Irritated by this conversation in the shop but would you actually do anything about it?

[crazyunicornlady73]

Just after some other perspectives on this as I'm annoyed and wondering if I'm over reacting a bit (difficult and hormonal day generally so that's entirely possible!)

Yesterday morning quite early I popped into my local shop. There was only me, one other customer and the assistant. I was wearing a mask, the others weren't.

They (shop assistant and other customer) proceeded to have a loud, pointed conversation about how ridiculous masks were and how they were just for show and people should get out of their own backsides. All whilst sniggering in my direction.

The other customer left and as I was being served I told the shop assistant that I wouldn't continue shopping there if this attitude to masks was shared by all staff.

The assistant sniggered at me for a while then said "well I don't give a fuck"

As I left he'd called the other customer back (they clearly knew each other) and were giggling together again.

I'm annoyed but just wondered what others would do?

Let it go over my head and do nothing (I'm usually quite laid back and would choose this)

Stop using the shop (possible but inconvenient)

Complain (tempting and I've found an address but it does feel a bit OTT honestly)

What would you do?

I just complained about a rude response to an enquiry of mine re delivery of an online order. I was ropeable to be honest. I merely asked for a tracking number to see where delivery was at and got the rudest reply saying if the delivery missing neither the sender nor delivery agency would pay to replace it. That wasn't my question. However, they pissed me off. After the second rude email I lodged a complaint. I've been a customer of the supplier for 40 years, I get beyond professional service in store - local store is amazing. In COVID they've been encouraging on line purchasing, so I've done that previously with no issue.

When I complained I didn't ask for refund/replacement. I asked that they provide the person who responded to me with additional training as I was seriously rethinking who I shop with in future. Turns out delivery was not left where directed, plus I was home on the day of delivery and no one came to the door, so they are replacing it.

The assistant swore at you?
LIke hell I would let that go.

That was unacceptable behaviour on the part of the assistant Op - both the swearing and the comment about face masks. I agree that the best course of action is to have a quiet word with the manager as you know them and to otherwise stop shopping there until then.

As for worrying about the assistant being sacked - that isn't your problem. They were extremely rude and deserve the consequences. It's probably unlikely that they'll be sacked for this if it was a one-off. But I suspect it wasn't.

Wow! Surprised you would even ask! I'd go into full-on complaints mode about the 'fuck' comment alone!

Teenagers are well known for being obnoxious
What bullshit is this? Swearing at a customer?
Such low, low standards.

It's just even the slackest shop assistant would not say 'I don't give a fuck' to a customer

I used to work in a council dept, where we regularly got calls form members of the public. One day my colleague answered the phone shouted 'fuck off' down the phone, put it down, and then laughed with another colleague about how 'hilarious' she had been.
So I believe you OP.

"Teenagers are well known for being obnoxious"

When I was a teenager working alongside other friends who were also teenagers none of us was in any way obnoxious. That attitude to teenagers as a group is extremely obnoxious in itself.

It was appalling behaviour from the shop assistant. I would definitely complain.

I understand that people should behave in a certain way.

However, what I do not like, is how quick people are to bay for blood.

The amount of posts that I read that people demand that someone on minimum wage be reported, and likely lose their job is quite depressing.

How about, move on, stop putting your daily grievances on social media, and enjoy your day.

When did people become so unable to deal with any unpleasant situations

Complain. They want to work, they behave like adults, not silly children. I'd lose my job for that.

I was once a bit of a silly teenager, who worked in shops. Funnily enough I managed never to laugh at or be rude to customers. I would not not give them a pass and would definitely complain. Not a quiet word, a proper complaint.

Yes, complain. It's unfair to the owners and other staff if you just stop shopping there. The manager/owner won't know unless they're told. If you don't get any sensible reply from the owner/manager, then boycott them.

Absolutely complain. There are thousands of teenagers looking for work at the moment (my 19 year old is one), so the shop don’t need to employ someone this awful.

No he might not have had much training, but he should at least have basic good manners.

Well they will be wearing a mask in a week forgetting the sack presumably OP, what apart they sound.

Swearing at you and taking the piss our of you is completely unacceptable of course you should complain. If it's a well known shop I'd call customer services. If not the owner/manager.

To be honest if the employees cant be arsed to social distance and 'don't give a fuck' I'd not shop there anyway, god knows where they've been and not bothered with hygiene.

Definitely complain!

Don't have a quiet word, email the manager.
Finish the email with "I await your response" type of thing.

Firstly, no one should be ridiculed for wearing a mask by a shop worker, so that's wrong to start with, and the swearing is unacceptable.

People making excuses "well, he's a teenager, blah, blah, blah," are missing the point.

Gosh right thanks for the advice everybody, pretty clear that people think I should complain.

How about, move on, stop putting your daily grievances on social media, and enjoy your day.

I appreciate that this is quite trivial in the grand scheme of things but tbh it's one of the reasons I use mumsnet, it's quite useful to check how other people would respond, especially in this instance, the day was already a tough one so I wondered if I was over reacting due to that. I feel reassured now that I'm not.

The low opinion of teenagers explains why a minority of them transition into obnoxious adults. At what stage should they be told their behaviour is unacceptable in their place of work? If they’re behaving in an unprofessional manner, they need to be told and if that means learning the hard way, then so be it. It’s called taking responsibility.

I also think there’s an underlying snobbery on here, when some posters think behaviour from a shop worker, that wouldn’t be acceptable in any other line of work, is acceptable. The vast majority of shop workers know how to behave professionally in work, so bad behaviour by a minority should not be acceptable.

Karen up and demand speak to the manager

@Ipigglemustdie

Karen up and demand speak to the manager

Please don’t use that term Karen, it’s a horrible misogynistic term, used to shut women up. Yes, there are a lot of horrible women on videos, but the term is being used in place of bitch, cunt, etc at any women who happens to disagree with an opinion.

I’d complain, if it were my business I’d want to know that my staff were behaving like idiots (I think the whole mask thing is absurd so no bias here).

I'd definitely complain. That is so rude. Is this a big chain shop or privately owned?

Have you tried a waterpistol or super soaker? Apparently it works on cats. Shitting cats, sweary shop arseistants, people who only post a biscuit on MN. The possibilities are endless, it really is an investment you can't afford not to make.

people who only post a biscuit on MN.

I used to think this was a nice supportive gesture like only recently discovered it’s true meaning

I would complain for sure. That is totally unacceptable.