Don't take it out on the check out girl/boy

Polydactyly

Evening folks,

I was shopping at a well known electronics store this afternoon and witnessed a lot of appauling behaviour towards the staff. I've worked at various retail stores while I was a student and felt compelled to start a thread highlighting some of things I have witnessed or have experienced:



Staff says: Do you need a bag for those?

Customer says:

1. Don't you give customers bags anymore?! How am I supposed to get them (a loaf of bread and kitchen roll) to my car without a bag!!!
2. What do you think?
3. Don't you think it's time you stop offering bags and take responsibility for climate change? Shame on you!
4. Yes and I needed a trolley but there isn't any! How do you expect customers to shop here if they think the store is closed because no trolleys are outside? Staff says: I do apolagise we did have trolley's at the front of the store but as today is a sale event the store is busier than usual and the trolleys are currently being used by customers in store.

Staff says: Would you like to purchase our optional breakdown cover to protect your item (electricals) against accidental damage/theft/breakdown for 3 years?


Customer says:

1. There's a new law that states all retail stores must give 10 years of insurance for free. I read in the paper a man sued a company with court fees paid for the government. So no!
2. NO I'M NOT STUPID!
3. We shouldn't have to pay for insurance on a brand new product!
4. NO! HOW DARE YOU ASK ME THAT!?

Staff says: Do you have a Tesco club/Boots/Nectar card?


Customer says:

1. No. I make a point of not having one of those and sharing my information with the likes of you!

Staff says: Hi how are you?

Customer says: This photo frame is dirty. I'm going to shop some more. I want it cleaned by the time I get back to your paypoint.




Please don't hold up other customers waiting to pay for their goods while you rant at the 16 year old Saturday girl. I was stuck in a queue for 20 minutes while a miserable so and so launched into a full blown whinge-a-thon at the the checkout girl because she asked him if he wanted to purchase breakdown cover for his photo printer. If you don't want it? Just say no thanks and move along!

SpammyTheSpammer

Are you suggesting that the Checkout Staff are JUST OBEYING ORDERS and that they should not be held responsible for their actions?

Should we all do what they suggest without querying?

McKneff

They are just obeying orders, they are just doing their job.

They are told to ask if the customer wants a bag. Told to ask if the customer wants insurance, like you say the customer just should say no thank you and move on as i always do.
If i saw this sort of behaviour towards a young person at a till i would feel i would stick up for them and tell the customer its not their fault, if youve got a gripe go find the manager and let us through the till.

vikingaero

The OP's post highlights why managers often hide away from customers.

z1985m

I've heard ALOT worse than that. There are alot of nasty, inconsiderate and just plain rude people out there.
But they are the ones who are embarassing themselfs in front of other customers. i never see a customer ranting and raving or being rude to a member of staff and think to myself 'oh yeah, you tell them!' .......... no, i think 'what an a*se'

Comyface

SpammyTheSpammer wrote: »

Are you suggesting that the Checkout Staff are JUST OBEYING ORDERS and that they should not be held responsible for their actions?

Should we all do what they suggest without querying?

I think the OP was asking that we are not unneccesarily rude to checkout operators. By all means say 'no, thanks' or equvalent. There's no need to take out your dissatisfaction with the company policy on them, they are just keeping themselves in a job by following instructions.

Polydactyly

SpammyTheSpammer wrote: »

Are you suggesting that the Checkout Staff are JUST OBEYING ORDERS and that they should not be held responsible for their actions?

Should we all do what they suggest without querying?

In the examples that I gave - Yes the checkout staff were doing their jobs by asking if the customer needed carrier bags, if they have a store card or if they wanted to purchase optional break down cover for their electrical items. While I am not suggesting that we don't query things, I cannot see the logic behind kicking up a fuss over being offered a carrier bag. Complaints if bags are offered.... complaints if no bags are offered. :rolleyes:

The customer responses that I have highlighted above were not queries. They were patronising and down right rude. There is no reason to be an obnoxious misery guts (customers).

Esqui

98% of people are just lovely, and I don't mean that as sarcastically as it might have sounded.

The favourite is customers bringing in copies of the terms and conditions and quoting half of them. For example, about every two months, a customer will bring back, for example, a TV cable which they've opened and pretty much destroyed the packaging for, saying they don't need it. They'll get out the copy of the refund policy and, with prodding fingers, point out where it says "If you're unhappy, just take it back within 28 days and we will offer you an exchange or refund." Completely ignoring the next sentence which reads "All we ask is that you haven't opened it and have your receipt"

If you're nice to me, I'll be nice to you. And I've never had anyone complain on either way by offering them a bag.

KittyKate

As a customer, I've been snapped at plenty of times in shops by checkout operators or shop staff that are frankly just rude. It happens on both sides. Personally I think a staffer who is rude is actually worse than a customer, because they are paid to give good service. Unfortunately with the customers, some people are just d*ckheads and nowt'll change it

el_gringo_3

When I worked in electronics retail I found the customers that were incredibly rude worse than the ones that tried to gas us with exhaust fumes and scam us. At least you got a laugh and a decent story out of them. The worst were the ones that stormed in when something was wrong, ranting and raving, when it could be sorted out far quicker if they'd been calmer and more casual!

dacouch

The best is at Argos where the checkout staff ask if you would like an extended warranty on your £2.99 batteries...