Why do we suffer rude and ignorant waitress and shop assistants

Gingerspice99

Arrrrrrrrrghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

This is driving me mad :mad:

I hate the service you receive when you go into shops like its too much trouble for the shop assistant.

The same goes for cafes or restaurants - you order your meal they take an eternity for them to bring your drinks - they never make eye contact and walk away when you are talking to them.

I am not tarring them all with the same brush but good service is not the norm and I feel it should be. Simple manners and taking time to pay attention to your customers either in a shop or restaurant should be standard.

In the USA the waitresses and shop assistant earn a very small basic wage and the majority of there salary is made up of commission or tips. If the same rules were applied here you can be damn sure the service would improve.

What do you all think

aidan_walsh

Complain.

That is all.

Ruu_Old

If you get crap service, don't bother returning and go somewhere else with your money. Simple.

Agreed. Complain, let them know you won't be coming back then stick to your word.

It is disgraceful though. Can't stand the way these franchise shops ALL stock the same crap, and they all shout "NEXT please" before they've even handed you your change.

demanufactured

When you do complain they look at you like you have 3 heads :mad:

And this sort of service or should I say lack of it is the norm so you eventually run out of places to go

Next time it happens I am going to be their wooooorst nightmare

The Queen

Im a shop assistant! Im nice! Usually. Sometimes you get an absolute cnut of a customer who puts you into a seriously fowl mood... Which sometimes can be taken out on the next customer. Apologies to all I have scorned!

I know what you mean though. I find bar/cafe/resteraunt staff to be the worst. For the most part, they are really rude. The places I've been to anyway!

I used to work in Dunnes and we used to say the same about the customers.
Why are they so stupid?, why will they not believe me when I tell them somethings out of stock? Why do they come in here and talk down to you like your a three year old. Think about your own crap attitude next time your in a shop. Most people working there will treat the customer the same way the customer treats them.

Gingerspice99

Like I said I'm tarring you all with the same brush

But to get good service is surprising and your right restaurant/bar staff are the worst

Oh and something else that really bugs me is you put your €20 into the hand of the guys serving you and they put your change onto the counter even though you have your hand out :mad: :mad: :mad:

C.D.

Deleted User wrote:

I used to work in Dunnes and we used to say the same about the customers.
Why are they so stupid?, why will they not believe me when I tell them somethings out of stock? Why do they come in here and talk down to you like your a three year old. Think about your own crap attitude next time your in a shop. Most people working there will treat the customer the same way the customer treats them.

I've worked part-time (am in uni) for 3 years in different sectors of retail- while some places you will get abusive staff, the staff are merely an extension of the poor conditions and treatment from managers. It just gets passed down the line.

Personally, and in my experience of places that pay commission, you get treated the way you treat the staff. I've held positions just under management, and the second I got attitude or abuse, I switched it on, threw it back and have ended up barring people from stores.

Interestingly enough, I find that it is the wealthier clientele who tend to look down on retail staff and come in with an awful attitude. If somebody treats me like dirt, they can expect the same from me, and trust me the customer isn't always right- the amount of stupid questions/complaints/problems with computers I've received from customers who won't accept that they could be wrong.

The Queen

Oh and something else that really bugs me is you put your €20 into the hand of the guys serving you and they put your change onto the counter even though you have your hand out

GAH!!! AH! Customers always just throw their money on the counter, and then complain when you do the same. WTF?! Treat as you'd like to be treated. I hate when they stick out their hand full of change and say count it out there love.. Its €25 in 50cents and 20cents.. grrrr...

Why are they so stupid?, why will they not believe me when I tell them somethings out of stock? Why do they come in here and talk down to you like your a three year old. Think about your own crap attitude next time your in a shop. Most people working there will treat the customer the same way the customer treats them.

They treat you like a servant. It's really annoying - yes Im sure it's out of stock. Why? Because the computer says OUT OF STOCK! LOOK! *hits customer with computer*


Ahhhhh.

Gingerspice99

Deleted User wrote:

I used to work in Dunnes and we used to say the same about the customers.
Why are they so stupid?, why will they not believe me when I tell them somethings out of stock? Why do they come in here and talk down to you like your a three year old. Think about your own crap attitude next time your in a shop. Most people working there will treat the customer the same way the customer treats them.

I work in a customer service based job so know what it is like to be on the receiving end of some pretty irrate customers, I am alway polite and make eye contact and treat everyone as I would like to be treated. And dont even get me started on the staff in Dunnes in my area, you would think the older generation would be more respectful oh no they are really the ones who think its more than their jobs worth to be nice and like they are owed a living.

I would love to say something to them but have a bit more respect then they do, no please thank you or kiss me arse

Sad Professor

I work in a shop and I do try to be nice to customers but I sometimes, eh, slip up . Dealing with the public can be an exhausting and frustrating job. Management treat you like a number, and tbh when your serving several hundred customers a day it's hard not treat them like a number as well. Everything just becomes a big blur. Some people are just better at faking it then others.

Oh yeah, the manager will love that. They will be all nice to you and everything but wont do a thing about it.

Binomate

Go and complain to the manager that the till operator didn't say good morning to you. It will humor him. Seriously, some people are assholes. The act of aquiring a job in a shop doesn't change the person in to your super friendly perfect service man.

I work in a shop on the tills I've had to deal with more ignorant customers than I've had to deal with ignorant workers. How about we talk about the people who complain to you about prices, as if you were on comission or something and there was some grand plot to rip them off by a couple of cent, or just how in general customers are absolutly braind dead and retarded.

shane86

Deleted User wrote:

I, why will they not believe me when I tell them somethings out of stock?

Because it usually isnt?

Come on, we all know its easier for a staff member to say out of stock than do the favour of going to the warehouse for it. My local Dunnes never has what i want (Atlantic Homecare takes the biscuit, i went there on three occasions last near, for a bike lock/chain, to get a key cut and to buy a plunger for the bath blockage. They had none of them each time Miles of floor space and not three of the most common things yid go there for?!!??). And what is it with Dunnes offy and green rizla, they never seem to stock it.

And another thing, how come female shop assistants, even the friendly ones who said hello and smiled, never pack the bag for you if you buy a plastic bag, but a young lad behind the counter nearly always will?

Minor thing but these lazy bitches get my goat

Actually i remember once bringing a frozen Goodfellas back to Dunnes for a "no fuss" refund, or so the receipt claimed. The pizza meat was brownish-red and crusty, as if it had thawed and been re frosted before sale.

Me "Id like to return this please"
Oul cnutface "Why?"
Me "Well, the meat and pineapple doesnt look the best, it doesnt look very fresh"
O.C "Its frozen pizza, its not meant to be fresh"

I wasnt sure what to say to this ignorance. I regret having not either debated the definition of fresh or telling her to shove her pizza and her attitude up her own stinking fishbox. Grr :mad:

Gauge

Deleted User wrote:

Why are they so stupid?, why will they not believe me when I tell them somethings out of stock?

But can't you check in the back??? *whinge*

The majority of customers are nice people just going about their day, however I have been working part time in retail for a while and have experienced a worryingly large amount of customers who seem to think the best way to get something is to terrify the sales assistant and make her cry, to curse and rage if something does not go their way, who are incredibly ignorant of their consumer rights (no, you ARE NOT ENTITLED TO A REFUND, I don't care how loudly you scream about your 'rights'), sexist*... I could go on.

People who have clearly never worked a day of retail/service in their lives- I think this would be a much nicer country if everyone had to do a stint in a job dealing with the general public!

I try to keep myself in a good mood when working, but it's very difficult to stay that way when people treat you like sh!t- and it happens at least once a day

*Edit: Aaaand, you can check the post above mine for an example! Lovely!

Faerie

I work part-time in a supermarket and customers are generally ruder than shop assistants. Most customers look down on us and think they are buying status with their shopping. As the Queen said they really do treat us like servants and expect us to act like servants!
I'm always polite and helpful and say hello and thank you, but I'm not particularly friendly. That's just my personality! I'm shy and I hate small talk so excuse me if I don't natter away.
I find most shop assistants and restaurant staff polite enough. There are of course plenty of rude ones but customers are much worse. They expect too much anyway. I hear people complaining about staff talking to each other - I don't care if they talk to each other. As long as they're doing their job properly and are polite who cares if they are. I think people need to just relax and realise that the person serving them their lunch or sitting behind the checkout are people too. They are your equals and are providing a service.

One of the things that really pissed me off were the people who came into the shop looking for somethin that we didnt ever sell. When you told them that we never stocked it, they wouldnt believe you, then tell you again and then invariably tell you that their friend got whatever item it was here last week.
You know they are wrong and the customer knows they are wrong but they steadfast will not acknowledge it. Then they sometimes demand to know why we dont stock it. As if you could just snaap ypur fingers and a truck full of what they wanted would just appear!
And people wonder why shop staff can be so sullen. Its because we spent all f****** day dealing with retards. It tends to wear people down. That said. if someone came up to me and asked me something poliely I would have gone out of my way to do something for them.

Faerie

shane86 wrote:

And another thing, how come female shop assistants, ven the friendly ones who said hello and smiled, never pack the bag for you if you buy a plastic bag, but a young lad behind the counter nearly always will?

Minor thing but these lazy bitches get my goat

Are you incapable of packing your own bag? Are we there to serve you like a servant? I help always and pack for old people but we have to mess about with change and we're tired from packing all day. You however shop just once in the day presumably and it's not much effort to pack your own bag. You're the lazy one.

In dunnes when the checkout queues were getting a bit long all the floor staff were sent down to checkouts to pack bags and speed up the checkouts. Noody wanted to do it though.

shane86

They always did it back in the day, its only since the intro of the bag levy. If sitting at a till scanning items is "hard" work try most of the other menial jobs out there and see how long you last (was shunted to the fast food trade myself with Dunnes having rejected an application in my youth )

And yes, while I am grabbing my money it would be good if they at least started packing it, rather than standing with arms folded/waffling to their mate on the other till.

stepbar

Funny enough, in Dunnes its the young Irish ones who seem to think "this job is beneath me". Any of the foreign girls behind the cash tills seem to have no problem saying hello. If the same attidute was prevalent in a bank (for arguments sake), the said bank wouldnt have too many customers.

Red Alert

I've noticed a real downturn in the standard of service I'm getting in many places. I've had two experiences of working retail - one in a builder's supply where I was security guard followed by customer service guy, and the other as a sales assistant in BT2. In both shops, it was expected that you greeted the customer, were courteous and behaved in a friendly manner. Both stores also required that you were neat and tidy - I'm downright apalled at the standard of personal grooming and hygiene I see many stores. Both also only appointed people who seemed friendly and outgoing when interviewed.

However, apart from about five shops I go to, the standard of service everywhere is just awful. It's even worse when you consider that a lot of shops where you might be buying something big, like a laptop, aren't any friendlier either. In Dundrum only a few weeks ago when I went to the food place at a quiet time my order was slammed down in front of me by a rude and brutish individual who never heard the words "please" or "thank you".

I think also for what it's worth that the Polish staff in places seem much nicer and friendlier than the Irish staff.

Sad Professor

shane86 wrote:

Because it usually isnt?

Come on, we all know its easier for a staff member to say out of stock than do the favour of going to the warehouse for it.

I have to admit this is often true. But the problem is a person on the floor or tills probably wouldn't have a clue where in the backstores to look, nevermind how to get it. So you have to ask one the guys out there who are often (where I work anyway) monosyllabic morons who'll simply say "I'm busy" and ignore you. I can't operate a forklift so only other thing I can do is ask a manager who will usually shrug his shoulders and tell me to say we're out of stock.

By this time about 15 minutes have passed and several other customers have asked me to get something or other for them and my supervisor is having a hissy fit calling me over the intercom. So now days I take the easy route, when a customers asks me to check out back I say "no problem", proceed to walk around, have a chat with the checkout girls and go back and say "sorry we don't, etc etc."

Leon11

Because the majority of times in a restaurant/cafe setting they are overworked and have not got the time to be friendly. That sounds like I'm talking crap but when you've got 8 tables to look after that have a 30 min turnaround time a waiter/waitress has to look after up to 16 tables in 60mins.

That's 3mins 45 secs of personal interaction with your table.

That's me

1) taking the order
2) putting it through the system
3) getting drinks
4) bring down starters
5) clear starters and bring mains
6) get more drinks (free refills:mad: )
7) clear mains and may have to make desserts
8) bring bill
9) cash off and reset table

As a waiter it really bugs the crap out of me that I haven't got more time to be more attentive to customers but that's as a result of head offices and restaurant managers setting unrealistic profit forecasts which means front line managers have only X amount of labour hours to work with per night, this means they're also powerless to save customers from crappy service.

Yes there is rude service staff and retail staff, make a point of complaining if they are unnecessarily rude or abrupt. However, if some clown in front of you has done something to piss them off appreciate that they might be upset, it's not as if they can go run off.

Yes customers are rude but I find if a customer is an absolute bollox the best thing to do is turn the situation on them and be a smart arsed prick to them in a nice way When this happens other customers actually commend you which is nice.

Example:

Me and another guy are doing a 46 seater section between us on a friday night. The guy had just taken an order from a table, walked to put the order through and proceeded to have an epileptic seizure. I immediately help the guy and protect his head, anyway luckily there's a nurse in the place so he's moved out the back whilst waiting for the ambulance. I go out to the section and go round table to table asking was everything okay, were they waiting for anything etc. Some fool roars across clicking fingers, I went over and immediately he starts shouting about waiting 15mins for his food. I told him to cop on, it was obvious what had just happened. I made a point of showing him up and embarrassing him in front of 40 odd people, he said it didn't matter that what happened, it wasn't good enough etc, so I just took to talking to his gf/wife and took the order and got it put through.

When he went to the toilet I went over and apologised to his partner for showing her up but she was really nice and told me I was right to do so! Every table that left after that commended me and tipped well too:D

So in closing, crap service generally due to being understaffed. It's not acceptable for customers to get this level of service and i wish that instead of moaning at servers they'd get head office or the restaurant managers address and write a letter of complaint about the shortage of staff. I guarantee that the lack of staff would instantly be resolved.

As for staff being rude for no reason complain to the shift manager about the employee and never return. Again a letter of complaint about a rude employee is taken very seriuosly when you threaten not to return with your money.

Fighting Irish

Gingerspice99 wrote:

Arrrrrrrrrghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

This is driving me mad :mad:

I hate the service you receive when you go into shops like its too much trouble for the shop assistant.

The same goes for cafes or restaurants - you order your meal they take an eternity for them to bring your drinks - they never make eye contact and walk away when you are talking to them.

I am not tarring them all with the same brush but good service is not the norm and I feel it should be. Simple manners and taking time to pay attention to your customers either in a shop or restaurant should be standard.

In the USA the waitresses and shop assistant earn a very small basic wage and the majority of there salary is made up of commission or tips. If the same rules were applied here you can be damn sure the service would improve.

What do you all think

No thanks

constitutionus

pay ****e you get ****e.

Gingerspice99

I've had my fair share of awkward and ignorant customers but that doesn't mean I am the same way when I am a customer.

I'm not asking for small talk just a plain ole please and thank you would do me

and when you ask a question not to have someone roll their eyes at you and sigh then give you as little help as possible - as I have said already said (twice I think ) its not all the people in the customer service industry but I have come across more than my fair share of bad ones in a large town.

I have come to the conclusion after reading all your responses - all valid of course as they are based on your own personal experiences, that there is a growing minority of people that really dont give a **** how they treat others and its getting worse.

The Queen

shane86 wrote:

Because it usually isnt?

Atlantic Homecare takes the biscuit, i went there on three occasions last near, for a bike lock/chain, to get a key cut and to buy a plunger for the bath blockage. They had none of them each time Miles of floor space and not three of the most common things yid go there for?!!?

If they are three of the most common things you go there for, that's maybe why they aren't in stock?!

I work in Atlantic in Galway, I know the majority of our suppliers are useless and we never have the most common of stuff in. Leading to customers giving out to me at the Customer Service Desk. Its not my fault. I didn't deliberatly(sp) stop a delivery of hammers coming in. F**k off to Woodies...

Actually, I always find how funny it is when custumers say oh I guess I'll to go to Woodies.. HA! WE'RE OWNED BY THE SAME COMPANY SO UP YOURS!


Mean customers have turned me bitter....

Binomate

I'm appauled by the standards of today. If I go in to a shop and demand they wipe my arse, they look at me funny. The cheek of it all.

ROCKMAN

Faerie wrote:

Are you incapable of packing your own bag? Are we there to serve you like a servant? I help always and pack for old people but we have to mess about with change and we're tired from packing all day. You however shop just once in the day presumably and it's not much effort to pack your own bag. You're the lazy one.

crazy thought, maybe it's your f**king job and you get paid for it.............

marktsang

anyone else think that the staff in tesco in jervis are on a permanet go slow?

i have stopped going that altogether as i dont want to have to wait as long as possible to get served by a grunting clerk.

PeakOutput

Gingerspice99 wrote:

I'm not asking for small talk just a plain ole please and thank you would do me

i was going to just tell you to get over it and go to nicer places BUT this kinda struck me as wierd

besides taking your money they are serving YOU you are the one who should be saying please and thank-you imo........you ask the for a drink you say please they bring it for you they say thank-you.

i have only ever had **** service in places like mcdonalds burger king etc etc and decent restaurant does not tolerate rudeness.....they may not chat with you or smile but they do their jobs as best they can.............this is because they are working for better pay than mcdonalds and are probably working for tips which fast food joints dont neither do shop workers and the vast majority of both are either foreigners who are not looking for a career or people who are working threw summer holidays or mid terms therefore they couldnt give a **** and im sure if i ever worked somewhere like that neither would i

bottom line is if you want better service your going to have to pay more than minimum wage for it

PeakOutput

The Queen wrote:

Actually, I always find how funny it is when custumers say oh I guess I'll to go to Woodies.. HA! WE'RE OWNED BY THE SAME COMPANY SO UP YOURS!


Mean customers have turned me bitter....

since iv realised im out of the place i work in two months anyway i havve stopped bottling up my rage at the stupidity of our customers(its not a shop or restaurant or anything and most of the customers would be between 14-24 so they can take some abuse) it is actually what makes my day go fast at this stage

by the way the customer is almost always WRONG and anyone who thinks a business can work off any other policy is an idiot

PeakOutput

Leon11 wrote:

Me and another guy are doing a 46 seater section between us on a friday night. The guy had just taken an order from a table, walked to put the order through and proceed

<snip>

st happened. I made a point of showing him up and embarrassing him in front of 40 odd people, he said it didn't matter that what happened, it wasn't good enough etc, so I just took to talking to his gf/wife and took the order and got it put through.

fair play to you i would said "so you waiting for 10 mins while we make sure someone does not swallow their tongue and die is not good enough" and if he replied with anything other than "im sorry you are right let us know when you are ready" i would of pretended i couldnt hear him so he had to speak so the rest of the place could hear him

The Queen

ALWAYS wrong! As some else pointed out, customers love the oul oh I was told I could definitley get it here. Who told you? Was it a member of staff? No. We dont stock it.

This thread has quickly turned into an anti-customer thread...

Back OT - so eh yeah, not all shop assistants bad! We just have to endure a lot of bulls**t...

Creamy Goodness

As you mentioned you get great service and manners in America.

But imo if I lived over there I would get so pissed off at their chirpyness and probably go Chuck Norris on them.

It just all fake so you feel like you have to tip. Gah!

SligoBrewer

i was in a cafe/chippy in maynooth earlier on today, and got the most delightful service..

credit where its due infairness... i work at a till myself.. (well kinda) and i no it ain't easy but simple courtesy, and helpfulness goes a long way.

btw.. the cafe was in the really small shopping centre in maynooth.. with the supervalu in it. 10/10 to the staff there:)

mikemac

I feel sorry for the staff sometimes.
In my local Tesco, they sometimes have under 18 staff on some tills so they put big signs stating you can't purchase alcohol at that till.

Considering there's always over 5 tills open it's not big deal.
But every time I'm there at the weekend, the young staff members get roared at as people queue up anyway while ignoring the sign and take react with horror when they are told to join another queue. Tis a tough job.

An appeal to all staff working here.
If there is a self service checkout, please enforce the no trollies and maximum items rules.
I'm tired of seeing people scan trollies of goods at the express self service tills while I'm stuck behind them.

projectmayhem

constitutionus wrote:

pay ****e you get ****e.

i've done the retail thing for about 2 years (on/off) through college und whatnot, and i think the rule is pay ****e, give ****e.

rude staff usually comes down to putting up with complete idiots for the entire shift, while as the customer, you just have to deal with a 20 second interaction whereby you hand over your money and receive goods.

Brian Capture

I've worked in various shops and retail outlets over the years.

I found that the less well-off / poorer people tend to be the rudest.
How do I define 'poor'?
- appearance and accent so not 100% accurate.

I believe that it's cool to say the opposite - that it's the rich people treat you like crap. But that's not my experience.

No its true, the "well to do" in my experience usually did treat the people working in our shop like crap. Very condescending, rude etc.

shay_562

I've gotta side with the "customers are idiots" way of thinking, tbh. I've worked in various customer service jobs on and off for the last few years, and have had to deal with a phenomenal amount of ignorant, rude and astonishingly dim customers in that time. People who misread "Special Offer" signs and then take out their anger on me; people who don't understand why they can't return their broken MP3 player without the receipt, box or earphones (and a woman who, honest to God, wanted both a full refund and a replacement item); people who can't be bothered to look for stuff on the shelves themselves and demand you fetch it for them, despite the rather large queue building up behind them; people who bitch about the price of what they're buying (as if I can actually control that); and so on, and so forth. Thankfully, I'm working in a storeroom at the moment at Argos, but I had to cover on the collection counter yesterday and it reminded me of just why I was so happy to get away from customers.

The thing is, it's not even the stupid questions that bother me. We all have our stupid moments, and if someone's polite and friendly then I'm always polite and friendly back to them. It's the sheer rudeness that most people display when dealing with service staff that gets me - people assume if you're on the minimum wage then you can't possibly have had more than a primary school education and, when you tell them you can't help them, will either repeat their request slower and louder, tell you you're wrong (...about the stock in the back room of the tiny shop where I work 5 days a week?) or demand to see a manager (at which point there is nothing in this world more satisfying than saying "I'm sorry, I'm the most senior staff member in this branch"). Some people seem to feel entitled to not just polite behaviour, but boot-licking kow-towing "Oh thank you, kind sir, for deigning to shop in this fine establishment!"-style adulation, and the fact is that when I'm at the end of a 10-hour shift, they're not going to get it. And I can completely understand why people who have worked longer or more steadily in service than me have become pissed off to the point that they're not friendly to anyone any more, because there's nothing like unrelenting abuse day-in and day-out to really drain the life out of you.

I think another huge part of the problem is what Leon11 mentioned above; people (and management) expect service at lightning speed, but without any loss of quality of service. If you don't mind queuing for 15 minutes longer at your local Xtra Vision while I fetch a range of DVDs off the shelves for the tool who wants "A good movie, but nothing too scary, or boring, or childish, or girly, or boyish, or long, or short", individually synoposise each one and then search through the entire system for his account because he didn't bother bringing his card and can't remember whether it's under his name, his mam's name, his girlfriend's name or his dog's name (only to realise it's in another branch altogether and he needs a new account set up), all the while with me taking my time and ensuring that it doesn't feel like I'm rushing him, then fine. Equally, if you want a prompt and efficient service, then a good chunk of small-talk and chatter has to be sacrificed along the way, people who want you to act as their personal shopper will be given the run-off, and people who ask stupid questions will be subject to eye-rolls and scorn. Someone above complained about people calling "Next!" as they hand you your change; you'd be complaining just as much if you were waiting an extra minute in the queue because every delicate customer before you was given enough time to feel special and valued as they walked far enough away that the cries of "Next!" didn't hurt their feelings.

(I think if there's one thing we can learn from this thread, it's that everyone hates everyone and we all love having something to complain about )

FOGOFUNK

Ive worked in a spar, a tesco and a smyths, i generally thought of myself as good with customers, but doing 8 hour shifts standing at a till you kinda become robotised and automatic and just end up looking past most customers.

The best way to deal with angry customers is to be unnesicarily(sp?) nice, tell them ther 100% right etc, this usually leaves them confused.

pickarooney

[billo]Would it be fair to say, lads, that a sizeable portion of our shop/restaurant employees have a curried chip on their shoulder about doing a school-failer/immigrant's job while all about them are on the gravy train to career nirvana, bringing about this necessity to impart to the customer their disdain for their own function and disillusionment with their own lives, manifested as undisguised scorn for the lowly, idiot customer?

Or are youse all just crotchety bastards?[/billo]

Zapp Brannigan

Working as a sales assistant isn't easy. The amount of sh*te you have to deal with from idiot customers can really sour your day and hence you being a bit ratty to everyone else.

One thing I always say is that it helps to be a nice customer. If you're respectful towards me I'll do everything I can to help you. If you're a snobby, looking down your nose type person towards me then you're going to receive the assistance that my job requires nothing more, you can get f*cked if you think I'm doing anything that makes me go out of my way!

I know it sounds harsh but I'm sure other SA's here will agree.

BlitzKrieg

Arrrrrrrrrghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

This is driving me mad

I hate the service you receive when you go into shops like its too much trouble for the shop assistant.

...


Why do you care?

Looking over this thread, the places people are complaining about are Dunnes, Tesco, Spar, Mcdonalds etc.

Who give's a flying f*ck if the person behind the till is rude or ignorant, these are get in get what you need and leave places. If the person is incompetant and f*cks up your order, yeah then you can have a nice rant, but I doubt that you run into that many incompetent people. Who cares if a shopkeeper is rude, just buy your stuff and leave.

Same goes to pubs for the most part, if you're out on a saturday night you just want to be served and get back to your friends.

Let people get on with their job, regardless if they hate it or love it.

The same goes for cafes or restaurants - you order your meal they take an eternity for them to bring your drinks - they never make eye contact and walk away when you are talking to them.

This on the other hand is a problem and can be easily solved by either complaining or just walking out. Either way that employee will recieve a swift kick by his manager to get his act together.

maxi-twist

I work in a shop and to be fair to myself i always packs bags and try to be polite as possible.

Gotta mention that im on energy pills so im kinda jumping around,smiling,real chatty etc...

I have to say that 95% of the people that come in are bang on and we have conversations,few laughs etc....

I also have to mention that EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT I HAVE WORKED (for around 3 months) i have been given out to by some customers for being "too happy". To be fair, if your having a bad day you can f*ck right off if im trying to be nice to you and your being a complete prick. Just have to mention this,as this kinda bursts your bubble if your trying to be nice and some absolute w*nker comes along and tells you to shut up. Ruins the rest of your day and you can end up as a grunting *sshole.

So much for happiness being infectious, even though most people leave the shop smiling!

Edit: Dont even get me started on the "i have a degree people" who come into the shop. I agree that the pricing should be right if the markup is 10%, but take that out on the management,its rarely the sales assistant that price the promotions or goods. I thoroughly enjoyed telling a lady who "had a degree" that i got 6 A's in my leaving cert,which shut her up promptly and got me a complaint but i really couldnt give less of a **** as it was worth it. SHe was being an absolute hag,just because im on minimum wage doesnt mean im retarded and cant read.

Blush_01

I've only ever worked in the stocktaking end of retail (shop floor, mainly grocery and hardware) and I'd back both the ignorance of customers, and the majority of that ignorance coming from the more well off as being true. I've also worked for a well known directory enquiries company (where I was told by my team leaeder to stop being so friendly, it made people call back and it also made them talk for longer) and now work in reception part-time.

People look at those who serve them as being below them, as a general rule. Do I think that going the way of America where people vie for tips and work on commission in every situation is a good idea? No, I really don't. Perhaps in the restaurant industry, where for the main part people will tip if they feel the server has provided service worth rewarding, but not in retail. I was getting a quote for a rather expensive item from a well known company recently, and not only was I put under phenomenal pressure to buy the item from the vendor that day and at that time, when he rang me back the next day (early sunday morning!) I had to yell at him and hang up to get him to stop talking and calling me back. So commission works in some instances, but not where it makes the person you're dealing with pushier.

Everyone who has worked in the service industry believes that everyone should work in the service industry at some point so everyone appreciates everyone else. It sounds great, but people will still have sh!t days, take it out on the wrong people, and have the sh!t mood spread around. It's only if you smile at someone that you become a freak. I love my local supermarket at home, because the people will actually make small talk with you. I don't want someone else to pack my bags for me, they have other things to do that are actually in their job description and I'm not that bloody lazy. I know talking about the weather to a million* different people every day can be intolerable, but at least they make the effort. I found the Super Valu where I lived last year was the same - the checkout staff were very, very friendly, got to know your name if you shopped there regularly, appreciated you remembering their names (which is common courtesy, imho, if you see them every other day) and went out of their way to help you if you needed help.

I don't think you should have to work in the service industry to treat people fairly - I think instead people should be taught to treat others as they want to be treated as kids, and should grow up believing that the person in front of you might need an extra minute, and you should give it to them if they need it, or the person behind the counter might have to take a delivery of 20c coins so they can give you your change or whatever. I believe it's only polite to say hello to the person serving you, even if they don't say it to you, because so what if they don't say it first. I also HATE when people leave their rubbish on tables in fast food restaurants. Regardless of whether there's a person there who can clear up after you, they know the tables that are being occupied and will go around to clean them, it's no excuse for leaving your rubbish behind like a scumbag.

Chardee MacDennis

I work on the retail stands in the point and we generally have about 15 mins to get through about 100+ sales per staff and people are idiots. some of the stuff we get is hilarious; firstly irish people cannot queue, secondly irish women especially will rarely have their order ready when they get to the top of the queue no matter how long they are queuing for and they will rarely have money ready either.

also why do people think it is my decision to not give out bottle caps or it is my decision what we charge and why do customers think i give a crap if they say 'well i dont want i then'. also ordering is like poker no string bets - you tell me what you want then i'll get it like mcdonalds. people consistently wait for me to get everything, ring through their order and then go and a coke and a bar, dont stop ordering until i say stop.

finally it is not funny or original when you say 'where's your mask?' or 'how do you sleep at night', the prices are printed in big writing in lights above your heads dont be f**cking surprised when i tell you that a coke costs 3 euro (which is btw cheaper than the cinema per ml last time i checked). if you think something is expensive dont buy it, nobody is forcing you too - btw nobody complains about 6 euro pints but 3 euro coke - uproar...

the general rule we have is that once a person becomes part of the general public he/she becomes an idiot and a sheep.

so in fairness at the end of a day when a person comes up and doesnt get the service they want remember we aren't getting the customers we want either.

wow felt good to get that out....

Faerie

ROCKMAN wrote:

crazy thought, maybe it's your f**king job and you get paid for it.............

Actually it's not in my job description. It speeds up the whole transaction if the customer packs their own bag. I help on big shops of course as that speeds it up too. On express though I can go on to serve other customers who have just popped in for milk. You're not there for the wonderful relaxing shopping experience with servants pandering to your every whim you know! It's just picking up a few things with little hassle. If the customer is counting out their change and I'm doing nothing then of course I'm going to help too. Surely it's a logical thing rather than just standing there to make sure the 'stupid checkout girl' knows her place.

With regards the 'stock in the back' we're told to tell the customer that we don't have it. If it's in the back then it's not for sale. I don't understand why so many people are complaining about this - the shop doesn't promise to stock everything you want so if it's not on display you can't buy it. Go somewhere else.

The truth is so many customers rant about things and complain about petty bull**** but they're in the wrong 99% of the time anyway. Nobody seems capable of reading special offer signs correctly or even the prices. The thing that really makes me laugh though is all the 'rights' that people make up.

Oh and by the way I'm not bitter about my job, I'm bitter about people. I've never had a problem with people who work in retail or in restaurants and bars. Yes I'm a student but I don't think I'm any better than the full-timers. As far as I'm concerned it's just a way to make money and it's not a hard job. I don't like Irish society and the general attitude towards people. The rudeness of people is unbelievable. And before anyone says 'just move', don't worry I will once I've finished my degree.