Ar**hole Staff

MadsL

For the sake of balance from the customer thread, regale us with your tales of rude obnoxious staff.

Are yer alright dere?

jimgoose

I don't tend to encounter many "arsehole" staff - maybe you get what you give. But those Russian gals that seemed to be waitressing in every restaurant a few years back used to scare me, the way they'd bark "You order now??" in a very NKVD-sort of way.

Muise...

MadsL wrote: »

Are yer alright dere?

is the assholery about staff manners, or elocution?

Potatoeman

Not an ahole thing but asking for the bill and waiting more than ten minutes. Especially bad at lunchtime when you want to get back on time.

Uaru

MadsL wrote: »

Are yer alright dere?

What's wrong with that? A hello when they come in, let them browse away and then hit them up with an "are you alright?" or "need a hand with anything?" if they look like they want help.

What would you prefer?

Arsehole staff are nothing compared to arsehole customers. Trust me.

aaakev

Topaz deli staff..... Everything is extra, they put the smallest ammount of fillings in your roll and if you ask or a bit extra they charge you for it!!! Nine one one all the way..... Haha

aaakev

aaakev wrote: »

Topaz deli staff..... Everything is extra, they put the smallest ammount of fillings in your roll and if you ask or a bit extra they charge you for it!!! Nine one one all the way..... Haha

Does following their place of work's policy really make them arseholes?

Uaru

aaakev wrote: »

Topaz deli staff..... Everything is extra, they put the smallest ammount of fillings in your roll and if you ask or a bit extra they charge you for it!!! Nine one one all the way..... Haha

You do realise the deli staff didn't come up with that policy? If they didn't do it they would be sacked.

Gummy Panda

This American in Best Buy. I was trying to buy a tablet and another guy was showing me something. He walked off and I has to tell him he works on my time

Dravokivich

Deleted User wrote: »

Arsehole staff are nothing compared to arsehole customers. Trust me.

Aye. If I encounter Arsehole staff somewhere I just won't return, so can minimise my exposure. Arsehole customers are a wave of heathens that creep into every annoying crevice that they can, to rile you up.

hatrickpatrick

I have no shame in being an arsehole when on the phone to eircom customer care arseholes - in fact I'm really quite proud of it at this stage.

loveBBhate

MadsL wrote: »

Are yer alright dere?

As oppose to what exactly? I work in retail and as a customer enters we greet them; "Hi, how are you?" etc... They then proceed to browse around the shop. If they've been doing so for a few minutes we ask them if they're ok for everything and if there's anything we can help them with. What is wrong with that? Interestingly enough, most of them are happy to let us know what they're looking for or how we can help them.

Besides, we are told to do this by our managers. We'd be out the door if we chose not to greet/assist customers.

I am pie

I'll take are you alright dere vs the inane idea that as soon as i walk into a store I need a vacuous smile, a scripted empty greeting and unthinking attempts to sell me stuff I don't need everytime thanks.

I am capable of looking round a shop and deciding what I want without that nonsense, if I need help i am capable of finding someone and asking them. Alright dere is perfect for me...it means "hi, work away, browse all you want, if you need something we're here" but saves you listening to it all everytime.

Ed Winchester

OSI wrote: »

That's not ahole staff. That's ahole company.

Lets do another thread for those ones!!

MadsL

Muise... wrote: »

is the assholery about staff manners, or elocution?

Manners.

I don't think asking if you are 'alright/OK' is a polite way to ask if you can help a customer, regardless of accent.

I've been tempted to reply, "No I'm not OK...I will be when you ask me how you can help, rather than some sloppy question about my general wellbeing".

It's a crap habit, that has slipped into US retail. "Hi, how's your day going"...
but at least the follow up "Can I help you find anything?" is helpful, and polite.

I am pie

I am pie wrote: »

I'll take are you alright dere vs the inane idea that as soon as i walk into a store I need a vacuous smile, a scripted empty greeting and unthinking attempts to sell me stuff I don't need everytime thanks.

I am capable of looking round a shop and deciding what I want without that nonsense, if I need help i am capable of finding someone and asking them. Alright dere is perfect for me...it means "hi, work away, browse all you want, if you need something we're here" but saves you listening to it all everytime.

Again, not arsehole staff, but their place of work's policy. If they weren't like that, they'd get a bollocking from management or whoever was above them.

DrumSteve

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I have no shame in being an arsehole when on the phone to eircom customer care arseholes - in fact I'm really quite proud of it at this stage.

Why?

They are just people doing a job.

osarusan

MadsL wrote: »

at least the follow up "Can I help you find anything?" is helpful, and polite.

Are you alright there? = can I help you with anything?

This is obvious.

I don't even work in retail and I have seen many many more instances of snobbish arseholes as customers, than I have staff.

Jesus if there's one thing I cannot stand it's snobby ****.

Muise...

MadsL wrote: »

Manners.

I don't think asking if you are 'alright/OK' is a polite way to ask if you can help a customer, regardless of accent.

I've been tempted to reply, "No I'm not OK...I will be when you ask me how you can help, rather than some sloppy question about my general wellbeing".

It's a crap habit, that has slipped into US retail. "Hi, how's your day going"...
but at least the follow up "Can I help you find anything?" is helpful, and polite.

oh ok, it's semantic. If you did reply as tempted, you'd end up right back in the Ar*ehole Customers thread though, because that's simply a colloquial way of asking if someone needs assistance.

Overheal

Gummy Panda wrote: »

This American in Best Buy. I was trying to buy a tablet and another guy was showing me something. He walked off and I has to tell him he works on my time

...

P_1

MadsL wrote: »

Manners.

I don't think asking if you are 'alright/OK' is a polite way to ask if you can help a customer, regardless of accent.

I've been tempted to reply, "No I'm not OK...I will be when you ask me how you can help, rather than some sloppy question about my general wellbeing".

It's a crap habit, that has slipped into US retail. "Hi, how's your day going"...
but at least the follow up "Can I help you find anything?" is helpful, and polite.

TBH it's more local custom than manners really. Asking a customer if they're 'alright for everything' is just a different way of asking if they need any help with anything. Same way as some american customer service language might strike folk as odd

MadsL

Uaru wrote: »

What's wrong with that? A hello when they come in, let them browse away and then hit them up with an "are you alright?" or "need a hand with anything?" if they look like they want help.

What would you prefer?

"are you alright?"

and

"need a hand with anything?"

are very different. The first is a lazy phrase that doesn't actually offer help (ok, it is implied, but show little respect or courtesy to the customer) the second actually offers help.

I actually think it is a symptom of Irish misplaced classlessness. How dare the customer be thinking he's above the staff, bring him down a peg or two. It's trying way too hard to egalitarian, and unnecessarily so.

I think it is rude personally. I also think better commission/satisfaction structures would fix it.

MadsL

MadsL wrote: »

I actually think it is a symptom of Irish misplaced classlessness. How dare the customer be thinking he's above the staff, bring him down a peg or two. It's trying way too hard to egalitarian, and unnecessarily so.

:pac:

elfy4eva

I don't bother going into my local shop anymore,
this awlfella runs the place and he's an absolute
bollox.

He's consistently narky to me and my OH (possibly
everyone else too) He grabs the cash and shoves
the change on the counter never states the amount
and never says thanks. I've a feeling it's because all
we ever got there is milk and bread (or he could just
be a miserable fecker in general).

Also one time he came out from behind the counter and
started gawking at us down the aisles like we were thieves!
We'd be the most timid looking thieves ever lol!

P_1

MadsL wrote: »

"are you alright?"

and

"need a hand with anything?"

are very different. The first is a lazy phrase that doesn't actually offer help (ok, it is implied, but show little respect or courtesy to the customer) the second actually offers help.

I actually think it is a symptom of Irish misplaced classlessness. How dare the customer be thinking he's above the staff, bring him down a peg or two. It's trying way too hard to egalitarian, and unnecessarily so.

I think it is rude personally. I also think better commission/satisfaction structures would fix it.

If it shows anything to be honest its a difference between Irish/UK and American linguistics. Here things tend to be more implied but in the States things tend to be more explicit. You are not being rude by being more implicit with your speaking patterns.

MadsL

osarusan wrote: »

Are you alright there? = can I help you with anything?

This is obvious.

No. No, it isn't. Sometimes when you mean something, you have to actually say it.

I have to say, whilst living in Ireland I missed the attitude of the Czechs, whilst they were often grumpy sales people when actually dealing with customers, at least every shop gave a cheery Good Morning, and Goodbye when you left, and it was expected that you do the same. The Austrians/Germans are the same.

I guess once upon a time rural Ireland did it too...

hatrickpatrick

DrumSteve wrote: »

Why?

They are just people doing a job.

Ah, the adorable naivety of someone who's never spent three hours on the phone trying to sort a broadband outage and just been passed from department to department over and over in an endless loop while everyone you get through to says "not my problem, someone else will sort you out in just a minute"

MadsL

P_1 wrote: »

If it shows anything to be honest its a difference between Irish/UK and American linguistics. Here things tend to be more implied but in the States things tend to be more explicit. You are not being rude by being more implicit with your speaking patterns.

I'm not American.

MadsL

Deleted User wrote: »

:pac:

Do elucidate further. Or perhaps I'm supposed to infer your argument?

Are you alright there?

P_1

MadsL wrote: »

I'm not American.

I know that but you have been living over there for a good while now. Not turning this into a location based argument but surely you've noticed the subtle differences between the spoken English language on both sides of the Atlantic?

loveBBhate

MadsL wrote: »

No. No, it isn't. Sometimes when you mean something, you have to actually say it.

I have to say, whilst living in Ireland I missed the attitude of the Czechs, whilst they were often grumpy sales people when actually dealing with customers, at least every shop gave a cheery Good Morning, and Goodbye when you left, and it was expected that you do the same. The Austrians/Germans are the same.

I guess once upon a time rural Ireland did it too...

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=One+way+flights+out+of+Ireland+

I am pie

MadsL wrote: »

"are you alright?"

and

"need a hand with anything?"

are very different. The first is a lazy phrase that doesn't actually offer help (ok, it is implied, but show little respect or courtesy to the customer) the second actually offers help.

I actually think it is a symptom of Irish misplaced classlessness. How dare the customer be thinking he's above the staff, bring him down a peg or two. It's trying way too hard to egalitarian, and unnecessarily so.

I think it is rude personally. I also think better commission/satisfaction structures would fix it.

Misplaced classlessness!! ...what in the name of all that's green does that mean??

Anyway, I reckon this is something that offends nearly no one. Casual language is much more accepted in Ireland than in other parts of the world, I like it. I believe the majority of people do, it doesn't obstruct your purchase but somehow offends your delicate sensibilities.

In short, it's just you.

pickarooney

MadsL, how would you get on if you had to deal with yourself as a customer? You'd surely be on the floor brawling within seconds.

Anyone that gives out about staff in retails have never worked in retail before.

MadsL

MadsL wrote: »

Do elucidate further. Or perhaps I'm supposed to infer your argument?

Nope. That's all I have to say on that matter.

Are you alright there?

I am fine at the moment but thanks so much for checking

Uaru

MadsL wrote: »

No. No, it isn't. Sometimes when you mean something, you have to actually say it.

It is to everyone else. Maybe you need to reconsider how you view your shopping experience and maybe accept that you are the one with a problem.

pickarooney

pickarooney wrote: »

MadsL, how would you get on if you had to deal with yourself as a customer? You'd surely be on the floor brawling within seconds.

You'd have to wonder if they'd be bawling or brawling.

jimgoose

I am pie wrote: »

Misplaced classlessness!! ...what in the name of all that's green does that mean??...

I think he misses the old Raj. Or something.

osarusan

MadsL wrote: »

No. No, it isn't. Sometimes when you mean something, you have to actually say it.

Yes. Yes, it is.

If you were in a shop, looking for the right kind of SD card for your camera, for example, and a member of staff came up and asked if you were all right, you wouldn't know what they meant? You'd consider it an enquiry about your personal well-being?

But if they asked if you needed anything, it would be helpful and polite?

Are you all right there, or do you need any help? That's the full question. It's obvious to everybody what it means, even if you go out of your way to get offended and pretend it doesn't.

Miss Lockhart

Personally I think your complaints about staff asking "are you ok/alright there" are petty in the extreme MadsL. And I sincerely doubt your sentiments would be shared by many in this country. It's an acceptable way of asking if somebody wants assistance in this country. I really think bringing your dislike of informal language into a thread about arsehole staff is a bit much

I've had only three stand out encounters with arsehole staff. None were in Ireland.

One involved a staff member in a fast food establishment in Florida laughing at my accent, asking me about leprechauns and asking colleagues loudly if they had potato burgers.

The second involved a TSA official at JFK roaring in my elderly mother's face because she was struggling to take off her shoes because she has a problem with her ankle and with her balance. They had already refused to provide a chair for her to sit on. She continued to scream as my mother actually cried.

The third was a staff member in the BFI IMAX in London who sat on the steps at the end of the row right on front of me and talked loudly through much of the film to his friends who were sitting beside him.

I've had no experiences of arsehole staff in Ireland that I remember. I have unfortunately experienced bad manners and poor training too frequently though, with staff who continue to chat while you wait at the till being a very regular occurrence.

loveBBhate

MadsL is to the 'Arsehole staff' thread as to what Kneemos was to the 'Arsehole customers' thread.

The two should should shop the 32 counties of Ireland and make a little programme out of it that'd air some evening on RTE, it would make for an interesting watch.

Drexel

I hate goin into a shop and the person behind a till has a face of thunder on em. Puts me right off! I dont expect them to have a permanent smile on their face but please take the puss off. It feels to me like Im annoying them for even coming into the shop.

I love the dunnes woman in intermission I think it is. Big sigh and a tut everytime shes asked for something!

MadsL

P_1 wrote: »

I know that but you have been living over there for a good while now. Not turning this into a location based argument but surely you've noticed the subtle differences between the spoken English language on both sides of the Atlantic?

I'm saying that the trend to 'are you alright?' is generally some misguided attempt for the sales staff to maintain equal status with the customer. If we were to go back 20-30 "How may I help you?" "Do you need any help?"

It's not a linguistic difference, it's a lazy attempt to avoid actually offering help (and being seen as subservient, shock horror) whilst maintaining at least some verbal contact. That said you are often lucky to even get that.

P_1

osarusan wrote: »

Yes. Yes, it is.

If you were in a shop, looking for the right kind of SD card for your camera, for example, and a member of staff came up and asked if you were all right, you wouldn't know what they meant? You'd consider it an enquiry about your personal well-being?

But if they asked if you needed anything, it would be helpful and polite?

Are you all right there, or do you need any help? That's the full question. It's obvious to everybody what it means, even if you go out of your way to get offended and pretend it doesn't.

That's where the cultural and linguistic differences between Ireland and the States come into it I reckon.

Are you alright there = Nice and polite in Ireland, vague and rude in the States
Do you need anything = Nice and polite in the States, too direct and pushy in Ireland

I am pie

jimgoose wrote: »

I think he misses the old Raj. Or something.

Filthy shop workers with their disgusting coloquialisms, failing to display the requisite deference to their betters.

I shall write a strongly worded letter to the relevant authorities.

Harrumph!!

Overheal

I usually just provide a 'howdy (fcuk you all, its fun to say) or How are you doing today (which is the extended vernacular for Howdy, incidentally)

Can't say I've ever had anyone be outwardly offended by either. Except the odd person who gets offended that more than 2 associates acknowledged their presence today and that means we're "pushy"

Hm. MadsL has wasted enough of my time. Off they go to my ignore list, which by the way, is the single greatest thing about boards.

P_1

MadsL wrote: »

I'm saying that the trend to 'are you alright?' is generally some misguided attempt for the sales staff to maintain equal status with the customer. If we were to go back 20-30 "How may I help you?" "Do you need any help?"

It's not a linguistic difference, it's a lazy attempt to avoid actually offering help (and being seen as subservient, shock horror) whilst maintaining at least some verbal contact. That said you are often lucky to even get that.

I think you're reading far too much into that to be honest

dukedalton

Staff at those stalls selling skin moisturisers, such as in Jervis and Liffey Valley, who want to ask me a question every time I pass within earshot. It's an irritation for me every time I've to run the gauntlet past them, but it's almost funny to see them giving it the whole nine yards when theyve trapped some poor middle aged guy whose wife left him to his own devices for five minutes while she went to pick up something in M&S.