How to piss a shop assistant off...

The Agogo

As highlighted in another thread, we've to put up with **** like this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10922428

on a regular basis

InTheTrees

The Agogo wrote: »

- Most people also STINK. Is it really asking much for you to wash your clothes and body at frequent occasions.

I notice this a lot. BO and bad breath from people who you just wouldnt expect it from.

If its warm and you're sweating and you dont have antiperspirant on then, even if you cant smell it yourself, you stink.

And for gods sake brush your teeth. I dont want to smell your half digested breakfast.

G_R

Used to work in a shop and now in a Cinema so I deal with the public everyday, especially now since im on Holidays.

First off, just to say, where I work a huge emphasis is placed on "Guest Service" ie, being nice to customers, making sure every need is met, mainly because we charge ridiculous prices and management knows it. We even have a GSP (Guest Service Point) where you can ask questions about films that are out etc, so I hate it when people assume that just because they had a bad experience in with someone in Tesco or Dunnes or somewhere, they assume that all Retail Staff are rude and obnoxious.

99% of customers are lovely, will say please and thanks, will have a chat with you etc, but there is always that 1% who really do act like pricks.

Couple of points,
- Please stop telling me that €4.50 is outrageous for a Large Coke, I know it is, I wholeheartedly agree with you, but what would you like me to do about it. Seriously. Do you think that there is a function on the till to reduce the price of something, even if I did have the authority to do so. No one does, not even management.
- I have no problem at all going through each and every film with you and telling you who is in them, what there about and giving you a recommendation about what to go and see when it's quiet, but, when there is 10 people behind you and every other till also has a queue at it, please dont be offended that I tell you I'm sorry I cant.
- If I offer you a combo, I am trying to save you money, believe me, no one knows the combinations better than the staff. If we say that a Medium Popcorn and Coke is cheaper that a Medium Popcorn and Small Coke, we are not trying to shaft you, dont look at me so suspiciously.
- No, you cannot have a student ticket without a student card. There is nothing else to it.
- No, your 12 year old child can not go with you to see a 16's rated film because you say so. The IFCO cert is imposed by the Government, if we let you in, I could personally get fined, and so could the cinema, so again, no.

OK, i realise that was long, but once I started I couldn't stop.

TL: DR version

Not all retail staff are bad, some are good, don't do stupid things to cinema staff.

Flesh Gorden

I really hope the attitude of people going into shops/pubs/hotels and being ignorant and rude to staff
especially from older people dies out with that generation, the sooner it does the better

at least it's only a handful of people in this thread who still have that level of ignorance and selfishness

Zemuppet

dannym08 wrote: »

Used to work in a shop and now in a Cinema so I deal with the public everyday, especially now since im on Holidays.

First off, just to say, where I work a huge emphasis is placed on "Guest Service" ie, being nice to customers, making sure every need is met, mainly because we charge ridiculous prices and management knows it. We even have a GSP (Guest Service Point) where you can ask questions about films that are out etc, so I hate it when people assume that just because they had a bad experience in with someone in Tesco or Dunnes or somewhere, they assume that all Retail Staff are rude and obnoxious.

99% of customers are lovely, will say please and thanks, will have a chat with you etc, but there is always that 1% who really do act like pricks.

Couple of points,
- Please stop telling me that €4.50 is outrageous for a Large Coke, I know it is, I wholeheartedly agree with you, but what would you like me to do about it. Seriously. Do you think that there is a function on the till to reduce the price of something, even if I did have the authority to do so. No one does, not even management.
- I have no problem at all going through each and every film with you and telling you who is in them, what there about and giving you a recommendation about what to go and see when it's quiet, but, when there is 10 people behind you and every other till also has a queue at it, please dont be offended that I tell you I'm sorry I cant.
- If I offer you a combo, I am trying to save you money, believe me, no one knows the combinations better than the staff. If we say that a Medium Popcorn and Coke is cheaper that a Medium Popcorn and Small Coke, we are not trying to shaft you, dont look at me so suspiciously.
- No, you cannot have a student ticket without a student card. There is nothing else to it.
- No, your 12 year old child can not go with you to see a 16's rated film because you say so. The IFCO cert is imposed by the Government, if we let you in, I could personally get fined, and so could the cinema, so again, no.

OK, i realise that was long, but once I started I couldn't stop.

TL: DR version

Not all retail staff are bad, some are good, don't do stupid things to cinema staff.

I agree with you mate. I've worked in retail for 5 years, some (not all) customers can be quite ignorant and rude to you and those working around you. I think that usually the best customers are those who work in retail themselves as they know the sort of problems that go on in that line of work.

BTW speaking of cinema staff, i went to the movies a few weeks back and as i was walking toward the screen, i was asked for my ticket. with the amount of food i had i dropped my hotdog and the staff member suddenly start sayin "Not my fault, not my fault" as if i was about to blame him for my mistake. LOL the world we live today

tread_softly

My 5 year anniversary in retail is coming next week! I enjoy shedding a tear over my degree before I go to work everyday.

I'm polite to my customers and the majority of them are pleasant back. If they're rude, I still act the same. It's enjoyable to sarcastically say "you're welcome!" to an ignorant customer who couldn't even waste their breath on a simple thank you.

But another that irks me is when a manager overrules you even when you're following store policy.

Yesterday I was working on the customer service desk when a customer came in looking for a refund on a bottle of wine. He had no receipt so I politely refused his request.
He got all flustered saying that I should scan it and it'll show up on our system to prove it's from the shop. I told him many other stores could stock this particular brand, how do I know you bought it here? I'm not risking my job giving you a refund just to shut you up.

Anyway, he asked to speak to a manager so I called one knowing I would be backed up. After a heated discussion, the customer returns to the desk with a triumphant look on his face. The manager agreed to a refund and I was made to look like a fool.

We'd get a warning and possibly even fired for going against store policy, but why bother when managers disregard it?

Feu

i think it's a bit of a tricky one, like, many people saying, if they're nice, be nice back etc, but when i worked retail, it was really hard to be nice if your previous customer was some weapon giving out to you. I think this thread proves that both customers and staff are capable of being very rude. I always go out of my way to be nice to waitstaff/retail staff, cus i worked it and know it's a pain in the ass, but i think people who haven't worked retail can be a bit more insensitive. That said, generally speaking i have noticed a declining rate of hellos and thank yous in retail in general. does irk me. [i don't think staff should be bowing and scraping, just normal politeness!! ]

when i was working in a bookshop, a customer was just leaving with her kid [of about 5 years old], and she bought a book, and just as she was leaving the counter said "we had a bit of an accident in the children's section". I didn't immediately twig to what this meant, but i was working with a hilarious canadian girl at the time who straight away said "are you talking about urine?"And the woman just laughed and nodded and walked away, like it was an amusing faux pas! I know this is more an oblivious mother thing, then rude customer thing, but like, your kid peed on the floor, at least be a bit embarassed and apologise! and we'd no mop. The place was a mess! [also it was in a shopping centre, so there were toilets just outside!]

Raspberries

Feu wrote: »

when i was working in a bookshop, a customer was just leaving with her kid [of about 5 years old], and she bought a book, and just as she was leaving the counter said "we had a bit of an accident in the children's section". I didn't immediately twig to what this meant, but i was working with a hilarious canadian girl at the time who straight away said "are you talking about urine?"And the woman just laughed and nodded and walked away, like it was an amusing faux pas! I know this is more an oblivious mother thing, then rude customer thing, but like, your kid peed on the floor, at least be a bit embarassed and apologise! and we'd no mop. The place was a mess! [also it was in a shopping centre, so there were toilets just outside!]

I've been there!! Twice in fact in the past year, and I work in a bookshop too!! The first time the Mother was completely embarrassed, as was the kid, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor thing. In fairness each time the parents let me know straight away, but still it's not nice mopping up urine.

G_R

Raspberries wrote: »

I've been there!! Twice in fact in the past year, and I work in a bookshop too!! The first time the Mother was completely embarrassed, as was the kid, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor thing. In fairness each time the parents let me know straight away, but still it's not nice mopping up urine.

try vomit AND i kid you not, shit/poo/feces/whatever your calling it yourself (nappy leaked). Both of which have been found in screens in the cinema. Luckily I wasn't working when the nappy leaked, but I've cleaned up my fair share of vomit.

Have been told about it most of the time, and usually the parents are very apologetic about it. The was one time, however, I smelled something disgusting in one of the corridors, so I investigated. I checked behind all the Standees (the big cardboard things that advertise movies) and sure enough behind the last one was a nice pile of vomit. Some people really have no shame

Owwmykneecap

I used to work in a Maccy D's and on the day it was being inspected, someone took a **** in the urinal.

Not a trough urinal, a bowl one.

I would have simply refused to clean that had I been asked.



A friend of mine worked in a shoe shop in carlow town (the cheap one on main street, you knows it) and someone took a steaming dump on the middle of the open floor. she had a rather unpleasant present to deal with.

cc87

tread_softly wrote: »

But another that irks me is when a manager overrules you even when you're following store policy.

Yesterday I was working on the customer service desk when a customer came in looking for a refund on a bottle of wine. He had no receipt so I politely refused his request.
He got all flustered saying that I should scan it and it'll show up on our system to prove it's from the shop. I told him many other stores could stock this particular brand, how do I know you bought it here? I'm not risking my job giving you a refund just to shut you up.
Anyway, he asked to speak to a manager so I called one knowing I would be backed up. After a heated discussion, the customer returns to the desk with a triumphant look on his face. The manager agreed to a refund and I was made to look like a fool.
We'd get a warning and possibly even fired for going against store policy, but why bother when managers disregard it?

This is why, even if its a complaint or problem i could easily deal with, i always refer them to a manager.

Especially these days when so many people seem to believe that if they have a complaint they should get whatever amount of free stuff they like.

Although where i work at the moment, the general rule is no matter what, don't incur a loss. Really useful when you have people claiming that they gave a 50 when it was clearly a tenner. The look on their face when they threaten to report me to my manager and i respond "I'll get him for you". Someone did this at the start of a night once when there was no fifties even in the till. Refused to accept that it really was a tenner he gave me.

ColeTrain

Owwmykneecap wrote: »

I used to work in a Maccy D's and on the day it was being inspected, someone took a **** in the urinal.

Not a trough urinal, a bowl one.

I would have simply refused to clean that had I been asked.



A friend of mine worked in a shoe shop in carlow town (the cheap one on main street, you knows it) and someone took a steaming dump on the middle of the open floor. she had a rather unpleasant present to deal with.

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/images/shows/southpark/vertical_video/import/season_10/sp_1009_01_v6.jpg

Ronin247

dannym08 wrote: »

99% of customers are lovely, will say please and thanks, will have a chat with you etc, but there is always that 1% who really do act like pricks.

Very true,1% of customers are pr1cks and about 50% of staff.

Go shopping in Asda up North,polite,friendly,clean,trained and willing staff,go to any major chain in south, bored,rude, listless unhelpful staff for the most part.

I do not mean to lump all service staff in this generalisation, people like Jill_valentine and a few others seem genuine on this forum but look North,this is not a problem and the customers are usually the same ones so the problem is managment and poor training of staff down here.

The Agogo

Ahhhhh Driveoff today €80 bastards

A V A

have to say staff can be pricks. . . .and when i have worded with a few i always think to myself how do they not have manners and respect??? or even common courtesy you be polite in your work place !!!! i always smile and be nice at a customer because most of the time i get it back but i dont some times !±!!!!!

A V A

The Agogo wrote: »

Ahhhhh Driveoff today €80 bastards

??????

The Agogo

A V A wrote: »

??????

You're right. It doesn't belong in this thread cause you can't call people who drive off without paying for petrol "customers".

Drive-off = petrol theft

Owwmykneecap

I download mine.

A V A

i dont understand how people can drive off with out petrol , the fcuking nakers in this country is unreal!!!!!!!

eightyfish

The Agogo wrote: »

Ahhhhh Driveoff today €80 bastards

Do you follow it up via the reg?

mathie

A V A wrote: »

??????

Driveoff
????
Profit

NoHornJan

The Agogo wrote: »

You're right. It doesn't belong in this thread cause you can't call people who drive off without paying for petrol "customers".

Drive-off = petrol theft

It does . I think.

^ - How to piss a shop assistant off...

The Agogo

touché

The Agogo

eightyfish wrote: »

Do you follow it up via the reg?

Yeah but rarely anything gets done about it

AAAAAAAHHH

2manyconditions wrote: »

This is just insane, I'm waiting there for 10 f88king minutes. Why can't I make everyone else wait like I've had to wait.

If I turned around and put my change in my purse and realised you'd given me the wrong change what then? That a 10 min spot check of your till.

Awear for example have a monitor behind the till with a fashion show on it. So times I might get distracted with all the retail buy me stuff all over the place while I'm in the queue and not have the money ready.

And how the hell do I know how much it costs until you tell me. I also look at the screen during the transaction for the customer to make sure i got the bargin I went for (that is if there is one available, Tescos for example - I can't see the price of the stuff going through so I have to check my receipt after instead)

Basically your saying: I've got your money so Fxxk off now fast so I can get someone elses asap. Great service! Don't forget profits go to the big wigs.

I assume you do know it will cost money though, right? You could have your purse/wallet in your hand ready to take the money out when you get to the till. And maybe you've had to wait ten minutes because of all the other people doing exactly what you're doing.

John Player

its prob been said already, but,

wait in line to be served and when everything is totted up on the till, then start rooting through your handbag for your purse.

i used to work in a shop and that used to do my nut in.

A V A

when some one use to do that but when the found their purce then i tell them "i will be right with you ,have a problem, have to get the manger " then go for a walk to the back room take my time and then come back and say awww sorry about that and then finish with them !!!:D:D:D play them at their own game

Ilyana

As a waitress in a hotel bar, luckily my experiences with the public have been pleasant enough - it's amazing how many tips can be earned from a smile and some frienlly banter

BUT...there are always the exceptions:

• Mumbling customers wreck my head! Please don't yell at me in front of the entire bar for forgetting your wife's cheesecake, it's not my fault that you can't be bothered to speak clearly in the first place (I even read the order back to them and they never corrected me).
• Customers who click their fingers at waiting staff won't be served any faster. Yes, it's happened.
• I, the part-time student, didn't price the food. Though it's funny how some customers will give out stink to me about the unreasonable price of soup, yet when I offer to fetch the manager for them to address the complaint they clam up with a "Well that's not really necessary....".

I know I went on a bit of a rant there, but you can only expect to receive polite and efficient service if you show a bit of respect in return, and the words "Thank you" aren't that difficult to manage.

Phew, done

stannis

I, the part-time student, didn't price the food.

I *love* it when they find a price unreasonable and say "YOU charged me this and that" as a direct, personal accusation when the person behind the counter has no control over the way the item is priced, whether it is set by a manager or weekly updates.

I also love from reading this thread how some people expect service to be both rapid, and yet also have the time to be "friendly" and ask inane questions about the weather or how your hip operation went and just generally pretend to give a sh!te about you the customer.

Celly Smunt

stannis wrote: »

I *love* it when they find a price unreasonable and say "YOU charged me this and that" as a direct accusation when the persom behind the counter has no control over the way the item is priced, whether it is set by a manager or weekly updates.

well if that happens a lot the shop assistant should bring it to the attention of the manager and do their fúcking job so they can productively eliminate problems between customers and themselves.


now get back to work.

ArerA

jill_valentine wrote: »

- Let your kids act like twats. Yes, your kids.

- Shur while you're at it, avail of the free babysitting/ amusement service we can't help but provide for your horrible children. We'll be here all day, why should you? Go on to the cinema there, it'll be fine.

- Remember it's our fault you bought the wrong thing. We should have known!

- Be sure to be as passive-aggressive as possible at all stages of the transaction, particularly if it's in no way warranted.

- That queue that's lined up towards the counter doesn't apply to you. You get to come right up to the counter! Just walk right in front of all those people and ask your stupid question. No of course it doesn't matter that they'll eat the f*cking head off us immediately afterwards, you'll be gone by then!

- It's definitely fine to ignore the other people queuing and interrupt whatever we're doing if it's just a question. Hang on until I check the computer and go to the store and check the stocks and ring the other stores to answer it. It doesn't count as an interruption if it's just a question.

- No, we don't accept cheques, war bonds, IOU's or the official state currency of Sealand, but by all means insist that we should and do and have to. Don't worry about having it ready at any point until it's absolutely necessary or anything, it's grand.

- That big "OVER 18S ONLY" rating on the game box doesn't count if it's your under 18 year old kid, and you told him he could have it when you went to the shoe shop. I might lose my job if I sell it to him, but don't you bother your head about it. I wouldn't want to eat into your precious shopping time by forcing you to parent or anything.

-Then again, if I do sell it to him, make sure and let Joe Duffy know. It's probably turned little Jimmy into a rapist or something. You're not sure though, you haven't seen little Jimmy today.

ARGOS!!

Gotta love the
You: The actual item coming down might be a little different than it was in the catalogue. Is that ok?
Them: That is illegal!
You: We are a catalogue company, so we don't always have the exact sasme product you see in the book... Its not illegal, as we have told you before you paid.


OMG. So much abuse on that job. I could write an essay.

It is NEVER okay to reduce the sales advisor to tears, just because you couldnt be bothered to pick up a reservation before it lapsed.
We don't care if your a very busy man, we don't have special rules for very busy men.

robbie_998

John Player wrote: »

its prob been said already, but,

wait in line to be served and when everything is totted up on the till, then start rooting through your handbag for your purse.

i used to work in a shop and that used to do my nut in.

fail.... that'll just give me an excuse to do **** all for 10 minuets and stand there with my hands in my pockets listening to music :P

stannis

well if that happens a lot the shop assistant should bring it to the attention of the manager

Sometimes they do change it when it's brought to their attention. Other times they don't. In either case it's not the fault of the person who earns the €8.65 an hour.

now get back to work.

Ok, yer mam looks likes she's ready for another go alright.