Most Patronising UK Company?

fluffnutter

I'm getting a new kitchen soon, and when on the phone to the installers to discuss delivery I mentioned that space is at a real premium in my teeny house so storing the new kitchen for any length of time is not really an option.

Fortunately they told me that 'the kitchen needs to be delivered to you before it can be installed'. No shit.

Missterious

If you feel that way then how do you think he felt?
The assistant was not being rude but you were before you walked out.
What makes you think they want your custom if you act like that!!
If anyone should rant it's the shop assistant - get a grip on your life and stop being rude to normal people, he's just doing his job.

Cacolantern

grandmastashi wrote: »

Me: (Second glare) well you've told me, and honestly I couldn't care less, good day (and walked out).

At least the assistant was polite and well mannered... -_-

In response to the question, I've never felt angry at being patronised, I just sense a lot of shops seem to do it, in terms of advertising and the like, I'd never complain, but I'd rather have a shop assistant say "Alright mate, how's it going?", than "Hello sir, can I help you with anything today?", though that's just me. :')

georgiesmum

grandmastashi wrote: »

Hey everyone, apologies if this is in the wrong forum, but just a thought that came to me earlier... who does everyone think is the most patronising company in the country?

I'm intrigued to ask, because personally I think (by a long way I might add) it's Currys/PC World. Everytime I go in there or see one of their ads, I feel like I'm being treated like a complete idiot. In the past, I've been called 'son', 'fella', 'pal', by their staff - what happened to sir?!

Add to that the time I walked in and their greeter said 'and what brings you to the store today? Retail opportunities?!'

Beyond that, today I walked into the store in Wrexham and outside they had a poster saying how 'we'll guide you through the confusing waters of technology', then after a bit of browsing inside, a sales assistant approached me with:

SA: Are you ok there sir?
Me: (looking at laptops) no I'm fine thanks (trying to ignore him)
SA: Are you sure? We certainly have a lot of choice and that can make picking one difficuilt
Me: (giving him an 'are you sure you haven't confused me with an 80 year old pensioner' glare) No, I'm fine, I'm browsing.
SA: That's fine sir, let me know if you need any assistance.
Me: Ok thanks (trying to walk past him)
SA: Before you go sir, could I tell you Phones4U is in the front of the store today?
Me: (Second glare) well you've told me, and honestly I couldn't care less, good day (and walked out).

I should add I'm currently looking for a laptop for my girlfriend, but being hassled like this means I won't be buying from them - they never seem to know when to quit.

Whilst I know sales assistants have to do their job, Currys/PC World just seems SO patronising all the time. Do they have a particular policy to treat everyone like idiots?!

Apologies for the rant... :mad:

He was only doing his job. This is the way staff are trained. and if they don't adhere to it they will be sacked. Surely it is not to much trouble to smile and be pleasant to staff who have to put up with all kinds of s**t from unpleasant people all day.:mad:
You are quite patronising yourself with your remarks about an 80 year old pensioner. Not far off that myself and am certainly know quite a bit about buying nd running a computer

missprice

I have had 2 run ins with window companies.
one recently.
when they called to make the appointment they asked if I was married or living with someone.
thought 'non of their business ' but answered.
they then ask if partner will be at the quotation meeting.
replied 'no idea, not asked him that'
dead silence from them, then a 'OK our sales rep blah blah blah.
when said sales rep turned up (late) he spoke to partner for the whole spiel.
now nothing actually wrong with that I suppose but
my (very understanding) partner kept getting up and leaving the room, mainly because it is my house and my money that will be paying for the windows and it was me he should have directed his sales patter to.

poor fella lost the sale
and same thing 2 years back with a different window company that actually said to me that if partner was not at the meeting then they would be unable to talk to me about the windows. so they too lost a sale
is it really so odd that women can own a house and buy windows? with their own money no less?
2 of the most patronising companies around.:)

System

I went into Mcdonalds last week and ordered a meal. I have a contactless payment card so when I paid I just held it over the sensor on top of the machine.

The woman looked at me like I was an idiot and said "you have to put the card in the machine".

Of course at that moment the machine beeped and said I had paid :-)

SingleSue

vyle wrote: »

If the apple staff training is anything like the training they give to apple re-sellers (well it is, because it's the same computer system and trainers) then they're encouraged to speak in 30 second sound bytes and to talk about the "experience" and so on. They COULD have said "okay, here's your 60watt magsafe adaptor," but that's not the apple "experience," here... have a demo, feel the product, its form factor, get to know your apple device and love it....oops, sorry, slipped into my apple training there.

The trainers honestly told me with a straight face that if somebody came into the shop wanting a £300 windows laptop, then it was bad service to sell that to them, even if they only had £300 to spend.

Apple's view is that you should book an appointment and educate the customer to show them that a windows machine is not the answer, they can adjust their budget (and presumably their available funds) and they will so they can experience the benefits of apple.

Seriously, in Apple's world, there are no simple answers, only indoctrination sessions. If you want to know the closing time of the shop, they'll try to wrangle you into a productivity demonstration on how you can synchronise your calendar with your Itoilet so all of your bowel movements are known to the fruit overlords.

Youngest has an excellent get out from that....he generally knows more about Apple and the products than the Apple employees and will simply go into a monologue description of everything Apple.

He is 14 and autistic...it tends to get rid of them pretty quick :rotfl:

I am another one who found the Currys experience less than satisfying, on searching for our first computer I had done my research, knew exactly what I was looking for in specs but was doing price comparisons of the various computers I had identified as wanting, my now ex but at the time husband, didn't have a scoobie apart from computers being telly like things (this was in the CRT days) that were able to do a lot more than his Xbox (original)

So assistant approaches us and asks if we need any help, I let him know what I was looking for and could he direct us to where they were (to save time more than anything else, I hate shopping) and he completely ignores me and starts talking to the husband. Hubby knowing nothing about computers then gets taken in by the assistant and starts repeating verbatim what the sales assistant has said, I poo poo it (bloody Celeron being the best, yeah right!), explain once again what I am looking for....and am ignored again and hubby taken over to the crap computers.

I walked out, hubby followed, they didn't get our business and hubby was given a crash course into the differing specs and their capabilities.

Don't get me started on insurance salesmen, they too had the idea that woman were completely brainless or that the men always made the decisions...hubby was clueless there too

catmiaow

Techhead wrote: »

This is the great retail dilemma , speak to a customer and you are a pushy salesman. Don't speak to a customer and you are useless.

When I worked in retail, a few years ago, we had a policy of politely greeting customers with a smile and a Hello or Good Morning. The vast majority would reply No Thanks or Just Looking. I think they must have heard something else instead of a simple greeting.

Some people got quite upset at a simple greeting and would complain about being pestered.

So now,as a customer, I always try to remember that it is very difficult for a salesman to gauge whether someone needs any help without talking to them. Understand if they don't greet you, it's probably because they have had enough people dismiss them off hand. Also, if the company has a policy that certain things must be said; then it is daft to get upset about it. Shop somewhere else.

I make sure I am aware of how I act as a consumer, if a salesman is trying to sell me something, then it's because he needs to sell it. I can use this to my advantage, as I am in control. If the salesperson wants to sell it then it will be on my terms.

Top buying tips:

Go prepared knowing what you require and your budget
Listen to what is said and respond to your advantage.
Take charge, state your requirements.
Don't automatically respond with No thanks, I'm okay etc
If you are not confident then go with someone who is.

I know. I just wanted to be served at the till! We waited 15 minutes without a word from any member of staff. That is unacceptable!

James1968

Reminds me of the time the small LCD TV I purchased from Currys for my son's bedroom went wrong. I took it back along with the remote and they arranged to send it back to Toshiba (well actually they suggested we could do it ourselves, or they could. I pointed-out as the thing was within the warranty I expected them to arrange it's return).

28 days passed and still no report on the TV so called Currys. Not only was it not back from Toshiba, they hadn't even sent it in the first place. At the time they had a 'repaired in 28 days or your money back' promise, so we invoked it.
They would be happy to refund us if I gave them the remote. After explaining that they were given it when I returned the set for repair, they then spent 30 minutes hunting round the stock room trying (and failing) to find it.
They did at least note on the returns label that the remote hand been handed-in with the set. So we ended-up getting another much better TV.

It does amaze me how such a simple task as returning an item can be turned into such a farce. How hard would it have been for the staff to put the remote in a plastic bag and attach it with a cable tie to the power cord or TV base.

keyser666

dacouch wrote: »

You guys would love the Wonky Kei restaurant in China Town, renowned for the rudeness of their staff. However it actually adds to the dining experience especially when they often split your group up so you're sharing a table (Or two) with another party or parties which is quite funny.

Food is good and is always busy.

In the same area you have Black Market Records which in the late 80's early 90's was the place to buy vinyl but had staff unbelievably rude and patronizing.

Cor we must have bumped into each other at some point then as I shopped in Black Market records daily with Nicky Blackmarket and Ray Keith downstairs. God I spent some money in there.

As for Wonk Kei restaurant, that is my favourite in china town. Yes got to be the rudest in China Town and it is funny. As soon as you walk in

"How Many" and yes they split you up. They slam theplates on the table and cant wait to get you out of there. They way they clean the tables in double quick time is funny too