Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this shop assistant was bloody rude!

104 replies

BigFatLegsInWoolyTIghts · 29/09/2012 15:51

AIBU? I was in a shop today...it is a nice shop, a large independant one that sells homewares.

It has a long aisle in one part....not terribly narrow but it was busy with prams, trolleys and people....I was walking near to one side of the display...going along at a normal pace, when I see that coming towards me from the far end is a big, tall, shop assistant...a lad of about 22 or so...he's going like the clappers and is heading right fr me as he's also hugging the sides of the aisle to avoid the trolleys etc.

[disclaimer...I don't have big fat legs in woolly tights as my username might suuggest....there's not much of me at all)

As he gets closer he does that thing people do when they stick one arm in front of them to sort of force you aside....and said "Scuse me!"

And I said "No....you excuse me." and stood my ground.

Who's he to make the customer walk into the onslaught of buggies, prams, people and trollies so HE can get past like his time is more important?

He sort of giggled as he was so surprised and then he went round me.

WIBU? Why should I go around HIM? I was taught when I worked in shops that you waited for the customer to finish what they were doing or went the long way round!

I've noticed this in loads of shops lately...assistant who rush around like the clappers and practically shove you out of the way.

OP posts:
BupcakesAndCunting · 29/09/2012 20:14

"In fact I would say it's a totally ignorant attitude to assume that just because you're a customer you should be able to go hold up staff and go where you want and they should all dive out of your way - people like you shouldn't be allowed in shops in my opnion."

Some people seem to think that customer means royalty.

ilovesprouts · 29/09/2012 20:17

i was at asda the other week queing up and i let an asda worker come through my line .. not even a thank u grrr

chipsandmushypeas · 29/09/2012 21:17

usual he wasn't a shop assistant, just someone walking in while I was leaving. He was a bastard.

maddiemostmerry · 29/09/2012 21:34

On the other hand, it must be nice to live in a world of such trivial worries Hmm

somedayma · 29/09/2012 22:04

So he's rushing around presumably trying to keep on top of his work (or maybe rushing to have his break, does it matter?), he says 'excuse me' and tries to get past you and you think "I'm not having that!", decide to stand your ground and not let him past? Pat on the back for you. You sure showed him!

twat

Jemma1111 · 29/09/2012 22:14

I think the Op believed that everyone would side with her against the shop assistant and because this is not the case she has now fucked off .

Little tip Op , next time have some bloody manners yourself .

Original poster
BigFatLegsInWoolyTIghts · 29/09/2012 22:35

Jemma little tip....remember this is only the internet. Don't get so emotionally involved dear. Smile

I've been living my life for a while. I don't spend all my time on MN fgs.

OP posts:
blonderthanred · 29/09/2012 22:38

If that's the way you speak to shop assistants as well, I'm not surprised if you get bad service. Dear.

Floggingmolly · 29/09/2012 22:42

You do sound a tad patronising, op. (You do know what patronising means, don't you?). Wink

imustbepatient · 29/09/2012 23:02

Am amused at the irony of people having a go at the OP for her 'rudeness' whilst using fairly abrasive and judging language themselves!

andallthatjargon · 29/09/2012 23:11

Hi, busy shop assistant here. Yes he WBU but we just never get enough time to do things and the time pressures get to us. So I apologise on this behalf but understand as there is always too much to do in too little time............

GotMyGoat · 29/09/2012 23:16

I think this is one of those situations where you had to be there to understand op.

A lady ploughed into me with her buggy earlier, and said excuse me at the last minute, it was a very narrow aisle and me and my buggy couldn't move anywhere out the way in time. she only said excuse me because she was my outraged overprotective of pfb face.

Doesn't convey how rude she was at all, and makes me sound very unreasonable.

By the way - customers are royalty, they are paying for the whole show. I think a lot of you need to remember that. Being young is no excuse fir poor customer service, it's manners, empathy and care. That's all you need, so unless you have Sn restricting this you should be fine.

somedayma · 29/09/2012 23:26

customers are not 'royalty' Hmm

Original poster
BigFatLegsInWoolyTIghts · 30/09/2012 09:01

I think Goat has understood me...it is hard to convey the situation as it happened. It was him expecting me to move...and doing his shovey-shovey gesture when he had equal time to decide to move out of my way.

I was taught to put people who are older than me first...as a 20 somthing girl, I would never have gestured like that at a 40 year old woman....and even less so if I were at work in a shop! It doesn't matter what age someone is though....a younger customer should also be treated with pleasantness.

I was in M&S last week and an elderly woman was returning something, the shop assistant gave her a voucher to use ..a credit note it was.

The lady said "Can I use this today?" and the shop assistant said sneeringly "Why WOULDN'T you be able to???"

The elderly lady was taken aback and so was I. I've just seen lots of rudeness lately...that's all. And this lad was the final straw really.

I can't abide rudeness.

OP posts:
Icelollycraving · 30/09/2012 10:12

Even less so if you worked in a shop? Why? Is that more lowly a job than something that you do? Nice attitude Hmm

Icelollycraving · 30/09/2012 10:13

I can't abide rudeness either.

BupcakesAndCunting · 30/09/2012 10:14

"By the way - customers are royalty, they are paying for the whole show. I think a lot of you need to remember that"

LOL

How funny! I just said on the customers have no manners thread that some customers think that the word customer is synonomous with royalty. Oh dear.

Icelollycraving · 30/09/2012 10:19

Royalty? Well royalty are customers are too but they generally have exceptional manners.

BupcakesAndCunting · 30/09/2012 10:21

Oh no, I said it on this thread. Wherever, really. Still a load of bollocks.

Original poster
BigFatLegsInWoolyTIghts · 30/09/2012 10:22

Being polite is not a load of bollocks. Nether is being patient and calm as you go about your job. As I said...I have worked in shops LOADS....big and small....I just wouldn't be so rude.

OP posts:
BupcakesAndCunting · 30/09/2012 10:25

Being polite, no. But then I agree with being polite whether I am at work or not, wherever I am. What I won't do, however, is be sugary and nice to cunty customers. Behaviour breeds behaviour and if you want politeness you have to be polite.

eurochick · 30/09/2012 10:29

OP, I agree with you. I've noticed a lot of shop workers, particularly in supermarkets, charge around the place expecting customers to move for them. That's not how it should be. And I say this as someone who worked in retail for years.

SPsFanjoHarboursDeadCatsAgain · 30/09/2012 10:30

He might have needed a piss so was rushing! Then when you didn't move it took a few seconds longer for him to get there. He then because of you not moving, pissed his self just before getting into toilets.

He then walks out of work due to embarrassment and loses his job. He now spends all day and nig plansning his revenge on you.

It may be true!

Original poster
BigFatLegsInWoolyTIghts · 30/09/2012 10:33

Bup because I was walking along, looking at the goods as I went....I was being polite. I was doing nothing impolite.

fanjo Grin Well he should wear a pamper or whatever and PISS in it when I want to get past.

OP posts:
badtime · 30/09/2012 10:33

OP have you worked in shops recently?
There have been huge changes in staffing etc over the past 5 or 6 years. People get paid less, get less training, have to do more.

This guy was probably not thinking primarily about you. We all know you are a special snowflake, but he didn't have that inside knowledge. He was probably doing something for 'his customer' of the moment, and didn't particularly notice you.