Why do we suffer rude and ignorant waitress and shop assistants

stepbar · 28-06-2007 12:14am

And if you do a little more research you'll find he's not, Simon Burke is :rolleyes: Fergal Quinn is a "non - executive president", hardly the CEO. Bit rich to be calling the other poster stupid dont you think?

PeakOutput · 28-06-2007 12:40am

Gingerspice99 wrote:

But before commenting on the way the man runs his business try reading the book so you can make educated comments on it

i dont need to read his book.....did you read what i said????? i didnt comment on how he runs his business at all so dont put words in my mouth please

i was being patronising because you called me stupid in case you didnt catch that bit

if you have done more research on the subject than me fair play to you i have no plans on being in retail for the rest of my life whatsoever but i do know what I have experienced and you will see from what i have written (if you read it properly) that is all i have commented on.

for every company like the one you proclaim superquinn to be you will find 10 more more succesfull ones based around the idea of minimum costs maximum turnover= maximum profits ie lidl aldi etc but they would not even be the best examples..........customer service is, to be blunt, generally an inconvenience to these companies rightly or wrongly..................

i would also not hold superquinn up as a pillar of customer care far from it or any of our grocerie outlets for that matter but that might be another thread

if you want better service why dont you speak with your wallet and shop somewhere else??? more than likely because it will cost you more

Trojan911 · 28-06-2007 11:26am

Gingerspice99 wrote:

What do you all think

I think if you are not happy with a service then bypass the junior managers & complain to the General Manager, politely.

Also mention that negative comments about his/her store go around just as fast as positive comments.

If it's serious then report it to the GM and ask for the Regional Managers name & contact details and or their Head Office.

Always write to complain as it's on paper then and has to be dealt with.

TJ911...

PS. Gingerspice99 When can we expect to buy tickets for the big comeback?

luckat · 28-06-2007 2:25pm

Here's a typical example of Japanese customer service:

http://www.nevan.net/index.php?page=betty_boop_matches

Now, Japanese shops are profitable - and the goods are cheap and fresh. Japanese people's attitude to their work is to be utterly professional in any job they choose to do, and absolutely loyal to the employer who's paying them.

And it's not the job-for-life syndrome - the job for life has gone in Japan, and people now move from employer to employer just as much as in Ireland.

But everyone there is serious about work, from small children to old people. Bus drivers wear white gloves, and clean the bus out (not that Japanese passengers leave litter, but they check every time, and if there's the slightest mark they clear it off) after every run. Japanese waiters are too proud to take tips, but give careful, caring, kind and intelligent service. Japanese shop clerks are friendly, take the money and give change while doing the sum in their head, and pack the food *beautifully*, as if they're doing a religious service, with an air of calm and sweetness.

And it doesn't take any more work to be kind, friendly and intelligent. (Even when you're posting replies to other people's posts, by the way.)

tampopo · 28-06-2007 5:49pm

Can vouch for the quality and friendliness and efficiency of the Japanese. It's just wonderful. Really dig the wrapping etiquette.

Taxi drivers have a lever that open the door for you and close it after you. They have doilies all over the dash and seats etc. Smells terribly of cigarette smoke though. Dressed impeccably, shirt, tie, cleanshaven, the works.

And the bowing, it's infectious, you end up doing it yourself!

they have their bad points too, but service is brilliant

Parsley · 28-06-2007 6:03pm

shane86 wrote:

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.

Um, the shop assistant has a point there.

dermo88 · 28-06-2007 7:20pm

Its all very well to do comparisons with Japan. But to compare the behaviour of the Japanese to us, you may as well compare chalk with cheese.

I've worked in bars, shops, and bookmakers. I had good relationships with the majority of my customers. From time to time, however, there was a need to have a discreet word.

"Mr Flynn, if you ever touch that girl like that again, your feet won't touch the ground"

Some would try pulling tricks, and attempt to confuse staff.

"I know your game" (smile and grin)

I have been threatened, spat at, and my best move was to take 50 Pounds (55 after tax) in a voided bet from a customer, split it in three, and divide it with the staff, 10 Pounds of which went into the St Vincent De Paul box.

Signed, witnessed and authorised by the general manager, after a fax was sent through to the head office.

"If you ever try and defraud my work colleagues again, I will ensure you never walk into a betting office in the country again"

Of course he would not leave. So I went to the other side of the counter. He was screaming blue murder until the coffee spilled in his face. (Unfortunately it was cooling down).

I went to the other side of the counter and ran him out.

When you have skangers like these plaguing the place, there is no way you can compare us to the Japanese.

________________________________________________________________
By and large, most of my experiences as a staff member and a service provider have been positive. I aimed to be sociable, kind and entertaining. That was not always possible, so when it did get stressful, I detached myself from the situation and got on with it. Its hard to explain, but its something like a mind out of body experience. I've done it in college, and its got me through some tough phases.

Bad management, intimidation, bullying can also play their part. Staff cope with bad management by being a team. Bad management will always reveal itself over time. Dishonesty and deceit will always reveal themselves. Word gets around. I've had the displeasure of working in some bad places. They were bad at first, but normally I found that the first year is the test bed to really see what you are capable of. Thats extremely stressful. Anyone who made it through that got the wages, bonuses and conditions. I've had the pleasure in seeing some of the most venal dishonest managers, and staff exposed. A small number shop stewards, others held no managerial power, but held union power, and often used that as justification for stealing stock, and siphoning funds.

Owners, Management and staff should work as a team. Their aim is to make money. Their aim is to make each other happy. Thats the ideal world. All too often, many who never worked at the bottom are placed in charge, and they fail to understand the people who work for them, their customers, and they are isolated in Ivory Towers.

I could give an example of some major betting chains. The "in thing" in the 1990's, was open plan betting offices, where the staff did not have a pane of glass seperating them from customers. The idea...make us more accessible.

Unfortunately, the paramilitaries, criminals, and heroin addicts really loved the accessibility too much.

At a head office meeting, when this was brought up, I literally SWORE at the owner and general manager at this notion.

"Do you know what its like out there"

I could say more, but I'd reveal a bit too much.

monkey tennis · 28-06-2007 8:16pm

Gingerspice99 wrote:

This man is a multimillionaire that based his company ethics around the needs of the customer so please tell me out of you and him who is the stupid one!!!!

You clearly don't correctly understand the concept of the phrase 'the customer is always right', as embodied by Quinn's attitude. It's to do with treating the customer as though they were right, regardless of (and often in spite of) the fact that they're probably a brainless tool. Feargal Quinn new damn well that most people don't engage their brain in day-to-day life; he chose to work around that, and it worked for him. For ever Feargal Quinn out there, there is another successful business owner who doesn't subscribe to this philosophy. Ever heard of Michael O'Leary?

Also, multiple exclamation marks don't exactly convey intelligence (ever hear about people in glass houses?)

dermo88 · 28-06-2007 9:31pm

I'd never turn nasty on a customer unless it was an absolute last resort, examples of which I have stated above. I'd never regard anyone as stupid, and managed to explain difficult concepts, and seemingly illogical business decisions to customers in laymans terms. Part of that came from understanding both sides of the fence.

Feargal Quinn is correct. People do not engage their brains in day to day life. As far as I was concerned, my customers had done 8-10 or more hours at work. They were there to relax, or they were there to enjoy themselves in either a passive or active manner. When, or if they needed to ask questions, or engage their brains, I was happy to help. If any of them were patronising or rude, I merely acted naive, and it went over my head. This disarmed those who wanted to cause trouble on one hand, and gave a sense of empowerment to those who THOUGHT they were getting a result, or a better deal, or were just chancing their arm.

A slightly mad, sell oil to the Arabs personality helps as well.....as I used to joke.

Its not the customers place to know how to treat staff. However, we are known to dislike.

Pettiness
Rudeness
Anti social behaviour
Lack of hygiene, or making a mess of the place.....although children can do that, kids are fine within reason.

Attempts to rip off by saying "I gave you 20". However, there is a trick around that though is to get two people to go to a crowded bar, one with a 50, the other with a 20, and learn the serial code of the note. The one with the 20, quotes the serial code from the 50, gets change of 50". I have'nt done that, and never will, more often than not till shortages are deducted from wages, or staff will balance up the till if its down more than 2-10 Euro, in order to avoid a verbal/written warning.

Mr Rooney types from Intermission......or jumped up little Hitlers. (There are ways and means of making their lives hell, that they will either resign or commit suicide, but thats not for this thread)

If any of these happen too much in any given day, or a given week, staff end up being narky and unpleasant. Its up to their colleagues to get them out of the mess, and make them feel better. In more cases than not, there is a pleasant manager who understands. Good staff are irreplaceable, and its not all about direct cash payments to make a job pleasant.

modalcommand · 28-06-2007 9:38pm

dermo88 wrote:

Its all very well to do comparisons with Japan. But to compare the behaviour of the Japanese to us, you may as well compare chalk with cheese.

I've worked in bars, shops, and bookmakers. I had good relationships with the majority of my customers. From time to time, however, there was a need to have a discreet word.

"Mr Flynn, if you ever touch that girl like that again, your feet won't touch the ground"

Some would try pulling tricks, and attempt to confuse staff.

"I know your game" (smile and grin)

I have been threatened, spat at, and my best move was to take 50 Pounds (55 after tax) in a voided bet from a customer, split it in three, and divide it with the staff, 10 Pounds of which went into the St Vincent De Paul box.

Signed, witnessed and authorised by the general manager, after a fax was sent through to the head office.

"If you ever try and defraud my work colleagues again, I will ensure you never walk into a betting office in the country again"

Of course he would not leave. So I went to the other side of the counter. He was screaming blue murder until the coffee spilled in his face. (Unfortunately it was cooling down).

I went to the other side of the counter and ran him out.

When you have skangers like these plaguing the place, there is no way you can compare us to the Japanese.

________________________________________________________________
By and large, most of my experiences as a staff member and a service provider have been positive. I aimed to be sociable, kind and entertaining. That was not always possible, so when it did get stressful, I detached myself from the situation and got on with it. Its hard to explain, but its something like a mind out of body experience. I've done it in college, and its got me through some tough phases.

Bad management, intimidation, bullying can also play their part. Staff cope with bad management by being a team. Bad management will always reveal itself over time. Dishonesty and deceit will always reveal themselves. Word gets around. I've had the displeasure of working in some bad places. They were bad at first, but normally I found that the first year is the test bed to really see what you are capable of. Thats extremely stressful. Anyone who made it through that got the wages, bonuses and conditions. I've had the pleasure in seeing some of the most venal dishonest managers, and staff exposed. A small number shop stewards, others held no managerial power, but held union power, and often used that as justification for stealing stock, and siphoning funds.

Owners, Management and staff should work as a team. Their aim is to make money. Their aim is to make each other happy. Thats the ideal world. All too often, many who never worked at the bottom are placed in charge, and they fail to understand the people who work for them, their customers, and they are isolated in Ivory Towers.

I could give an example of some major betting chains. The "in thing" in the 1990's, was open plan betting offices, where the staff did not have a pane of glass seperating them from customers. The idea...make us more accessible.

Unfortunately, the paramilitaries, criminals, and heroin addicts really loved the accessibility too much.

At a head office meeting, when this was brought up, I literally SWORE at the owner and general manager at this notion.

"Do you know what its like out there"

I could say more, but I'd reveal a bit too much.

You must be the craziest, toughest shop assisant on boards. Threatening customers with physical violence. What are you like. You literally swore at your mangager. LITERALLY! Some man.

dermo88 · 28-06-2007 10:05pm

No, not really.

I worked at the tills, packing shelves, stock room, cleaning, general dogsbody, and worked my way up.

I'm not a shop assistant now, and I don't think I'll do that ever again. I'm too comfortable. But if I had to, it would'nt be so bad.

The incidents I mentioned were a small number over the course of working between the ages of 16-22. They were rare, but I remembered them.

As for swearing at the owner, I knew the guy on a social and professional level. The crazy parts of my personality were accepted because I knew the job and took pride in it. If I objected in such a strong manner, he (the owner) knew there was rationale in that. The GM, on the other hand was a university graduate. Brilliant mathematical and commercial brain, the likes of which I have yet to see again. But his understanding of logistics, people, and how they worked on the ground was lacking. The previous week, one of my colleagues had been pistol whipped in a raid. That was why I reacted in that manner, and when that happens, am I really so crazy after all?

The screens stayed where I worked. It could never be any other way.

Peter Collins · 28-06-2007 11:07pm

I love the way sometimes shop assistants will drop the change into your hand, for fear of actually touching your hand!!!

And they're handling those manky coins day in, day out.

Shows you some of the muppets who do that for a living.

A summer maybe, but not a living.

Random · 28-06-2007 11:14pm

If the customer is nice then generally the staff member will be the same. Treat the staff member as you'd like to treat them and generally you'll get the same in return.

Wompa1 · 28-06-2007 11:34pm

I worked in retail for over 10 years, I can understand how it can make a person bitter but you shouldn't take it out on the next customer, I usually punched or threw something or made a smart ass comment. Still most people will be nice when you are, the rest have never had to deal with the public before and don't know what its like to be made feel like a servant. I'm so happy I'm out of retail..horrible,horrible job, I know its not all tht physically demanding compared to other jobs but at least labourers don't have to give up their diginity when they go to work

Also Starring LeVar Burton · 28-06-2007 11:52pm

Didn't get to read all the comments, as there are so many of them, but there are some interesting points being made.

As someone who has worked in different areas of retail (Dunnes, Virgin, McDonalds, Cinema, Barman) I can tell you that most workers will treat customers, the same way customers treat them.
If a customer comes up to me and is friendly and polite, it doesn't matter how busy I am, I'll go out of my way to help them out and I enjoy helping people who are nice to me, however if the first impression I get from a customer is a negative one, I'll usually be rude and obnoxious towards them.
Someone else said that it sometimes comes down to the management and that is also true, I have often gotten in s**t from a manager for spending too long with one customer, when there is "other work" to be done, because of the person I am however, I usually argue with the manager about it and explain to them it's my job to be nice and polite and it usually works as another manager will come along and back me up. Some of them unfortunately go on little power trips and think they're the bees knees because they're a junior manager in Dunnes. I usually just laugh about it, because they're stuck in that job for the rest of their life, whereas I'm only passing through while I'm in college.
Then of course, some workers are just downright a**holes.

luckat · 29-06-2007 1:01am

I wasn't really comparing the Irish and the Japanese, more saying that we could learn from the Japanese way of doing things.

They seem to bring a Zen attitude to every job, and make it into an art.

thefinalstage · 29-06-2007 1:42am

luckat wrote:

I wasn't really comparing the Irish and the Japanese, more saying that we could learn from the Japanese way of doing things.

They seem to bring a Zen attitude to every job, and make it into an art.

Pfft. That comes from their culture of respect towards each other and the honor of their names. They believe that everyone is as important as the next. I mean Japanese managers take pride in handing out their business cards. They are clean, crisp, well made because they believe that the card is a reflection on themselves. The cards you get over here are usually ratty
or in some cases post-its. :P

PeakOutput · 29-06-2007 5:16am

Peter Collins wrote:

I love the way sometimes shop assistants will drop the change into your hand, for fear of actually touching your hand!!!

And they're handling those manky coins day in, day out.

Shows you some of the muppets who do that for a living.

A summer maybe, but not a living.

do you not think its stranger that you notice these mannerisms than it is them having these mannerisms???

personally iwould probably feel wierd if a shop assistant corresed my hand with theirs giving me the change and if i was the shop assistant i d feel wierd doing it.

but at the same time i dont have the same need, as some obviously do, to have some sort of personal/physical connection with people who are providing me with a service

luckat · 29-06-2007 8:58am

It's not a question of a personal connection, but of professional behaviour.

Every time you address another human being - whether it's in a professional context or saying "excuse me" on the street, you're having a connection with that person.

It can be pleasant and mannerly, or it can be sullen and adolescent.

Peter Collins · 29-06-2007 10:15am

PeakOutput wrote:

do you not think its stranger that you notice these mannerisms than it is them having these mannerisms???

personally iwould probably feel wierd if a shop assistant corresed my hand with theirs giving me the change and if i was the shop assistant i d feel wierd doing it.

Not carressing my hand, but some of them just drop your change in from a height, or place it on the counter if you have your hand out.

Stupid, stupid stuff.

Most staff are fine though....Dunnes staff and DIY Shop staff leave a lot to be desired in my experience....but I suppose you get what you pay for - and that applies to employers too.

Siogfinsceal · 29-06-2007 3:05pm

just walk out. I refuse to shop in certain stores as the service is brutal and I just dont want anything enough to stand queueing for half an hour while a shop assistant on a go slow chats to her mates. not tarring u all with the same brush- worked in a shop mysel for years but i was nice and was quick. there s chain of cafes i refused to visit as I dealt with owner as a customer in a previous job and she was so rude and ignorant I refuse to line her pockets

Thrill · 29-06-2007 3:21pm

I've found waitresses and shop attendants etc to be o.k. It gets a bit frustrating in banks though, when there is a large queue and only one teller on duty or when the teller and customer decide to carrying on chatting after their business has been done.

Generally though i find the service from people who work behind the counter is fine even though it may not always come with a smile.

monkey tennis · 29-06-2007 3:31pm

Siogfinsceal wrote:

she was so rude and ignorant I refuse to line her pockets

I'm sure she died of starvation, penniless, a short time later.

Red Alert · 29-06-2007 7:03pm

What is it with the bank people? They sit there like they've all day when the queue's out the door.

stepbar · 29-06-2007 7:57pm

Red Alert wrote:

What is it with the bank people? They sit there like they've all day when the queue's out the door.

"Sometimes" its the customers who can be the stupid ones. Statements printouts drive me particulary mad. Some people would queue up at customer service for 10 mins just to get a print out of their transactions. We have a bloody statement printer provided for your convience for christ sakes. When I hand back the printout I just say "Would you like to sign up for internet banking"?

Zillah · 29-06-2007 9:46pm

Working in the service industry is nightmarish. Technically I still do but its a really really good part of it. I feel so sorry for some young one trapped at a Tescos till on a Saturday afternoon, or that poor guy sweating in McDonalds in the Square. Horrible. If they feel like being sullen and abrupt then they should go right ahead. The last thing I want to see is some poor young person giving me a fake smile, strained cheerful voice and look at me with their cold dead eyes when all they want to do is rip off their uniform and smother ever last one of these horrible demanding customers with it.

I think these sorts of jobs are beneath everyone.

philstar · 29-06-2007 9:56pm

no problem with dunnes, penneys and the like but its the sniffy stores i.e. brown thomas where the assistants seem to telepathically know yr social background and bank account that i feel uncomfortable, they look at u as if to say yr too poor to be here my dear

stepbar · 29-06-2007 9:59pm

Zillah wrote:

I think these sorts of jobs are beneath everyone.

Below a snotty nosed 16 yr old? :rolleyes:

Zillah · 30-06-2007 12:58am

stepbar wrote:

Below a snotty nosed 16 yr old? :rolleyes:

Yes. Being 16 doesn't mean you don't have dignity or a desire to be respected.

stepbar · 30-06-2007 1:07am

At 16, 18 or whatever age, they should be damm glad that they have a job. And especially if its their first job. In my book they have to earn respect, not the opposite way around. It's no wonder we've had to wheel in the chinese and polish to do the jobs we wouldn't touch with a bargepole. Some young ones have a high opinion of themselves TBH.

philstar · 30-06-2007 1:19am

stepbar wrote:

Some young ones have a high opinion of themselves TBH.

yes i blame the celtic tiger...the amount of snobbery in this country is unreal and unbecoming of the irish..i think

bring back the 1980s when everyone was on the dole but modest/nice

thefinalstage · 30-06-2007 1:47am

philstar wrote:

yes i blame the celtic tiger...the amount of snobbery in this country is unreal and unbecoming of the irish..i think

bring back the 1980s when everyone was on the dole but modest/nice

Yeah! When everyone ate white bread and a fry up for breakfast not this healthy living sh*te!

Zillah · 30-06-2007 2:00am

stepbar wrote:

At 16, 18 or whatever age, they should be damm glad that they have a job. And especially if its their first job.

Oh yes master thank you for letting me do a job that a robot could. Thank you for letting me treat obnoxious idiots like they're not just that so you, the exalted master, can make some more money.

Yes, people need to work to survive, unfortunately, but the notion of being grateful for having to work some uttershite position like bag packer or McDonalds, thats madness. I don't know what repressive decade you came from but this Catholic guilt complex lots of Irish people have is depressing. We're not worthy, we're not worthy!

In my book they have to earn respect, not the opposite way around.

You have an upsettingly draconian book and I'd pee on it if I could. So, your default setting is a lack of respect for other people?

It's no wonder we've had to wheel in the chinese and polish to do the jobs we wouldn't touch with a bargepole. Some young ones have a high opinion of themselves TBH.

Whats wrong with having a high opinion of oneself? They're right, people shouldn't have to put up with this crap. The only reason the Polish and Chinese are doing it is because its even worse at home.

Roll on robots, automation and nanites.

stepbar · 30-06-2007 2:29am

Less of the patronising tone sonny.

You're telling me that anyone younger than 18 shouldn't have to stoop to a job in McDonald's. Laughable

When I was 16 I working for my Da, and he paid me buttons as his "go for" - go for this, go for that. I ran up and down ladders, chasing walls and climbed inside attics throwing cables all round the place. TBH McDonald's would be handy work. That was 8 years ago. And now we have a crowd of useless teenagers who feel that they are "beneath" a job in McDonalds :rolleyes:

You have an upsettingly draconian book and I'd pee on it if I could. So, your default setting is a lack of respect for other people?

And if I was your manager, I'd kick your ass so hard that you'd land a 100 yards outside the front door.

Whats wrong with having a high opinion of oneself? They're right, people shouldn't have to put up with this crap. The only reason the Polish and Chinese are doing it is because its even worse at home.

Empty vessels and all that.... At least the Polish and Chinese are doing it here, which is more than can be said for our own.

sallyy44 · 30-06-2007 2:44am

can anyone tell me how do i actually start posting?????

thefinalstage · 30-06-2007 3:00pm

stepbar wrote:

Less of the patronising tone sonny.

You're telling me that anyone younger than 18 shouldn't have to stoop to a job in McDonald's. Laughable When I was 16 I working for my Da, and he paid me buttons as his "go for" - go for this, go for that. I ran up and down ladders, chasing walls and climbed inside attics throwing cables all round the place. TBH McDonald's would be handy work. That was 8 years ago. And now we have a crowd of useless teenagers who feel that they are "beneath" a job in McDonalds :rolleyes:

And if I was your manager, I'd kick your ass so hard that you'd land a 100 yards outside the front door.

Empty vessels and all that.... At least the Polish and Chinese are doing it here, which is more than can be said for our own.

Your an odd one. You didn't even work in McDonalds yourself.

stepbar · 30-06-2007 3:26pm

thelastangryman wrote:

Your an odd one. You didn't even work in McDonalds yourself.

Thats not the point and you know it. There's nothing **** about working in McD's when you are 16, its a lot less physical than the work I was doing when I was that age. I dont understand how anyone could think they would be beneath that. Maybe its because we're supposedly loaded, thats probably the problem.

PeakOutput · 30-06-2007 4:07pm

stepbar wrote:

Thats not the point and you know it. There's nothing **** about working in McD's when you are 16, its a lot less physical than the work I was doing when I was that age. I dont understand how anyone could think they would be beneath that. Maybe its because we're supposedly loaded, thats probably the problem.

you conveniently ignored his point about you not respecting people until they "prove" themselves to you..........

stepbar · 30-06-2007 6:15pm

If you read the line again you'll find thats not what was said. Look at the line from a manager's point of view.

PeakOutput · 30-06-2007 7:13pm

stepbar wrote:

At 16, 18 or whatever age, they should be damm glad that they have a job. And especially if its their first job. In my book they have to earn respect, not the opposite way around. It's no wonder we've had to wheel in the chinese and polish to do the jobs we wouldn't touch with a bargepole. Some young ones have a high opinion of themselves TBH.

firstly i dont see "from a managers point of view in that post"

secondly

In my book they have to earn respect

stepbar wrote:

If you read the line again you'll find thats not what was said. Look at the line from a manager's point of view.

ah i understand now you want me to take the position of a manager and read what you said ..........ok.............

yep its still a ridicolous statement. guilty until proven innocent would be another way of explaining your management philosophy...........good luck with that.

stepbar · 30-06-2007 7:19pm

Well sorry I didnt point that out with the words "from their superior / manager / jedi" or whatever, but I would have thought it was fairly obvious. Work hard, do what your supposed to do properly = Earn respect. Yeah? Shouldn't be a problem if you do that.

PeakOutput · 30-06-2007 7:28pm

stepbar wrote:

Well sorry I didnt point that out with the words "from their superior / manager / jedi" or whatever, but I would have thought it was fairly obvious. Work hard, do what your supposed to do properly = Earn respect. Yeah? Shouldn't be a problem if you do that.

imo, that is very different than saying that they have to earn your respect, as people they should have your respect until they do something to lose it

cooperguy · 30-06-2007 7:33pm

ROCKMAN wrote:

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

Its NOT.

Its something thats done extra if the place happens to be quiet or whatever it is not a standard part of checking out stock.

stepbar · 30-06-2007 7:40pm

PeakOutput wrote:

imo, that is very different than saying that they have to earn your respect, as people they should have your respect until they do something to lose it

So your saying (hypothetically speaking as a manager) I should respect a snotty nosed 16 yr old who A) I dont know what he/she is like (its handy enough to give out believable bull**** in a interview) or

what type of a worker they are. You can only use your best judgement. They mightn't respect me but hell i'm the person in charge. In time, if they do their job right they earn the respect. Its my respect (as a manager) that their earning. Making mistakes is part of it, learn from them and move on. Its fairly simple for me.

When I look at some of the young ones behind till etc, you'd sware that the job at hand was a bit of a shore and they were beneath it. Its not hard to say hello, please and thank you. If the managers were doing their jobs right, they would be pulled up about it straight away.

PeakOutput · 30-06-2007 7:48pm

stepbar wrote:

So your saying (hypothetically speaking as a manager) I should respect a snotty nosed 16 yr old who A) I dont know what he/she is like (its handy enough to give out believable bull**** in a interview) or what type of a worker they are. You can only use your best judgement. They mightn't respect me but hell i'm the person in charge. In time, if they do their job right, they get the respect. Its fairly simple for me.

you sound like a horrible person to work.............if you cannot tell who is good and bad in an interview that is your fault. you assume the worst that is the problem and of anyone teenagers can sense that most of all imo and are less likely to perform for someone like that(i feel).

I do feel you may be using the word respect incorrectly though and maybe thats were the difference is occuring.

also when you first said they must earn my respect it very much appeared like you as a customer feel that the people serving you must earn your respect. it did not sound AT ALL like you were speaking from any sort of managerial position partcularly after you indicated you were not in such a position yourself.

*by the way i dont care that much how YOU treat your employees but I have the time in work

to post so this is the only interesting topic I can find

stepbar wrote:

When I look at some of the young ones behind till etc, you'd sware that the job at hand was a bit of a shore and they were beneath it. Its not hard to say hello, please and thank you. If the managers were doing their jobs right, they would be pulled up about it straight away.

i repeat....they are SERVING YOU why should they be the ones thanking you??? when you go to the till you should say "these please" or something along those lines and when they give you your change you should say thanks.

stepbar · 30-06-2007 8:00pm

PeakOutput wrote:

i repeat....they are SERVING YOU why should they be the ones thanking you??? when you go to the till you should say "these please" or something along those lines and when they give you your change you should say thanks.

And most people do, its a pity its not reverbated. Every time I go to a till I say hi/hello. Do I get a responce back? I'd say it would be close to 1 in 10. I get my change back and I say "thanks". Slient. Some times I think I'm getting deaf. Thats not showing respect to the customer. Thats showing contempt. They should be thanking you for the business. Some staff seem to forget that its the customer keeps the tills ringing and wages paid. A bit of common courtsey would be nice.

PeakOutput · 30-06-2007 8:05pm

stepbar wrote:

And most people do, its a pity its not reverbated. Every time I go to a till I say hi/hello. Do I get a responce back? I'd say it would be close to 1 in 10. I get my change back and I say "thanks". Slient. Some times I think I'm getting deaf. Thats not showing respect to the customer. Thats showing contempt. They should be thanking you for the business. Some staff seem to forget that its the customer keeps the show on the road. A bit of common courtsey would be nice.

i would feel that 9/10 queues I am in I am the only one that says please and thank-you(or at least says it loud enough for anyone to hear) but that is just my experience..........

although maybe im just bitter as my current job is particularly thankless but it is a very uncommon customer service role

*looks at watch*

only 60 more days and im out of here

a5y · 30-06-2007 8:20pm

stepbar wrote:

Less of the patronising tone sonny.

In other news Gardaí have a arrested a pot for calling a kettle black. The pot, who cannot be named for legal reasons...

shay_562 · 30-06-2007 11:42pm

So your saying (hypothetically speaking as a manager) I should respect a snotty nosed 16 yr old who A) I dont know what he/she is like (its handy enough to give out believable bull**** in a interview) or what type of a worker they are. You can only use your best judgement. They mightn't respect me but hell i'm the person in charge. In time, if they do their job right they earn the respect. Its my respect (as a manager) that their earning.

It's worth remembering that a manager also needs to earn the respect of his workforce in order to operate in any kind of effective manner. You can talk down to and patronise your workforce all you want, and you can inspire terror-based obedience when you're standing over them, but you can't monitor all of them at all times and the only way to ensure that people are actually going to work hard when you're not there is to inspire some kind of respect, be it the "he's a bastard, but he's competent" kind or the "he's a legend, so I'll do this for him anyway" kind. Highly unscientific as this may be, in the last few years of working in various different places under at least a dozen different managers, I've seen a fairly high positive correllation between managerial incompetence/rudeness and employee indifference.

As for the "I worked for me da and worked hard, and I walked there uphill, both ways, through the rain and the snow, with no shoes, and I was grateful for the tuppence a month" thing, I'm sure that's sad etc, but you're completely missing the point. I much prefer the jobs I've had doing manual labour, where I'm generally treated like a competent human being and given some class of responsibility, to the jobs I've had working at a counter and being condescended to day-in, day-out. The issue here is about how much respect you're given in a job (both from customers and managers), not about how hard each of us percieve the job to be. And if you want to know why it matters, or why it's not necessarily a bad thing that people are pushing for more respect in their jobs, there's whole schools of psychology and business devoted to working out what makes people work better (stronger, faster), and respect/responsibility play a large role.

parsi · 01-07-2007 12:03am

stepbar wrote:

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.

I use Dunnes in Douglas and I find the customer service is very good. During the 30% back offers on wines they happily went off scanning port and martini to find out if it qualified. I also find that they are generally helpful and have indeed gone off to check in the warehouse (or at least made it look like it

)\they also have decent stock control and if you're looking for a product the stackers will bring you there rather than "it's somewhere in aisle 6".

And unlike a bank they don't have a morning when they open late or tell you it will take 15 days to recover a card that their machine swallowed...I've never been in Dunnes whre halfway through checkout I was asked to move to another checkout - happened in a bank though.

However I think customer service depends on management - in Tesco's the Manager hides in his office but in Dunnes & SuperValu they are out and about keeping an eye on things and generally being available.

Why do we suffer rude and ignorant waitress and shop assistants

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