Have you noticed a change in supermarket workers customer service?

[pretzele]

I know they are working really hard at the moment but the past couple of times I have been in the supermarket I've been shocked at how rude the staff are being to customers.

Obviously not all of them.

For example I asked someone where an item was as I couldn't find it anywhere. Their reply was ' I don't know' and that was it. This is someone who has worked in this shop for a good few years.

I tried to clean my trolley with the spray and cloth provided and a member of staff shouted at me that it's already been cleaned. I hadn't seen them do it and had already sprayed the handle bar so continued to wipe it so they tutted and shook their head.

This is just to name a few.

I get it that they are all overworked and tired but its bad when people haven't been out for weeks and when they do they get talked to with little respect.

Has anyone else noticed this?

no, all very polite and helpful at the Aldi I use (as they usually are). No chatting but it isn't really a place for chatting anyway, that's one of the appeals of it.

sillybitches who complain about being reminded to keep their distance should just keep their distance.

A scientist telling us social distancing was based on nothing might have an impact on future "rules"

uk.news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-social-distancing-lockdown-scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-180826409.html

@rowlett so sorry

I think you need to prioritise your mental health and if Boris Johnson can meet up with his partner at Chequers ...

I've found shopping stressful because of disabilities (I can't check out 'at pace' because of inflammatory arthritis) but have nothing but praise for the staff who live the stress every day.

I have noticed them taking less shit though and standing up for themselves, and being backed for doing that.

I guess this sums up my attitude a bit too. Whereas before I might have proceeded with caution in telling someone they are being out of order now I just say it because I don’t have time to have the same argument repeatedly. It’s not nice though, I don’t like doing it.

It’s like being shouted at going through airport security! Being told where to stand, shouted at with unclear instructions etc.

Last time I was in a foreign airport, my hands were swabbed for explosives or drugs. Fine. But the guard doing it just walked off so I was left standing there. Another man came over and started shouting at me, barked “where’s your bag” and then shoved DH out of the way. He swabbed my bag and looked very disappointed. Didn’t say anything and just walked off so I presumed I was free to go!

When restaurants open up and department stores, I imagine it’ll be more of the same. Being shouted at constantly. People would rather stay in and watch the economy fail than be treated like this for the next decade.

I've found them more helpful and chatty, but I think I'm more chatty too.

That’s a good analogy @BirdieFriendReturns, that’s exactly what it’s like but worse when they’ve got masks on.

@Lilactree1 the article you linked to doesn't say that a scientist has questioned the 2 metre rule. It quotes a sociologist, not an epidemiologist or virologist. He's a social scientist but there's nothing to suggest that he has a background in medical science.

That was supposed to be to @LilacTree1 (sorry)

Shopping is all a bit Handmaid’s Tale. Silence, empty shelves, guards. I’m imagining this going on for a while. It’ll be lining up to get your temperature taken, I would be surprised if they don’t start dragging people off to be forcibly quarantined.

Eating out won’t be pleasant. The staff will be wearing masks, you’ll have to wear a mask - try taking it off to eat and they’ll be more shouting. Nobody is going to bother to go out to eat or go to the shops when life is just like airport security.

I've had it twice. First when I asked someone where an item was he ignored me 3 times then eventually sighed and pointed out the item to me without saying anything. Another time I asked for help using the scan and go in Tesco and the member of staff huffed and puffed and was snappy with me. Both of these happened at the very start of lockdown so I didn't let it bother me and put it down to them being anxious and stressed as I've never experienced customer service like that before or after. I have witnessed a checkout operator have to be taken off her till in tears after being shouted at and called names. I would hate to work in a shop or supermarket during this it seems like a total nightmare.

I'll tell you why we're less polite sometimes. You get fed up telling fuckwits that just because you always buy 5 bottles of goats milk every week but you can't now because of rationing it's my fault. And no, fuckwit number 2, you can't buy 4 packets of paracetamol, I don't care if they've been out of stock for weeks and now they're here you need them, it's against the law. And no, fuckwit number 3 standing behind them in the queue, you can't offer to buy them for her as " she obviously needs them", cos I'm not selling them to you. And fuckwit number 4, yes I know queuing outside is a pain but what do you suggest I do about it? And fuckwit number 5, yes I know it's getting wearing now but you only have to put up with it for your visit, we have to put up with it all bloody day. Feel better for that!
However on the plus side, we get a lot of nice customers asking how we're coping, thanking us for being here and genuinely being very grateful.

I've got to the stage where I've developed a technique with shitty people who moan- don't apologize (cos I'm not fucking sorry that you can't have 12 cans of beans), don't explain, as you can't argue with stupid, and whatever they moan about just keep repeating to them that they need to speak to management (cos they're paid more than me to deal with this shit) When they leave I tell them to have a LOVELY day, and smile. (Underlying message, now fuck off and die cos I don't care). Works for me.

The staff in our local supermarkets are very friendly and helpful. The customers all seem reasonable and jolly too. However my husband said the bank staff at Lloyds were awful and quite aggressive towards people (generally older generation) who wanted services that could be done online. One confused old chap said "I'm sorry I don't have a computer" after being barked at "you could do this online!"

To anyone who thinks checkout staff are being officious about distancing, we've been told we can be sacked if we're caught not implementing it, or if we're caught not wearing our face shields.
You might be nice, and not understand why it's so hard to be cheerful, but the majority of customers aren't nice at all and it's utterly soul destroying. This isn't the job I chose, not like this and if it were presented to me as such, there's no way I'd do it for less that £9 an hour. Before c-19 I absolutely loved my job and felt like part of the community, now people spout abuse at us for no bloody reason.

Yes i have noticed that op as a member of staff was very rude to dh and he would have placed a complaint had it been normal times. Yes I'm sure there are cheerful members of staff.

Wow @Undercoverworker06 that was a bit unnecessary.

I see what you are saying @Undercoverworker06 you are saying about idiots and being at the end of your tether but I think op is meaning people who arent complaining and are abiding by all of the rules. It isnt on for anybody to be rude whether they be customers or members of staff. Most of us are doing are best in this situation.

Or our*

about idiots* wish there was an edit button

Mixed the two women in boots were fucking vile whereas the staff in Waitrose were really pleasant. M and s too. Very friendly and didn’t treat me like a leper, which the staff in boots did

They're probably scared and just want everyone to fuck off

Well.unfortunately everyone cant do that coriander can they when they need their weekly groceries!
I could imagine b and q staff would be more frustrated when they see people just flippantly popping in for potted plants.

We had a customer complain about the colleagues at our store that we were far too cheerful and it wasn’t proper . We can’t win I guess.

I completely agree with Undercoverworker06 and I make my business to be pleasant to all supermarket staff because they really are going through a lot of crap at the moment (without the mawkish adulation either).

Standing in a queue gives me a an opportunity to witness the numbskulls in action, trying to queue-jump, argue, complain as loudly as possible. I just ignore them trying to engage with me, I'm not interested. I will though, stick up for any supermarket worker doing their job and having to put up with shitty customers. It's amazing how often a customer tries to get the customer behind them to side with them in their rudeness. No. No I won't. I will though offer to be a witness for the supermarket worker and tell them so.

Some people really do have delusions.

One of dd's friends works in M&S and he said the public have been much nicer than usual - really appreciative and going out of their way to say thank you! He was offered furlow on full pay but enjoys going to work interacting with people.