Does anyone else notice service workers are disproportiantely rude to them?

B.A._Baracus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118628208#Comment_118628208

I've worked with Polish / Eastern European people before in retail. Its very hit and miss with them in regards to everything.

With working along side them, you can have banter with some no problem. Others it's like trying to get blood from a stone. It's a spilt divide down the middle I found.

It's an integration thing I think. Like take one girl I worked with. She was Polish and even had an Irish boyfriend. She was chatty and friendly. Even on the till she'd be real friendly to people. Then you would have other Polish staff who kept to themselves. Same sort who'd barely make a sound on tills to customers.

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118628634#Comment_118628634

Small talk and smiling at strangers is a bit alien to them

Fine people otherwise

Dramatik

Never have bad interactions with staff but then again I've worked in retail so I know to:

1. Be patient!

2. Have some kind of an idea what exactly it is that you are looking for (ever heard of Google?)

3. Don't ask a bunch of questions at once. Ask a question, wait for them to answer, then ask another.

4. If asked for information like name and phone number, don't blurt everything out at once, slow it down, give them time to get everything. Speak slowly and clearly, spell your surname for them.

5. Be patient!

milehip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118628398#Comment_118628398

Worthy of Webster's itself.

The ladies that work in my local Polish shop are friendly. Not overly chatty, but by no means rude. Some of the locals won't go in, fearing that they wouldn't be welcomed, which is mad to me... :D The service is grand.

Green Finers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118632001#Comment_118632001

Polonez and Lituanica do some cracker wines.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118632064#Comment_118632064

Haven't got to the drinks section yet! Still working my way through the pickled stuff, sausages and the breads.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118628180#Comment_118628180

That's exactly what I would have thought. A lot of it can be done with a smile, "hi" and brief eye contact when you reach the counter. That's all that's needed, but a bit of chit chat is usually very pleasant IF it's organic - forced chat is much worse than no chat.

Otherwise if i check out my stuff and leave with minimal chat (hello, that's €X, thanks, bye) I'd consider that a job well done. I don't expect any chat from the person working the till, but it can be nice sometimes.

Never really notice people being rude - but maybe I'm not as introspective and clever and pleasant as the OP seems to think they are.

BattleCorp1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118625226#Comment_118625226

Fcukin Ba5tard staff not dropping the change into your hand. Cnuts.

Jaysus lads, have we nothing to be giving out about eh?

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118626575#Comment_118626575

Why should she be thanking you.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118628208#Comment_118628208

I go to a grocery shop for groceries and a clothes shop for clothes.

If you require smiles I'll go to a smile shop otherwise I don't see why anyone seeks out a fake smile from someone who is only doing because they are forced to by their boss.

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635848#Comment_118635848

lots of people dont need to be paid to smile , they have a natural sunny disposition

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118628634#Comment_118628634

So some are one way and others are a different way.

It's almost like Polish people are a whole huge nation full of people and don't all act the same.

No wonder they don't smile at some of the people on Boards.

B.A._Baracus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118636013#Comment_118636013

And your typical smart arse after hours reply.

How many Polish people have you worked with? ... don't tell me millions right? Cause this in the Internet and we can say anything we want.

Strumms

A strange old barman in my local used to do that with our gang… you’d hand him a tenner, he’d pull it out of your grip, before you’d even outstretched your arm….you expect the € 4.90 to be courteously returned into the outstretched and open palm of your hand…but for some unknown reason he’d just put in down on the counter..with you standing there hand open..

we came up with a move that on being sick of this craic we’d just pop the cash on the counter before the pint was pulled which he didn’t like seemingly with him stood there hand out but hey… “ lads what’s the problem ?” Here is a clue Pete, it ain’t us…

in my late teens and early ‘20s I worked a lot with the public, it’s challenging but I’d rather maintain a level of courtesy even to asshole customers as it riled them and a consistent level of professionalism cannot be questioned.

Snails pace

I never had any bad interactions with retail staff. I've come across unprofessional staff alright like staff on their phone and on one occasion a person working in a deli not wearing gloves. There's one filling station near me where the whole thing is just a shít show and I just stay away from it. I might go in there if I want to maintain my anger for a while longer 😂

If anything the retail staff get more grief than the customer so I'd give them a break. OP you sound like a person who thinks they are intellectually superior (Alpha male bull) but you probably come across as an ass. Just be sound and everything will be okay.

AckwelFoley

Can't say I've seen it disproportionately with service staff to be honest. As mentioned earlier, it's a pretty straight forward interaction.

Yes, the odd bad experience here and there but rare. I'm not expecting a song and a dance if I'm in McDonalds

I was in my local Lidl earlier, the young lady scanning my stuff (early 20's, five foot nothing, pure Dub accent) was talking over her shoulder to the person on the next till. Apparently there had been some sort of a scrap in the shop earlier and she'd intervened in some way. One of those involved had said they'd be coming back later to kick her head in.

She never even asked me how my day was.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118637238#Comment_118637238

Their conversation sounds more interesting.

Liberty_Bear

The best way to engage a person in services industry is to learn their name, repeat it often, speak in a friendly manner and then thank them and wish them a good day.

I like doing it with the Lidl cashier as she fires my shopping at me like a machine gunner, she slows down

fryup

it looks like in the future we may have no staff to be rude to us...if this catches on

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2022/0214/1280815-frictionless-shopping-launches-in-ireland/

imagine all the unemployment that will cause 😶

Ficheall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118628588#Comment_118628588

With all due respect to you, and I'm sure she has other qualities, but your wife sounds like an asshole.

AyeGer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118643930#Comment_118643930

And its quite passive aggressive behaviour, I'm sure the staff really appreciate those sort of comments from a customer.