Shopping Assistants rudeness

Poppy84

Hey All,

Just popped up to the Tesco shopping Centre there on my lunch break and I could not get over the rudeness. I went into both the shoe shop and Pennys and both had foreign girls working in them, now dont get me wrong I have nothing against the foreigners but they're attitude towards the customers is ridiculous. Speaking in their own language across to each other in the shop, ignoring browsing customers and chatting at a very high level in the shop, basically it made a few people walk out.
So I proceeded to Pennys at the check out again the two foreign girls chatted away laughing away, no customer service at all....I mean she didnt look at me once didnt say hello even didnt tell me the total i owed her, just looked at me blankly and then towards the total on the machine, not even a smile. The lady beside me asked a question and the sharp reaction she got back for interrupting their conversation was pure ignorance!

So was it just my bad experience or is anyone else experiencing bad attitudes of shop assistants in the city?

majiktripp

Don't go into SuperValu, Fr. Griffin road so, russian mafia running the hot food counter......

Poppy84

please dont get me wrong i really have nothing against the foreigners really i dont i just find it the height of ignorance chatting in their own language across a paying customer and not even acknowledging the customers presence......

majiktripp

I know what you mean, its pretty common now unfortunately but if Irish people aren't willing to work the jobs theres plenty of foreigners who are! Common courtasy would be a plus though.

cmcd

I hear ya. I think Harry Enfield captured it well below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZJhLscD6i8

Kintarō Hattori

Damned pesky foreigners.

Bass Cadet

majiktripp wrote: »

Don't go into SuperValu, Fr. Griffin road so, russian mafia running the hot food counter......

I got a shotgun pulled on me at the one in Oranmore...feck sake, all I asked for was some German salami...

touchy Rooski's. You'd think they'd have buried the hatchet with the Germans since they battered them in WWII

yaynay

cmcd wrote: »

I hear ya. I think Harry Enfield captured it well below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZJhLscD6i8

At least those foreidners said the price and thank you.

fruitbat

I managed to go into Zerep (the shoe shop beside Lynch's castle?), browse the shop, ask for my size, get my size, try it on, and return it to the girl at the counter, all whilst listening to the conversation about what the two assistants were up to the night before. When asking for my shoe size, I got quite rude looks because I had interrupted their conversation, but still no eye contact. No thanks or anything either when I returned the shoes

majiktripp

Bass Cadet wrote: »

I got a shotgun pulled on me at the one in Oranmore...feck sake, all I asked for was some German salami...

touchy Rooski's. You'd think they'd have buried the hatchet with the Germans since they battered them in WWII

They may have technically beaten them but they lost more people doing it!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:WorldWarII-DeathsByCountry-Barchart.png

Steyr

In all fairness if they came here to learn English then they should not speak their native tongue.

TerrorFirmer

That actually pisses me off a lot about some of the foreign workers. Incidentally, most of the staff where I work is foreign but aside from the obvious difference in nationality they're no different then the average shop assistant and work very hard. Actually, the ones we have, are better then a lot of the Irish staff. Across the road however, some of them have a class of complex, and always have this smug, superior look on their face as if to say 'I'm too good to work here' and it's reflected in their service. Once, they even asked me if I wanted Marshmallows in my hot chocolate and when I said I did, they told me to get them myself! They were behind the counter in a huge drum.

Also, the sheer amount of them that can't comprehend English to even the basic standard necessary to successfully complete the most basic of actions. eg. I asked for a plain chicken sandwich before in Supermacs and got a regular burger meal??

It's nothing to do with their specific nationality, and I've absolutely zero problem with the concept of foreign workers, before any of the tiresome PC brigade jump in. But is it to much to expect - in our own country - that the person you've paying has at least a functional grasp of the native language? I'd expect no less of myself going abroad to work, I'm quite sure I wouldn't be hired if I didn't speak the language of and most importantly possess the ability to understand the customer, why is it so different here??

hairyfairy00

fruitbat wrote: »

I managed to go into Zerep (the shoe shop beside Lynch's castle?), browse the shop, ask for my size, get my size, try it on, and return it to the girl at the counter, all whilst listening to the conversation about what the two assistants were up to the night before. When asking for my shoe size, I got quite rude looks because I had interrupted their conversation, but still no eye contact. No thanks or anything either when I returned the shoes

I know the girls that work there and they have always been really rude, i went to school with one of them and she was always a bitch, 2 of her sisters work there also and they are them same as her! I always avoid going in there because they have such a bad attitude.

Kintarō Hattori

HavoK wrote: »

That actually pisses me off a lot about some of the foreign workers. Incidentally, most of the staff where I work is foreign but aside from the obvious difference in nationality they're no different then the average shop assistant and work very hard. Actually, the ones we have, are better then a lot of the Irish staff. Across the road however, some of them have a class of complex, and always have this smug, superior look on their face as if to say 'I'm too good to work here' and it's reflected in their service. Once, they even asked me if I wanted Marshmallows in my hot chocolate and when I said I did, they told me to get them myself! They were behind the counter in a huge drum.

Also, the sheer amount of them that can't comprehend English to even the basic standard necessary to successfully complete the most basic of actions. eg. I asked for a plain chicken sandwich before in Supermacs and got a regular burger meal??

It's nothing to do with their specific nationality, and I've absolutely zero problem with the concept of foreign workers, before any of the tiresome PC brigade jump in. But is it to much to expect - in our own country - that the person you've paying has at least a functional grasp of the native language? I'd expect no less of myself going abroad to work, I'm quite sure I wouldn't be hired if I didn't speak the language of and most importantly possess the ability to understand the customer, why is it so different here??

A good level headed post Havok, now if only more people were like yourself.

DeadSkin

HavoK wrote: »

But is it to much to expect - in our own country - that the person you've paying has at least a functional grasp of the native language? I'd expect no less of myself going abroad to work, I'm quite sure I wouldn't be hired if I didn't speak the language of and most importantly possess the ability to understand the customer, why is it so different here??

It's not their fault, they obviously went thru' some form of interview for the position and were still hired.
It's their employers. It's obvious some employers don't give a sh1t they just see it as cheap labour.

ScumLord

Poppy84 wrote: »

Hey All,

Just popped up to the Tesco shopping Centre there on my lunch break and I could not get over the rudeness. I went into both the shoe shop and Pennys and both had foreign girls working in them, now dont get me wrong I have nothing against the foreigners but they're attitude towards the customers is ridiculous. Speaking in their own language across to each other in the shop, ignoring browsing customers and chatting at a very high level in the shop,

It's about time these foreigners got with the program, I was disturbed to say the least watching them doing the work their told to do and coming in on time. They ruined everything, Monday is no longer an optional day and I'm down to only two tea breaks in a day. Now you get fired if you tell your boss to **** off. Now there's never enough time in the day instead of trying to drag out one job job for the day you've got six to do. The only comfort I can take from the hole thing is that now that they're finally coming around to the Irish pace of life that they'll take them values back to their own country's and squander the EU money like we did.

Mrs OBumble

Fascinating how quickly this thread changed from one about shop-assistants to one about foreigners!

Yes, quite a few shop assistants are from other countries. But quite a few aren't too. I've been treated just as rudely by Irish nationals as by non-Irish-people.

There's a shoe shop near Eyre Square/Shop St that I'm never going back to again ... all Irish staff, didn't need to be speaking in a "foreign" language to focus on it instead of me. On the other hand, the Irish staff in Hynes (both Tesco and Abbeygate Sts) were lovely, I bought twice as many shoes as I'd planned, and will definitely be back there again. And I was dressed like and office worker in the former, and a back-packer in the latter!

Usually I just take my money elsewhere .. and remember that there is karma in the universe and everyone gets what's coming to them sooner or later. And that shop work is horribly low paid, and that dealing with the public all day really is horrible.

Stky10

JustMary wrote: »

Yes, quite a few shop assistants are from other countries. But quite a few aren't too. I've been treated just as rudely by Irish nationals as by non-Irish-people.

I think a lot of shop assistants have the "I don't give a damn" attitude, its not a foreigner thing at all. Its like the old Viz character "Lazy disinterested ShopGirl". That said, I'd hate to do their job dealing with the public who can be very ignorant, especially it has to be said the older generation.

Dazbags

I go into the Supervalu on Farther Griffin road quite a bit, there's two ladies that I think are irish - judging by the few words they utter. They're not very polite and I really hate it when they yawn so widely you can see what they had for breakfast. There's also a 'foreign' girl that works there who is really pleasant and unfailingly polite. I guess that in any cross section of society whatever the job or whatever the nationality there will be some good and some bad...

tristanc

Poppy84 wrote: »

So I proceeded to Pennys at the check out...

Umm, you go to the cheapest **** store, you get the cheapest **** service. How the world works, no?

ScumLord

JustMary wrote: »

Yes, quite a few shop assistants are from other countries. But quite a few aren't too. I've been treated just as rudely by Irish nationals as by non-Irish-people.

I wont eat in a McDonald's unless it's staffed by foreigners. The one over in westside used to be dismal when it was staffed by local young'uns that didn't give a **** about your food. Burgers where soggy and so where the chips it was inedible. Ever since they fired those useless brats the standards improved no end.

I would rather go into a shop and not be bothered by anyone than being cross-examined by some lick-arse shop assistant.

Toto Wolfcastle

I don't care where shop assistants come from, as long as they have enough English to understand what I am saying and to respond (this goes for some Irish people too who can't seem to grasp the English language!) and as long as I get friendly service. I don't expect a full blown conversation. I just expect that the transaction will take place quickly and that the sale assistant is friendly.

If someone stands there looking as if they wish they were somewhere else, then they should be somewhere else.

I nearly had the head bitten off me in a place on Shop Street (don't know if I should mention the name) because I was given a hot chocolate with cream even though I'd asked for no cream. It was no big deal, she just had to make a new one (or if she was lazy she could have scraped the cream off when I wasn't looking). There were no other customers. It takes about 30 seconds to make hot chocolate. When I reminded the girl that I had asked for no cream, meaning it wasn't my fault, she turned on the girl who had taken my order. She might have been having a bad day, but that's not my fault.

SarahSassy

Well I have been in Galway twice in the last month and 90% of the people I encountered were rude. I have never had as many men push THROUGH me in a bar.... They let the door slam in my face and nearly stood on me trying to get to the bar.... The women in the shops were as bad...

What the f...????

SS

BTW they were not foreigners

walt0r

Maybe you're really fat and ugly, if not post pics pls thx xxxx

Alessandra

majiktripp wrote: »

Don't go into SuperValu, Fr. Griffin road so, russian mafia running the hot food counter......

Agree there. If looks could kill! The staff in that store in general are obnoxious though, bar about two of them.

Mr A.

DeadSkin wrote: »

It's not their fault, they obviously went thru' some form of interview for the position and were still hired.
It's their employers. It's obvious some employers don't give a sh1t they just see it as cheap labour.

Exactly

Redhairedguy

Has anyone ever encountered the middle aged women in the well known multinational purveyor of make-up, perfumes and photos on Shop street?

Her attitude towards customers is nothing short of legendary. If she could spit in people's faces I think she would. As a sales clerk myself, I look up to and respect this women and all her characteristics.

---

You're right though, sometimes it's awful bad.

Even if someone is having a bad day, it costs nothing to be at least polite. If you can smile, do. Otherwise, a brief hello, a please when quoting price and a thanks when getting cash. That way, you don't infect others with your pissiness.

C-J

My mother is a Spanish teacher & I was in a cafe in Galway with her recently. We ordered coffees and sat down quite close to the counter where I could hear the two employees talking in Spanish. I dont speak it so commented to my mother about how nice it was in one way to see the ethnic diversity but in another how rude it was that they werent attempting to speak English. My mother then proceeded to fill me in on what they were saying, basically 'those ignorant drunken Irish have no idea how to say thank you, etc'. It was a quiet day & my mother and I were beyond polite so needless to say I was offended!!

Toto Wolfcastle

C-J wrote: »

My mother is a Spanish teacher & I was in a cafe in Galway with her recently. We ordered coffees and sat down quite close to the counter where I could hear the two employees talking in Spanish. I dont speak it so commented to my mother about how nice it was in one way to see the ethnic diversity but in another how rude it was that they werent attempting to speak English. My mother then proceeded to fill me in on what they were saying, basically 'those ignorant drunken Irish have no idea how to say thank you, etc'. It was a quiet day & my mother and I were beyond polite so needless to say I was offended!!

I would have waited until I was ready to leave, then told them where to go in Spanish.

Redhairedguy

janeybabe wrote: »

I would have waited until I was ready to leave, then told them where to go in Spanish.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here..... Spain?