Rude staff at Tesco Golden Island Shopping Centre in Athlone and lack of changing roo

Demonique

This is a copy of an email I sent to Tesco Customer Service:

Title: Rude staff at Tesco Golden Island Shopping Centre in Athlone and lack of changing rooms

Body of post:

Today (Sunday 30th September) I went down to the Athlone branch of Tesco to look at the new clothes section after the recent refit. I saw a lovely vest top in a size ten and then looked for it in the size 14 and 16 because my size can vary between the two. I could not see a changing room so I went to the customer service desk. On my way there I encountered a young female staff member and when I asked if there was a changing room she said no, but when I asked why the store did not have changing room even though it sold clothes she turned her back on me and walked away.


This is not the first time I have encountered rude staff in Tesco Athlone. A few years ago a staff member swore at me after I reported her to customer service for rude behaviour.
We had been second in line for her checkout, the express checkout beside it was empty but we did not go to that checkout because we had more than the allowed items.
The cashier scanned all of the items of the woman in front of us, but then proceeded to become involved in a conversation with the customer whom she evidently was acquainted with. Seeing this, the lady at the express checkout told us she would take us and we moved our items over to the express checkout. After she finished ringing up our purchases the cashier at the first checkout told the checkout cashier in quite a rude fashion that she since she was an express checkout she should not have taken us. I told her that we would not have had to move checkouts if she had not been having a conversation with her friend to which she told us that it was none of our business whether she talked to her friends or not. I found her manner to be unacceptable and I went to the customer service and reported her. On my way back to my mother the cashier in question saw me coming and said 'I hope you're happy now, b***h'. Needless to say I went straight back to customer service and reported her again.


The second problem I had with Tesco Athlone is the lack of changing rooms in a store which sells clothes. When I went to customer service today to complain about the young cashier walking off on me and about the lack of even one changing room the lady at customer service said that there was no room for a changing room and that clothes come with a receipt so that customers can take clothes home and if they do not fit at home then the customer can take them back. When I mentioned that would be inconvient and a waste of time for the customer she said that that was the only way, there was no room in the store for changing cubicles (not even one) and that the store recently had a refit, I stopped listening at that point and thanked her for her time, I did not say anything to her, but I was thinking 'then why wasn't a changing room fitted during the refit?'
I had fully intended to buy the top that fitted, but I was so annoyed that nobody thought to fit a changing room when the refit was going on that I returned the clothes to where I found them and left the store. I would be quite happy to buy the clothes, but not if I have go home to try them on.

Dunnes Stores also have a clothes section in their stores and they have had changing rooms for as long as I can remember, so if Dunnes Stores can manage it then why not Tesco?

mikemac

Demonique wrote:

This is a copy of an email I sent to Tesco Customer Service

Emails get you nowhere, sure anyone can bash off an email. Write a letter and post it. It'll be taken far more seriously

Demonique wrote:

This is not the first time I have encountered rude staff in Tesco Athlone. A few years ago a staff member swore at me after I reported her to customer service for rude behaviour.

You're bringing up something that happened years ago? You do realise that with the high turnover of staff, most of the staff and managers from back then are long gone. Anyway, it's pointless adding this without a date.

Demonique wrote:

We had been second in line for her checkout, the express checkout beside it was empty but we did not go to that checkout because we had more than the allowed items.
The cashier scanned all of the items of the woman in front of us, but then proceeded to become involved in a conversation with the customer whom she evidently was acquainted with. Seeing this, the lady at the express checkout told us she would take us and we moved our items over to the express checkout. After she finished ringing up our purchases the cashier at the first checkout told the checkout cashier in quite a rude fashion that she since she was an express checkout she should not have taken us. I told her that we would not have had to move checkouts if she had not been having a conversation with her friend to which she told us that it was none of our business whether she talked to her friends or not.

Yeah, this happens in most stores and always in post offices, especially with between girls and women collecting their pensions. Tis annoying allright.
Tip: Never go to the PO on pension day

The first checkout talked to the second checkout girl and not you. What did the second checkout girl say?
Or did you jump in and start giving out about her chat with her friend without giving the second checkout girl a chance to talk?

jahalpin

Demonique wrote:

Dunnes Stores also have a clothes section in their stores and they have had changing rooms for as long as I can remember, so if Dunnes Stores can manage it then why not Tesco?

Dunnes Stores are a clothes shop with a grocery section attached, so of course they would have changing rooms, Tesco on the other hand is a grocery shop with a tiny clothes area.

They are also allowing you to bring the items home to try on and if they don't fit they will exchange or refund them, which they are not required to do

Nala

Demonique wrote:

when I asked why the store did not have changing room even though it sold clothes she turned her back on me and walked away.

Did you ask her in a polite manner or did you get thick with her?

Demonique wrote:

The cashier scanned all of the items of the woman in front of us, but then proceeded to become involved in a conversation with the customer whom she evidently was acquainted with.

The cheek of her to speak to a customer!!! You were right to get annoyed!!!

Demonique wrote:

I told her that we would not have had to move checkouts if she had not been having a conversation with her friend to which she told us that it was none of our business whether she talked to her friends or not.

She was right. Mind your own business in future. You don't own her, just because she is sitting at a checkout does not mean you have any right to tell her what to do.

Demonique wrote:

The second problem I had with Tesco Athlone is the lack of changing rooms in a store which sells clothes. When I went to customer service today to complain about the young cashier walking off on me and about the lack of even one changing room the lady at customer service said that there was no room for a changing room and that clothes come with a receipt so that customers can take clothes home and if they do not fit at home then the customer can take them back. When I mentioned that would be inconvient and a waste of time for the customer she said that that was the only way, there was no room in the store for changing cubicles (not even one) and that the store recently had a refit, I stopped listening at that point and thanked her for her time, I did not say anything to her, but I was thinking 'then why wasn't a changing room fitted during the refit?'
I had fully intended to buy the top that fitted, but I was so annoyed that nobody thought to fit a changing room when the refit was going on that I returned the clothes to where I found them and left the store. I would be quite happy to buy the clothes, but not if I have go home to try them on.

Dunnes Stores also have a clothes section in their stores and they have had changing rooms for as long as I can remember, so if Dunnes Stores can manage it then why not Tesco?

They let you bring the item back despite the fact it is not faulty so what's the problem?

Saint_Mel

At least Tesco usually have enough staff working on the
tills and also the self service option.

Dunnes in Irishtown has to be the worst for under staffing
in the grocery department tills.

wyndham

Life's too short. What was the point of complaining to the girl working on the shop floor about the lack of changing-rooms? What did you want her to do?
Build one for you? If they don't have one, they don't have one.
You could have purchased the clothes and taken them to a bathroom in the shopping centre to try them on and returned them moments afterwards for a cash refund(very nice returns policy btw) if they were not suitable.
This could have been done in the time it took you to complain/hassle shopfloor staff & customer service staff.

Saint_Mel

wyndham wrote:

You could have purchased the clothes and taken them to a bathroom in the shopping centre to try them on and returned them moments afterwards for a cash refund(very nice returns policy btw) if they were not suitable.

Not sure but I think they charge to use the bathrooms in the shopping centre.
But I agree, theres no point in complaining to the floor staff about the lack of
facilities. But on the other hand they shouldn't have been rude, instrad they should
have directed you to customer services

Colonel Sanders

Nala wrote:

She was right. Mind your own business in future. You don't own her, just because she is sitting at a checkout does not mean you have any right to tell her what to do.

Ever heard of the customer is always right? The customer was right to say what she did, had the check out girl not been talking to the customr for a long time the person at the express check out wouldn't have had to bend the rules. In any job dealing with customers you should be polite. When i worked in a super market being polite to customers was part of my job description (it wasn't tesco so no idea if its the same with their job descriptions). If I said something like that to a customer I'd have got a bollocking by manager and a HR warning. Bottom line is the girl at the till was being paid to serve customers. She was not fulfilling that duty so of course the customer had the right to complain. And it is her business if she's getting poor customer service as a result of the girl talking to her friend and ignoring subsequent customers.

Nala

Colonel Sanders wrote:

Ever heard of the customer is always right? The customer was right to say what she did, had the check out girl not been talking to the customr for a long time the person at the express check out wouldn't have had to bend the rules. In any job dealing with customers you should be polite. When i worked in a super market being polite to customers was part of my job description (it wasn't tesco so no idea if its the same with their job descriptions). If I said something like that to a customer I'd have got a bollocking by manager and a HR warning. Bottom line is the girl at the till was being paid to serve customers. She was not fulfilling that duty so of course the customer had the right to complain. And it is her business if she's getting poor customer service as a result of the girl talking to her friend and ignoring subsequent customers.

What about the customer the girl was talking to? Despite the fact she knew the girl, you seem to think the girl should not have done the polite thing and spoken to her, that she should have been shuttled of just for the OP?

The OP reminds me of some of the customers we had in the supermarket I worked in. Will complain about anything and everything, cannot be pleased. We lost about 200 baskets due to customer theft but when I told customers they could not bring our few remaining baskets out the door they got thick. 5 minutes later I get someone giving me hassle because they cannot find a basket. I explain that they were taken and not returned by customers and that they could check along the checkouts. About 30 seconds later they come back to me and start giving out, telling me "I looked all over the supermarket and can't find a basket". I mean, what do you want me to do? Where do you want me to pull one from? :rolleyes:

Colonel Sanders

Nala wrote:

What about the customer the girl was talking to?

Not sure if I'm correct here (maybe the OP can confirm/deny) but to me it sounds like the check out was taking the p!ss by talking to her friend for a long time while a q formed behind. She could have politely told her friend she'd ring her after work/catch up later or something along those lines and proceeded to serve the next customer. Thats what i was told to do if serving friends or relations. You can't expect other customers to accept not being served while a staff member yaps to her friend on company time.

In any case it was only after the check out girl made a comment that the OP shouldn't have been served at the express check out that the OP made the comment about holding her up by talking. You may disgree but i think she was entitled to do this. No matter what the check out girl was rude and out of order to tell her to mind her own business. It was bad customer service, and i'm pretty sure that customer service would definately be part of the check out girls job description.

Kensington

The case of the cashier is pretty disgraceful alright - especially the comments she made after you complained.

However, with the staff regarding the changing rooms, there's little point in complaining to the guys on the floor. They have little or no power or say in what facilities a store does or does not happen. The fact the staff member walked away, were you perhaps snotty or condescending? Especially given the fact you mention you just stopped listening to the customer service agent and walked off simply because she wasn't telling you what you wanted to hear. Walking off may not have been the best decision for her to take, true, but working in retail myself, if someone speaks to me as if I'm thick, ignorant or if they speak down to me like I'm just dirt, then I will speak back to them the exact same way. Nor will I waste time repeating over and over again to someone who keeps complaining to me about something I can't change. Treat others how you'd like to be treated etc.

Demonique

Kensington wrote:

The fact the staff member walked away, were you perhaps snotty or condescending?

No I wasn't. She was young, looked about 17, she had a sour look on her face when I first spoke to her as well.

Kensington wrote:

Especially given the fact you mention you just stopped listening to the customer service agent and walked off simply because she wasn't telling you what you wanted to hear.

I didn't walk off when she was speaking, I stopped listening to what she said, but was still aware she was speaking and she finished I thanked her and left.

The woman who swore at me a few years ago was still working there a few weeks ago, she's in her 40s I'd guess.

Demonique

Nala wrote:

What about the customer the girl was talking to? Despite the fact she knew the girl, you seem to think the girl should not have done the polite thing and spoken to her, that she should have been shuttled of just for the OP?

So, you're saying its OK for a cashier to have a five minute conversation in a busy supermarket whilst there are three families waiting behind her friend? Because that's how long we were waiting until the other lady told us we could use the express checkout (I know because I kept on checking my watch)

Of course you would side with the cashier because you work in a supermarket, I bet you do that all the time.

Tell me, Nala, have you been unbanned from the Animals and Pet Issues section yet? I seem to recall you been banned for swearing in a post where you were also having a go at me.

dudara

I don't mind Tesco not having changing rooms, as in fairness, they have no issues with you returning with the clothes, and they are after all mainly a grocery store. In fact, I've been in some Dunnes where they don't have changing rooms, which is a bit annoying but they're more than willing to refund you if there are any issues.

Without meaning to be rude, it sounds slightly like you got a bit thick. Maybe you didn't and I'm wrong here.

Regardless, if you want your complaint to be taken seriously, write a factual letter, with no subjective sentences. Post it via signed-for mail to a director / senior manager at Tesco central, not at the local store.

dudara

Demonique wrote:

Tell me, Nala, have you been unbanned from the Animals and Pet Issues section yet? I seem to recall you been banned for swearing in a post where you were also having a go at me.

Leave the personal issues out of it, both of you. Are you both 5?

dahamsta

No problem with a lack of changing rooms here either. Hate the things meself anyway, and you can understand why Tesco would want to do without them.

adam

tvnutz

You had a right to be annoyed about the cashier talking to her friend instead of talking to the next person.

If a staff member was rude to you for no reason then again you are right to complain. If a customer is rude and think they can treat an employee like dirt then they should expect it right back I say. No one has a right to treat anyone like that (not saying you did,but just in general)

As for the changing rooms,no point at all complaining to ground staff. They have nothing to do with store policy,they just work there and do what they are told. I don't know how many times I have had a customer get really arrogant and thick with me over store policies that are so far beyond my control, things that have nothing to do with me. I refer them to the customer services phone number,yet some will still feel like they can treat me like dirt and bitch to me over something I have no control over.

Nala

Demonique wrote:

Of course you would side with the cashier because you work in a supermarket, I bet you do that all the time.

Actually if you read my post you would see that I no longer work there. And no, I did not work there all the time, only at weekends to pay my way through college. You'll be delighted to hear I graduated. There's quite a snobbish attitude coming through there with regard to supermarket workers, you seem to look down your nose at them, and then you seem to wonder why they are unwilling to help you. Staff have rights too and are entitled to walk away from abusive customers.

Demonique wrote:

Tell me, Nala, have you been unbanned from the Animals and Pet Issues section yet? I seem to recall you been banned for swearing in a post where you were also having a go at me.

Much time on your hands?

Just looked this up- In case anyone does not know the thread in question, Demonique was complaining about how her friend could not get free vet treatment for her snake. The vet said they were not trained in snakes. Demonique wanted the vet to treat the snake anyway (and risk harming it) rather than bring it to a trained snake vet and pay for its treatment. Another alternative she suggested was that the DSPCA (a charity) should pay for the snake's treatment at a different vet. My objections to this were the fact that Demonique would rather risk the snake's health by insisting a non-trained vet treat it (wrong medication could kill it) because the treatment was free, and I also found the fact she expects a charity to pay for her friend's vet fees a bit much.

thefinalstage

Nala wrote:

Actually if you read my post you would see that I no longer work there. And no, I did not work there all the time, only at weekends to pay my way through college. You'll be delighted to hear I graduated. There's quite a snobbish attitude coming through there with regard to supermarket workers, you seem to look down your nose at them, and then you seem to wonder why they are unwilling to help you. Staff have rights too and are entitled to walk away from abusive customers.



Much time on your hands?

Just looked this up- In case anyone does not know the thread in question, Demonique was complaining about how her friend could not get free vet treatment for her snake. The vet said they were not trained in snakes. Demonique wanted the vet to treat the snake anyway (and risk harming it) rather than bring it to a trained snake vet and pay for its treatment. Another alternative she suggested was that the DSPCA (a charity) should pay for the snake's treatment at a different vet. My objections to this were the fact that Demonique would rather risk the snake's health by insisting a non-trained vet treat it (wrong medication could kill it) because the treatment was free, and I also found the fact she expects a charity to pay for her friend's vet fees a bit much.

Damn! Thats cheap and cruel.

chuckles30

I've never seen a changing room in any Tesco clothes section, even in the UK. Asda also do not have changing rooms in their clothes section. That's probably why the can afford to sell the cheaper clothes. In most cases you're going to be going to Tesco every week anyway for your grocery shopping, so if something doesn't fit, just take it back the following week. If you can't be bothered with the hassle, then just go somewhere where they have changing rooms.

swingking

Staff have rights too and are entitled to walk away from abusive customers

That is so true. Some people expect staff to do EVERTHING for them, and to take the blame for everything.

Some customers should just be patient and realise how tough the job is.

For all the OP knew, the conversation at the checkout could have been of a serious nature

Saint_Mel

swingking wrote:

For all the OP knew, the conversation at the checkout could have been of a
serious nature

I dunno, if a conversation was serious I doubt it would be held at a checkout!
Any conversations I've overheard at the checkouts in that particular branch
usually revolve around the Biddys and Bozos antics of the Saturday night
before!!

Thats just the young wans but there is a seriously slow older woman who works
there. She is unbelievable. Dunno if there is any mental problems there but she
makes scanning a tin of beans into the most extraordinary task ever!

eth0_

swingking wrote:

That is so true. Some people expect staff to do EVERTHING for them, and to take the blame for everything.

Some customers should just be patient and realise how tough the job is.

LOL! What is so tough about scanning food and stocking shelves...?
I worked in Quinnsworth when I was a teenager and I don't remember it being too stressful at all.

Nala

eth0_ wrote:

LOL! What is so tough about scanning food and stocking shelves...?
I worked in Quinnsworth when I was a teenager and I don't remember it being too stressful at all.

The job itself is not tough, horrible customers make it tough.

People saying "I want this", "I want that" and complaining about somethingwith an impossible solution. E.g. build a changing room on the spot. Or start complaining about how this or that isn't in stock. I am not in charge of what we stock, Head Office are. As with the basket thing I mentioned earlier- where do you want me to pull one from?

People that let their kids jump up and down on the self service machines and then wonder why the machine stops working, and when you tell them why, tell you you can tell their kids to get down because they aren't going to. No I won't, I'm not a babysitter, time to get store security onto you!

Managers that have no interest in their job and take it out on you by never being around and doing no work when they are.

People trying to use credit/Laser cards that are over their limit and blaming you when they won't go through.

People with the "you're only a shop girl" attitude :rolleyes:

Had several complaints not long before I quit when the price of milk went up by a few cents, Head Office set the prices so stop shouting at me.

People that come in 5 minutes before closing time on Christmas Eve and start shouting at me because we are out of turkeys. I had one girl swear at me last Christmas and start insisting I go down to the freezers and find one for her. I told her only the butcher and deli staff are allowed in there and it's locked because they're all gone home and even if they weren't, I wouldn't go down into those freezers in just my shirt let anyway, especially for someone that swears at me.

Likewise, people that come in on Christmas Eve looking for the must-have toy that has been sold out for weeks.

I could go on!!!

thefinalstage

Nala wrote:

The job itself is not tough, horrible customers make it tough.

People saying "I want this", "I want that" and complaining about somethingwith an impossible solution. E.g. build a changing room on the spot. Or start complaining about how this or that isn't in stock. I am not in charge of what we stock, Head Office are. As with the basket thing I mentioned earlier- where do you want me to pull one from?

People that let their kids jump up and down on the self service machines and then wonder why the machine stops working, and when you tell them why, tell you you can tell their kids to get down because they aren't going to. No I won't, I'm not a babysitter, time to get store security onto you!

Managers that have no interest in their job and take it out on you by never being around and doing no work when they are.

People trying to use credit/Laser cards that are over their limit and blaming you when they won't go through.

People with the "you're only a shop girl" attitude :rolleyes:

Had several complaints not long before I quit when the price of milk went up by a few cents, Head Office set the prices so stop shouting at me.

People that come in 5 minutes before closing time on Christmas Eve and start shouting at me because we are out of turkeys. I had one girl swear at me last Christmas and start insisting I go down to the freezers and find one for her. I told her only the butcher and deli staff are allowed in there and it's locked because they're all gone home and even if they weren't, I wouldn't go down into those freezers in just my shirt let anyway, especially for someone that swears at me.

Likewise, people that come in on Christmas Eve looking for the must-have toy that has been sold out for weeks.

I could go on!!!

Call me. I know I will be bored at Christmas and I'll give those customers what for!

JohnC.

eth0_ wrote:

LOL! What is so tough about scanning food and stocking shelves...?
I worked in Quinnsworth when I was a teenager and I don't remember it being too stressful at all.

That was a while ago then. Things have changed. Less staff doing more in less hours. Head offices expecting the impossible in the name of productivity. I've been there and seen these changes happen from a time when it wasn't really stressful like you say.

eth0_

Kahless wrote:

That was a while ago then. Things have changed. Less staff doing more in less hours. Head offices expecting the impossible in the name of productivity. I've been there and seen these changes happen from a time when it wasn't really stressful like you say.

We're talking about ten years ago. Things haven't changed that much. If anything there are more staff now, in places like Tesco. Although I did some contract work in their head office and they seemed like a pack of jerks so I feel your pain.

texas star

I agree with Nala.I also think you have to much time on your hands.If you dont like the service shop somewhere eles.For gods sake its not a big deal yet you seem to want to make it into one.I hate to see you will a real crisis.

eth0_

texas star wrote:

I agree with Nala.I also think you have to much time on your hands.If you dont like the service shop somewhere eles.For gods sake its not a big deal yet you seem to want to make it into one.I hate to see you will a real crisis.

Are you addressing the OP or me?
I don't have a problem - I don't shop in Tesco anymore because their standards have become so appalling. I'd rather pay the extra and go to Superquinn and M&S where the chances of them having no stock of staple goods, mouldy veg and gone off food, are considerably lower.

dahamsta

Nala wrote:

People saying "I want this", "I want that"

OMG, customer that want stuff? What a disgrace!

I am not in charge of what we stock, Head Office are.

If you're on the floor, you're in charge of dealing with customers. If something is out of stock you should tell someone that can deal with that; if you already have, you should tell the customer it's been reported. Is that too difficult for you?

As with the basket thing I mentioned earlier- where do you want me to pull one from?

The checkouts. Duh. If there's none at the checkouts, either wait for one or go get the customer a small trolley.

Managers that have no interest in their job and take it out on you by never being around and doing no work when they are.

Report them up the chain. Do it anonymously if you're worried about it affecting your job. Resign if it bothers you that much. Customers don't have to shop there, and you don't have to work there.

People trying to use credit/Laser cards that are over their limit and blaming you when they won't go through.

People that do that are certainly wrong, but cards aren't just declined because of limit problems.

Had several complaints not long before I quit when the price of milk went up by a few cents, Head Office set the prices so stop shouting at me.

You work on the shop floor, you're customer facing, that's your problem to deal with. Pass the complaint or the customer along to management if you don't want to deal with it yourself. If you don't want to deal with it, get off the floor.

I could go on!!!

I'm sure you could, but I doubt anyone here is interested. And I'll tell you this: unless you figure out what customer service means and why it applies to people that work on the floor, you'll never get further than the level you're at; in that or any other job. People have to do scut work to get by, get over it.

The OP is a muppet btw. I can understand why shop staff wouldn't want to deal with a tool like that. Unfortunately, that's their job. Fob them off on management, let them deal with it.

adam

tvnutz

dahamsta wrote:

I'm sure you could, but I doubt anyone here is interested. And I'll tell you this: unless you figure out what customer service means and why it applies to people that work on the floor, you'll never get further than the level you're at; in that or any other job. People have to do scut work to get by, get over it

I am interested,because it is true. Customer service means doing your best for the customer but some people think customer service means you should be able to pull miracles out of your arse.

A huge amount of customers expect far too much,the idea of customer service for these people has changed into the impossible. If I am on the floor I will deal with someone in the right way but they think you are somehow responsible for store policies that are way beyond your control. I'll galdly give them a customer services number but they will still bitch at you,expecting this part timer to be able to fix their ridiculous problem.

Understand that I am not saying a problem should not be addressed. But the price change in milk the other poster mentioned is a good example for a ridiculous complaint to a person working on the floor. Pass them on to Customer Services is the best you can do but some people will still continue to have a go at you. it's a joke.