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

ElCepilloElCepillo Posts: 558
Forum Member
✭✭
FairySnuff wrote: »
I wish some people realised how their rudeness can actually affect an entire persons day.

For example yesterday. End of my shift, about to go home when a lady buys some flowers. I happily serve her and she asks if we have any gift wrapping for them. I politely explain that we were unfortunately out of the flower paper (and had been all day - everyone else had accepted this as no big deal)

She decided to kick off about it, saying how ridiculous it was for a high profile retailer (work in a large supermarket) to not have any flower paper and what a disgrace it was. She demanded to see the store manager, who was unfortunately busy at the time so I took her wrath. She stormed off and picked up a roll of wrapping paper off the shop floor, slammed it down in front of me and literally demanded her flowers be wrapped in it, with the words "I'm not paying for it, The store manager can pay for it."

I was so flabbergasted by her behaviour! I wrapped her flowers for her in the wrapping paper she picked up, and I didn't even get a thank you. All she said was I'd made her late for a birthday party. The next customer was also shocked by her attitude.

I'd been working for 8 hours and this one unsufferably rude lady completely ruined my day - it puts you in such a foul mood! :mad: I just wish people realised this before being so horrible. At the end of the day, yes my job is to serve people but I expect to be treated at least with some respect. :eek:

You should have, in a very polite and clear way, refused to serve her for behaving in such a way. Simple as that really.

«134567122

Comments

  • KnowAll27KnowAll27 Posts: 2,639
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Based on the scenario and customer depicted, I imagine refusing to serve her (no matter how politely) would have resulted in her causing an enormous fuss, possibly involving management and/or an official complaint.

    Unfortunately it's often easier to grit your teeth and carry on with it and get the unpleasent wench away from you as soon as possible rather than risk even more hassle, not to mention risking your job, just because you feel as though you should be shown a little dignity and respect by a fellow human being.
  • ElCepilloElCepillo Posts: 558
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    KnowAll27 wrote: »
    Based on the scenario and customer depicted, I imagine refusing to serve her (no matter how politely) would have resulted in her causing an enormous fuss, possibly involving management and/or an official complaint.

    Unfortunately it's often easier to grit your teeth and carry on with it and get the unpleasent wench away from you as soon as possible rather than risk even more hassle, not to mention risking your job, just because you feel as though you should be shown a little dignity and respect by a fellow human being.

    Self respect is more important than your job. As a retail survivor, I'm glad I got through it and out, having never had to bite my tounge or kiss anyone's arse.
  • SomnerSomner Posts: 9,412
    Forum Member
    Why split the thread? :confused:
  • Gordie1Gordie1 Posts: 6,993
    Forum Member
    Had a customer in the shop yesterday.

    Customer: Picks up a jar of beetroot off the shelf, and holds it up, "er excuse me do you sell these here"

    Me: Yes, we do madam.

    Customer: "Oh ....right", puts Beetroot back on shelf and walks out.

    Sometimes the mind boggles.:confused:
  • KnowAll27KnowAll27 Posts: 2,639
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    ElCepillo wrote: »
    Self respect is more important than your job. As a retail survivor, I'm glad I got through it and out, having never had to bite my tounge or kiss anyone's arse.

    Lucky you!

    I find I have to bite my tongue on a regular basis, especially at the moment working in a newsagent & stationery shop with the back-to-school promotion in full swing. Why the parents can't tell their little 'darlings' that if they want to fight and sulk the whole way through the shop, up the queue, and throughout the transaction about the choice of stationery then they (the 'darlings') can pay for it themselves is completely beyond me. When I was younger I took what I was given by my mother and that was it, no discussion!

    I draw the line at arse-kissing though!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,341
    Forum Member
    Gordie1 wrote: »
    Had a customer in the shop yesterday.

    Customer: Picks up a jar of beetroot off the shelf, and holds it up, "er excuse me do you sell these here".:confused:

    You've got to be shitting me!!!
    Either they were high, stoned, tripping, drunk or so bored they decided to waste thier own time.
  • ElCepilloElCepillo Posts: 558
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    motsy wrote: »
    You've got to be shitting me!!!
    Either she was high, stoned, tripping, drunk or so bored she decided to waste thier own time.


    Sounds to me like they wanted a reason to interact with the assistant. Maybe she has a crush or something. But yeah, all those are options too.
  • ElCepilloElCepillo Posts: 558
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    KnowAll27 wrote: »
    Lucky you!

    I find I have to bite my tongue on a regular basis, especially at the moment working in a newsagent & stationery shop with the back-to-school promotion in full swing. Why the parents can't tell their little 'darlings' that if they want to fight and sulk the whole way through the shop, up the queue, and throughout the transaction about the choice of stationery then they (the 'darlings') can pay for it themselves is completely beyond me. When I was younger I took what I was given by my mother and that was it, no discussion!

    I draw the line at arse-kissing though!


    All I can say is that I really hope that part of my soul taken by working in retail for as long as I did, will eventually grow back!

    And yeah, probably best to bite your lip.
  • tortfeasortortfeasor Posts: 7,000
    Forum Member
    Gordie1 wrote: »
    Had a customer in the shop yesterday.

    Customer: Picks up a jar of beetroot off the shelf, and holds it up, "er excuse me do you sell these here"

    Me: Yes, we do madam.

    Customer: "Oh ....right", puts Beetroot back on shelf and walks out.

    Sometimes the mind boggles.:confused:

    New techniques in mystery shopping perhaps?

    There is a Morrisons about 5 minutes away from my work place and I decided to pop in to pick up a few provisions whilst on my lunch break the other day. I was walking down one of the aisles and scanning the shelves when I overheard (the customer was ranting at an excessive volume) a mean-spirited lady bellowing at an employee because they didn't stock a particular item. She must have said, "Tesco have it" at least twice. Somehow I resisted the urge to screech, "well bugger off to Tesco then" at her.

    I couldn't work in retail these days - my patience is at an all-time low as it is.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,760
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    I remember a proffesional looking American lady pointed at a price tag of a baby T-shirt that was priced at £7 and aksed me:

    "Why does it say 7 on there?"

    I mean seriously, come on. Questions like that leave me speechless sometimes. The number 7 had a pound sign next to it, therefore it signified the price. Was she not familiar with the concept of pricing? I gave her a weird look and said "It means it costs £7"
  • CeeOCeeO Posts: 860
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    I treat snotty little brat customers with the contempt they deserve - they get the absolute minimum effort, a little sarcasm, and no 'go the extra mile' unlike decent ones who I always try to give 110 %
    I try not to let arsey people ruin my day, I just consider them irrelevant nobodies and hope they never darken the doorstep of our establishment again.
  • Elphie_LivesElphie_Lives Posts: 4,455
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    The amount of people that expect me to just be able to magic their coffees as soon as they order it, infuriates me. I'm by far the least violent person, and I want to murder them,when they sigh and look at their watches. Especially when there is a massive queue.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,139
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    ElCepillo wrote: »
    You should have, in a very polite and clear way, refused to serve her for behaving in such a way. Simple as that really.


    The sad thing is, if I'd done that she would have most likely demanded to see the store manager and when he showed up he would have just told me to wrap the flowers. At the end of the day they just want to get the customer out of the way as soon as possible and with the least fuss, and if they have to completely undermine me, then they will happily do it. :(
  • DinkyDooDinkyDoo Posts: 3,588
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    FairySnuff wrote: »
    The sad thing is, if I'd done that she would have most likely demanded to see the store manager and when he showed up he would have just told me to wrap the flowers. At the end of the day they just want to get the customer out of the way as soon as possible and with the least fuss, and if they have to completely undermine me, then they will happily do it. :(

    See I dont think my manager would have done it, we dont wrap flowers where I work, we have flower bags if customers want them. Am almost certain that my manager would have made customer pay for the paper and wrap the flowers themselves, Rudeness gets you nowhere where I work which is how it should be, as the saying goes you catch more bees with honey, more customers should realise you will get more by being nice about stuff.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,788
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    someone where i work was looking at a solar powered charger, got me over to ask me a question

    Customer - "excuse me, i'm going to New Zealand on holiday...will this work there?"

    yes, its solar powered
  • parsleyisfunparsleyisfun Posts: 4,164
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    kenda11 wrote: »
    someone where i work was looking at a solar powered charger, got me over to ask me a question

    Customer - "excuse me, i'm going to New Zealand on holiday...will this work there?"

    yes, its solar powered

    :D:D:D

    You should have replied "No, New Zealand lives in total darkness" :D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,139
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    DinkyDoo wrote: »
    See I dont think my manager would have done it, we dont wrap flowers where I work, we have flower bags if customers want them. Am almost certain that my manager would have made customer pay for the paper and wrap the flowers themselves, Rudeness gets you nowhere where I work which is how it should be, as the saying goes you catch more bees with honey, more customers should realise you will get more by being nice about stuff.

    I wish I could say the same about the managers at the store where I work. 9 times out of 10 they'll give customers whatever they want to shut them up.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,341
    Forum Member
    laska wrote: »
    I remember a proffesional looking American lady pointed at a price tag of a baby T-shirt that was priced at £7 and aksed me:

    "Why does it say 7 on there?"

    I mean seriously, come on. Questions like that leave me speechless sometimes. The number 7 had a pound sign next to it, therefore it signified the price. Was she not familiar with the concept of pricing? I gave her a weird look and said "It means it costs £7"

    WTF????? YOU HAVE TO BE ******* ME!! She obviously had noting better to do with her time.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,341
    Forum Member
    The amount of people that expect me to just be able to magic their coffees as soon as they order it, infuriates me. I'm by far the least violent person, and I want to murder them,when they sigh and look at their watches. Especially when there is a massive queue.

    I don't think I've said this but it's like working on a shop floor. Staff are also expected to be eabler to work miracles as well as do different things as once, mindlessly kowtow to the precious customers and be hoplelessly docile towards them.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,760
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    motsy wrote: »
    WTF????? YOU HAVE TO BE ******* ME!! She obviously had noting better to do with her time.

    I know....it left me speechless.

    The thing was, she wasn't some weirdo or dumb tourist. This was a very smart looking 40+ lady in a suit and very well spoken. But god help us all if someone like her can't figure out the basics.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,760
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    The amount of people that expect me to just be able to magic their coffees as soon as they order it, infuriates me. I'm by far the least violent person, and I want to murder them,when they sigh and look at their watches. Especially when there is a massive queue.

    I can only imagine how stressful it must be working in coffee shop where you are supposed to take the payment, wait while the customer fafs around barking instructions at you such as "skinny, decaff, sprinkle of that and sprinkle of this etc" and then make the actual drink.

    People! Have some common sense, ofcourse this is going to take time.......quite frankly if you have the time to go into a coffee shop during busy peak hours in the first place, then you should have the time to wait a bit longer. Huffing and puffing and sighing whilst looking at your watch isn't going to make your coffee appear faster. You are just streesing out the person working behind the counter and being an ass!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 258
    Forum Member
    I work as a Volunteer at the PDSA charity shop but do the usual retail jobs like working on the till, stocking the shelves, helping customers etc.
    Anyway it's not something that annoys me particularly about customers as a whole but I always get the random odd people (mostly older men) who come in and basically take the biscuit.

    Like this one man, I think he came in round 10'o'clock on a Friday morning. He first walked round the shop in circles for a good hour (the shop is not even big so it's noticeable), then he walked towards me where I am on the till serving customers and stared. It honestly was very intimidating when you can imagine your on the till taking money out and placing items in bags and you've got this guy at the corner just staring at you, uhhh.

    Anyway after there wasn't a cue any more, he walked up and asked where the jeans were, told him where it was, then he walked back with a pair and threw it on the desk (rude?:mad:) and went 'do you think this would fit me?'. I asked him for his waist & leg size which he answered and then I said that these jeans wouldn't fit. He then placed them back and brought another pair and asked the same thing again. Let me tell you he spent almost the rest of my shift that morning (9am-1pm) on going back and forth with a new pair of jeans asking the exact same question:yawn::cry:. He finally did leave only to leave behind about 3 pairs of jeans on the floor and two on the desk. The best part was he didn't even buy anything in the end.:confused:

    Looking back at it now, it was funny but if I keep having more customers like that, I'll probably loose the will to live :rolleyes:
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,760
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Nurse M wrote: »
    I work as a Volunteer at the PDSA charity shop but do the usual retail jobs like working on the till, stocking the shelves, helping customers etc.
    Anyway it's not something that annoys me particularly about customers as a whole but I always get the random odd people (mostly older men) who come in and basically take the biscuit.

    Like this one man, I think he came in round 10'o'clock on a Friday morning. He first walked round the shop in circles for a good hour (the shop is not even big so it's noticeable), then he walked towards me where I am on the till serving customers and stared. It honestly was very intimidating when you can imagine your on the till taking money out and placing items in bags and you've got this guy at the corner just staring at you, uhhh.

    Anyway after there wasn't a cue any more, he walked up and asked where the jeans were, told him where it was, then he walked back with a pair and threw it on the desk (rude?:mad:) and went 'do you think this would fit me?'. I asked him for his waist & leg size which he answered and then I said that these jeans wouldn't fit. He then placed them back and brought another pair and asked the same thing again. Let me tell you he spent almost the rest of my shift that morning (9am-1pm) on going back and forth with a new pair of jeans asking the exact same question:yawn::cry:. He finally did leave only to leave behind about 3 pairs of jeans on the floor and two on the desk. The best part was he didn't even buy anything in the end.:confused:

    Looking back at it now, it was funny but if I keep having more customers like that, I'll probably loose the will to live :rolleyes:

    What a time wasting idiot.

    I still don't get how people can so hopeless and not know their size....I mean come on, surely he's bought jeans/troursers before? How can you not know your size?

    If he doesn't know what will fit him, then how can you?!
  • ElCepilloElCepillo Posts: 558
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Some fat sweaty bloke once picked up a bottle that said 100% pure Orange Juice on it, then asked me what the ingredients were....
  • Alt-F4Alt-F4 Posts: 10,960
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    ElCepillo wrote: »
    Some fat sweaty bloke once picked up a bottle that said 100% pure Orange Juice on it, then asked me what the ingredients were....

    I hope you said "concentrate on the carton"
This discussion has been closed.