Do the shop keepers help you with your health?

gemmaking

Was in the shop the other day, and the staff helper treated the customer who had health issues a bit better in her manners and politeness compared to the other customers (I was sitting waiting for somebody lol)

If you are in the shops with a visible health issue do you find the customer service is helpful towards you, and they treat you as a bit special?

or they treat you just like anyone else? depending on your condition that is.

Parva

gemmaking wrote: »

If you are in the shops with a visible health issue do you find the customer service is helpful towards you, and they treat you as a bit special?

or they treat you just like anyone else? depending on your condition that is.

Two sides to this. If you were disabled, you might take offense at being treated differently to 'normal' customers. On the other hand, you might expect to be treated differently to other customers! Being severely disabled myself, I would never expect anybody to do anything over and above what they would do for a regular (non-disabled) customer.

Being fairly new to the whole disability brigade (and relatively young given my previous perfect health) I can see both sides of the argument, especially when it comes down to the parking spaces for people with disabilities. I'm a slave to my wheelchair and have had many experiences where someone has parked so close as to mean I cannot get to door of the car in the wheelchair.

Going back to the topic, I've never been treated as 'special' (despite being wheelchair bound and only one leg) and frankly, I wouldn't want to be. I would hope that staff could show me where the lift was if I needed to move to another level within the store but other than that, no, I would probably feel somewhat embarrassed if I were to be given some sort of special treatment.

Cyclamen

Oh how it varies..

I can be ignored completely as the shop assistants talk only to my husband or carer.

I can be spoken to with a 'special slow voice not using any big words'.

I can be treated like a normal person who needs a little extra help.. for example something passing down from a high shelf, the lady on the dressing rooms checking if anyone else is in there so my husband can help me try something on etc.. to me these are very welcome adaptations.

On the whole its the general public who are most helpful.. holding doors, passing me things if i say please etc.. but then i try (often unsuccesfully) to hold doors for people coming after me.

I expect polite and reasonable service in shops and think every customer should receive this but I do appreciate the offer of extra help sometimes, even if I politely decline.

There is a cafe in the park and as I am known there they automatically offer me a mug with my can of pop.. i can't hold a can and asked to borrow one the first few times.. I guess to some people that is special treatment, to me it's a kind offer that means I can have a cool drink in the park.

Another shop I avoid completely having been told quite bluntly that the aisles are not big enough for wheelchairs and i should just request items at the till.. i.e. I have no right to browse the shelves like a normal customer.

It is a mixed bag.. but on the whole i think i am treated politely by shop assistants etc

Prinzessilein

Treatment I get in shops varies.


I don't think any place gives me 'special' treatment...but some places are more considerate to my needs.


There is a small local caf! - it is self-service, you go up to the front, grab a tray and take what you want to the cash-desk and order drinks et.c there too...fairly typical place...but the waitresses there always notice that neither Mum nor myself can walk well (we both use walkers/frames) and never fail to offer to carry the loaded tray for us.


The local wool/craft shop is good too...they always have a seat ready for those customers who need to have a rest.
(Those with mobility issues....or the elderly...or the heavily pregnant....or the just plain exhausted by shopping!)


On the other hand...there is a new caf! just opened in the area...I went to look at the menu and a waitress came over and said that they don't allow walkers/frames/wheelchairs at the tables. There is a 'designated parking area' where you leave them (at the entrance to the caf!) and then you make your way to your table...well Mum can't walk more than a few steps without her frame..I need my walker to hold onto when I haul myself up from sitting...we can't just 'leave' them at the door!....Sadly, we will go elsewhere for our coffees.

System

I have some disabled customers who struggle to reach the counter and also a guy who needs us to give him the bags and take his money so when for example he is in I will always make the effort to go fetch stuff he possibly can't reach and get stuff for him. I try and make it as easy as possible for customers who may need the extra help

Starrystarrynight

I appreciate any help given to me by retailers or even fellow customers, and would never be offended should assistance be offered. Without a bit of help in shops, I'd be much more likely to stay stuck in the house. What's the world coming to if we can't help each other out.

If people don't want, or need, help, they can always say a polite no thanks.

WeAreGhosts

As others have said it varies a lot and I have been on both sides of it. I used to work in a small shop where we had a fair few shoppers who were wheelchair users and those who were visibly frail. i never really thought about whether i was offering 'special' help because the person was disabled but i did what was obviously necessary. i used to walk around the counter to take items from people who could not reach it [it was a stupidly high counter], then walk round to take their money and pass their bag of goods, then walk round again to give their change and hold the door open for them. it was just common sense really. sadly a lot of sales assistants dont have common sense, or they just cannot be bothered,

i have used a stick in the past and HATE it when the assistant is visibly annoyed at how long i would be taking to put change in my purse and collect my bags up. hate it when they just throw things at you also, change and your bag [and sometimes never offer a bag when i clearly would not be able to carry my purchases!]. i have found Superdrug to be the worst for this.