Inept Service professionals

wellyhead

Yesterday I bought some groceries in a very well-known supermarket. Two of the items were loose onions and loose mushrooms. The cashier weighed these items at the counter but I noticed the digital scales read 0.89KG of onions and 0.5KG of mushrooms. I knew this could not be right so I said, “I could be wrong but I really doubt there is nearly a kilo of onions there could you way them again please”. She almost split me in two with the look she gave me but she rushed through the process and said you’re right. Then I challenged her on the mushrooms. I was right again. I almost got fleeced because she left half the items I bought on the scales while weighing the veg. completely inept.

Let us know of any experience you have had of ineptitude from service professionals of any sort.

OldGoat

Ewww, mushrooms. Icky.

Bipolar Joe

Inept professional is a bit of an oxymoron.

summerskin

A lady once charged my friend €50 for a blow job. He said she never even blew on it once.

brandon_flowers

You went weigh out of your weigh to get her to way them again.

Zebra3

wellyhead wrote: »

Yesterday I bought some groceries in a very well-known supermarket. Two of the items were loose onions and loose mushrooms. The cashier weighed these items at the counter but I noticed the digital scales read 0.89KG of onions and 0.5KG of mushrooms. I knew this could not be right so I said, “I could be wrong but I really doubt there is nearly a kilo of onions there could you way them again please”. She almost split me in two with the look she gave me but she rushed through the process and said you’re right. Then I challenged her on the mushrooms. I was right again. I almost got fleeced because she left half the items I bought on the scales while weighing the veg. completely inept.

Let us know of any experience you have had of ineptitude from service professionals of any sort.

I wouldn't use the term "professional" to describe someone working at a cash register.

sfwcork

what you have for dinner OP

Mocha Joe

Zebra3 wrote: »

I wouldn't use the term "professional" to describe someone working at a cash register.

Snob.

Zebra3

Mocha Joe wrote: »

Snob.

:rolleyes:

Far from it. I've never heard anyone use the term in that context.

Have you?

Yitzhak Rabin

You sound like a horrible person OP.

I'm sure it was an honest mistake by someone who had absolutely nothing to gain by overcharging you. Its not too often you'd find the owner of a supermarket chain working at the till and overcharging you for you fruit and veg.

Terry1985

They're scanning thousands of items a day.
I think you need some perspective, or else just use the self service tills.

1kg onions are approx €1.50

crockholm

Crockholm goes to a deli counter in SV........

C- "Hello, can I get a sandwich please"

Deli Gal-"Sorry,we stop making sandwiches after 6 o' clock, why? what were you looking for"?

C-"Umm...a sandwich"

DG (with a look of derision)- No, we stop meking those after 6.

Crockholm leaves bemused,yet ultimately sandwichless

I Heart Internet

Zebra3 wrote: »

I wouldn't use the term "professional" to describe someone working at a cash register.

Well there's carrying out your job in a professional manner - diligently, etc. Then there's the narrow term we apply to some jobs as "professionals" - doctors, accountants, engineers.

Agree, cash register personnel wouldn't usually fall into the latter catagory but no reason why they would still be professional in manner.

Thing is, with the greatest of respect, you do come across as a snob when you point out what you've pointed out above.

OP - good cathch on the weight. It constantly surprises me how many people don't have a firm grasp of basic weights and measures.

ejmaztec

Zebra3 wrote: »

I wouldn't use the term "professional" to describe someone working at a cash register.

They could be a Chartered Accountant who once happened to be the highest ranking partner with KPMG until his daughter made a tool of herself in a pizza restaurant.:(

**Vai**

Zebra3 wrote: »

I wouldn't use the term "professional" to describe someone working at a cash register.

Whats else would you call someone who gets paid for their job? I lasted a week at a job at a cash register when I was younger, it does take some professionalism.

Yamanoto

wellyhead wrote: »

Then I challenged her on the mushrooms. I was right again.

You should really blog this stuff, priceless.

anncoates

I always maintain that one's daily life is enriched by a bit of vicarious exasperation about nothing of any consequence whatsoever.

Scartbeg

crockholm wrote: »

Crockholm goes to a deli counter in SV........

C- "Hello, can I get a sandwich please"

Somewhat related, I went into a Subway in Houston:
Me: I'll have a 12 inch Cheese & Ham on rye please
Server: I' m sorry sir, we only have Ham & Cheese...
Me: Speechless!

Maybe there is some subtle difference? Or more likely he was just a total plank

Teyla Emmagan

Yitzhak Rabin wrote: »

You sound like a horrible person OP.

I'm sure it was an honest mistake by someone who had absolutely nothing to gain by overcharging you. Its not too often you'd find the owner of a supermarket chain working at the till and overcharging you for you fruit and veg.

I think it was her attitude that annoyed him, not just her inept technique.

Of course the lesson here is to weigh your own veg. And relax a little.

starlings

Scartbeg wrote: »

Somewhat related, I went into a Subway in Houston:
Me: I'll have a 12 inch Cheese & Ham on rye please
Server: I' m sorry sir, we only have Ham & Cheese...
Me: Speechless!

Maybe there is some subtle difference? Or more likely he was just a total plank

the reliance on set units/packages with barcodes means till workers rarely have to do any calculations. Mine used to go like this:

Me: can I have 25g of Drum please?
Server: oh, we only have it in 12.5g.
Me: could I have two of them so please?

Sauve

Yitzhak Rabin wrote: »

You sound like a horrible person OP.

I'm sure it was an honest mistake by someone who had absolutely nothing to gain by overcharging you. Its not too often you'd find the owner of a supermarket chain working at the till and overcharging you for you fruit and veg.

It's attitudes like yours that have the service industry in the state it's in.

Yitzhak Rabin

Sauve wrote: »

It's attitudes like yours that have the service industry in the state it's in.

The ranks of our service industry will always be filled from the more dulled tools in the box. That's just supply and demand. My attitude won't change that, love.

Pfft, clearly the OP is poor. Superquinn make you weigh your own veg.

Gee_G

OldGoat wrote: »

Ewww, mushrooms. Icky.

Mushrooms are one of the best Veg ever!!:D

Sauve

Yitzhak Rabin wrote: »

The ranks of our service industry will always be filled from the more dulled tools in the box. That's just supply and demand. My attitude won't change that, love.

Let me guess- got promoted to 'supervisor' in Aldi, did we? :rolleyes:

Oh and don't call me love again. Bet you're some middle-aged creep.

ejmaztec

Gee_G wrote: »

Mushrooms are one of the best Veg ever!!:D

The best fungus?:P

Gee_G

ejmaztec wrote: »

The best fungus?:P

Ssshh....don't like to think of them like that!

Gmol

**Vai** wrote: »

Whats else would you call someone who gets paid for their job? I lasted a week at a job at a cash register when I was younger, it does take some professionalism.

And then you became the Financial regulator

BeardySi

I've heard of this happening quite a bit in a certain well known supermarket...

****ty attitude form checkout lady, but hardly ineptitude... More likely woefully inaccurate scales leading to "accidental" overcharging....

Zebra3

I Heart Internet wrote: »

Well there's carrying out your job in a professional manner - diligently, etc. Then there's the narrow term we apply to some jobs as "professionals" - doctors, accountants, engineers.

Agree, cash register personnel wouldn't usually fall into the latter catagory but no reason why they would still be professional in manner.

Thing is, with the greatest of respect, you do come across as a snob when you point out what you've pointed out above.

Hang on a sec.

You actually agree with me, but think I'm a snob?

**Vai** wrote: »

Whats else would you call someone who gets paid for their job? I lasted a week at a job at a cash register when I was younger, it does take some professionalism.

I'm not disputing that, but if you actually read my post, I merely pointed out that the term is not usually associated with that position even if it technically meets the description.

I have a job but I still wouldn't call myself a professional.

admiralofthefleet

Spare a thought for the people working in retail that have to put up with tossers on a daily basis

monkeypants

Zebra3 wrote: »

I have a job but I still wouldn't call myself a professional.

Do you get paid for it? Then you're a professional. If not, then you're an amateur.

cuana

Recently went into to pay a bill while in the queue a woman was disgruntled, speaking loudly and aggressively to customers! I couldn't believe it she was bang out of order yet what shocked me most was her that none of the other staff members intervened either a whole queue of people watching while she preceded to humiliate fee paying customers!!

starlings

monkeypants wrote: »

Do you get paid for it? Then you're a professional. If not, then you're an amateur.

I think that only counts for sport and arts - otherwise the distinction is between a job you're just doing and a job you intend to advance in. So someone who works a short while at a till in a supermarket has a job in retail; if they work up to management level it's a career, therefore a profession.

2¢, open to correction, but some of the snob schtick might be down to terminology.

Duckworth_Luas

Gee_G wrote: »

Mushrooms are one of the best Veg ever!!:D

Why did the mushroom get invited to the party?

Because he was a funguy! :pac:

Zebra3

monkeypants wrote: »

Do you get paid for it? Then you're a professional. If not, then you're an amateur.

Why don't you actually read what people post? :rolleyes:

monkeypants

cuana wrote: »

Recently went into to pay a bill while in the queue a woman was disgruntled, speaking loudly and aggressively to customers! I couldn't believe it she was bang out of order yet what shocked me most was her that none of the other staff members intervened either a whole queue of people watching while she preceded to humiliate fee paying customers!!

No one cares about gruntled customers.

**Vai**

Zebra3 wrote: »

I'm not disputing that, but if you actually read my post, I merely pointed out that the term is not usually associated with that position even if it technically meets the description.

I have a job but I still wouldn't call myself a professional.

Thats you, not the wider world. I did actually read your post, honestly, I didnt just post random words or anything.

"An amateur (French amateur "lover of", from Old French and ultimately from Latin amatorem nom. amator, "lover") is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science in a non-professional or unpaid manner."

"A professional is a person who is engaged in a certain activity, or occupation, for gain or compensation as means of livelihood; such as a permanent career, not as an amateur or pastime."

No thanks necessary.

cuana

monkeypants wrote: »

No one cares about gruntled customers.

whoops! I wasn't clear the sales assistant was the one being aggressive and shouting at actual customers

orestes

If most people had any idea how much stupidity, ignorance, arrogance, condecension, disregard and apathy anybody who works in retail has to put up with on a daily basis, they shouldn't be complaining that a single retail worker was a bit rude to them once, they should be thankful that they made it another day without them snapping, rising up en masse and cleansing the population of anybody who has never worked in the service industry.

Bipolar Joe

orestes wrote: »

If most people had any idea how much stupidity, ignorance, arrogance, condecension, disregard and apathy anybody who works in retail has to put up with on a daily basis, they shouldn't be complaining that a single retail worker was a bit rude to them once, they should be thankful that they made it another day without them snapping, rising up en masse and cleansing the population of anybody who has never worked in the service industry.

I think "Cries of Retail" should be made available to read by anyone it's not available to.

fasttalkerchat

Treadhead wrote: »

I've heard of this happening quite a bit in a certain well known supermarket...

****ty attitude form checkout lady, but hardly ineptitude... More likely woefully inaccurate scales leading to "accidental" overcharging....

Yes, accidental. The store makes an overall loss. Its complicated but basically the cost from a small accounting error is greater than the difference.

I Heart Internet

Zebra3 wrote: »

Hang on a sec.

You actually agree with me, but think I'm a snob?

I said you "come across as a snob" i.e. you could be mistaken for a snob for pointing out that technically a shop worker isn't or shouldn't be called a professional. You're technically correct but, lets put it this way, I wouldn't like to go up to any non-professional (non-Doctor, non-Engineer, etc) and say "You are not a professional".

There's too fine a difference between "You are not a professional" and "You are not professional"

Just a question of perception.