, and if you do you are unlikely to progress to a better position.
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    CaptainObvious_CaptainObvious_ Posts: 3,881
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    #14
    skp20040 wrote: »
    If the someone else was a customer then other customers will have to wait their turn , just as others will when they are being served, that's correct and fair.

    off topic really, but you'd think people would wait their turn when a customer is being served but at my work in a small shop, people try and pay for their stuff by handing money over whilst I'm still putting the previous customer's stuff through the till. I find that horribly rude especially as I can't just take their money, I need to scan their item before they can leave.

    Why would someone do that? :confused:

    on topic: yes, I find it very annoying when a shop assistant talks to another SA and effectively ignores me whilst serving me. I do my best to provide good service whilst at work, why can't they?
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    RellyRelly Posts: 3,469
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    #15
    My name's Scott wrote: »
    They do this in my local Tesco at the kiosk. 3 tills, only one open and not serving as whoever is on it is busy having a conversation about nothing to do with work. You are not being paid to do that.

    And mine, actually. Three assistants behind the combined lottery/cigs/customer service counter, all working on tills. I had to ask the one serving me three times before she got my order right because she was busy gassing with the others about holidays and gossip and nights out etc whilst trying to serve me. There was a long queue behind me, too, and the staff were just oblivious. Unbelievable.
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    degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    #16
    Pumping Iron wrote: »
    Should be on the 'trivial things that annoy you greatly' thread, but I agree with you OP, it's bloody irritating!
    It should be but I also agree :D
    tim59 wrote: »
    Was the shop assistant talking and dealing with a customer or a friend, if a customer what did you want him to do leave that customer and deal with the others
    Both in some case.
    It can be a colleague who is shopping at the end of their shift and they stand there chatting while others are waiting.

    They might be doing something, like packing their bag or getting money from their purse but because they are chatting it takes much longer that it should.
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    TelevisionUserTelevisionUser Posts: 41,417
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    #17
    petertard wrote: »
    There was this guy in this shop and he was talking to someone else and other people were waiting to be served in a queue and he just goes on and on and seems to ignore the queue. They do this a lot and it might cost customers, who might say, I can get service elsewhere.

    I more often see it the other way round with a rude customer yakking into a mobile phone whilst at the checkout till.
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    SylviaSylvia Posts: 14,586
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    #18
    If the assistant is ignoring me and talking to her mate I don't put the money into her hand when she holds it out till she stops talking.
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    GPWGPW Posts: 3,386
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    #19
    Bigger piss is the customer who insist on talking on the mobile whilst been served or trying to pay at the same time.
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    dearmrmandearmrman Posts: 21,517
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    #20
    I have done this in the past, but only when a customer is late into the shop, and have not quite finished after official closing time....the way I see it then, is that you are making me late, and you are now on my time so I will serve you when I am good and ready. During normal hours you should not ignore a customer.
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    degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    #21
    dearmrman wrote: »
    I have done this in the past, but only when a customer is late into the shop, and have not quite finished after official closing time....the way I see it then, is that you are making me late, and you are now on my time so I will serve you when I am good and ready. During normal hours you should not ignore a customer.
    They are making you late so you purposely make yourself more late?
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    dearmrmandearmrman Posts: 21,517
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    #22
    degsyhufc wrote: »
    They are making you late so you purposely make yourself more late?

    But i'm not in a rush, it's just the principal of the fact they are making me late.
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    performingmonkperformingmonk Posts: 20,086
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    #23
    petertard wrote: »
    There was this guy in this shop and he was talking to someone else and other people were waiting to be served in a queue and he just goes on and on and seems to ignore the queue. They do this a lot and it might cost customers, who might say, I can get service elsewhere.

    "Yeah I'm very sorry about that...

    So, anyway, it was five minutes into the second half when Johnny... hang on, this guy's still waiting to be served, one sec...*puts coffee down* You know you can pay at another till if you like...? Thanks! :confused: So, like I was saying..."

    If I have an important convo to continue with you can stuff getting served! :cool:
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    jazzyjazzyjazzyjazzy Posts: 4,865
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    #24
    cas1977 wrote: »
    This is a spanish custom as well. Very often, the shop assistant will be irritatingly slow due to her talking to the customer as she's scanning the ítems across, and even when the money is being very slowly exchanged, they're still gassing and when it's 35º outside and you're standing in the queue with melting icecream, it's really bloody aggravating.

    But the worst is whenever there's a baby in a pushchair with the customer, because they'll always stop to admire the baby and that then lengthens the conversation by another few minutes.........

    They really do my head in in Spain - went in Mercadona today and the cashier was having a conversation with someone stood at the side of her till and the woman she was serving joined in with them. Consequently the shopper was not filling her shopping trolley so had to wait until she did that then realised her purse was at the bottom of the trolley so had to empty it again. This all went on without a pause in the conversation.

    Also hate it when they leave their trolley at the belt then go off down the shop to get something else and come back and shout because you have moved the trolley because the cashier wanted to scan my goods as the owner of the trolley was not there. Quite a normal way of shopping where I live in Spain.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 478
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    #25
    dearmrman wrote: »
    But i'm not in a rush, it's just the principal of the fact they are making me late.

    Does your shift actually finish the moment the store closes?
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    rbdcayrbdcay Posts: 12,041
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    #26
    GPW wrote: »
    Bigger piss is the customer who insist on talking on the mobile whilst been served or trying to pay at the same time.
    dearmrman wrote: »
    I have done this in the past, but only when a customer is late into the shop, and have not quite finished after official closing time....the way I see it then, is that you are making me late, and you are now on my time so I will serve you when I am good and ready. During normal hours you should not ignore a customer.

    Clearly retail is not for you. And people wonder what is wrong with customer service these days.
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