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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be appalled by this shopkeeper's rudeness?

34 replies

nomorecrumbs · 16/08/2013 14:37

Okay so I'm over it now, but as I work in marketing I still think it's appallingly bad customer service Grin

I love shopping in little independent shops on the High Street and popped into a small clothes store today. It's been raining moderately today and I had my closed umbrella in my hand. I'd taken about 4 steps inside and the manager beared down on me, saying loudly and sternly without any greeting; "Ma'am put your umbrella at the front of the shop, put it there! I don't want my floor getting wet!!" I looked at where he was pointing and there was no umbrella stand or anything, he basically wanted me to put it in the shop doorway. And considering the area, my precious umbrella may as well have had a sign on it saying "steal me" if I did that.

I just walked straight out of the shop while he was still blustering behind me, so he potentially lost a sale. I felt like a naughty child who had been told off!

I've worked in small independent businesses before and we didn't care if the browsing customers would bring in dirt from outside - we had a broom and a mop and would just go round cleaning up after them. What was more important was that we made them feel welcome and comfortable being in the store. AIBU to be appalled at him? Bad customer service grinds my gears like nothing else. But maybe it's just the crappy area - I didn't get a single smile from any of the shop assistants in New Look, either.

OP posts:
SantanaLopez · 16/08/2013 14:40

Appalled? Meh. I wouldn't anyone taking a brolly into my clothes shop either.

Groovee · 16/08/2013 14:41

YABU, your wet brolly would be a PITA in a shop.

lizzzyyliveson · 16/08/2013 14:43

I think some small shopkeepers don't realise that they haven't just lost that sale but any future sales you might make. I was once made to feel like a thief in a chemist in town because the manager gave me too much change (by 10p) and then made a production of snatching it back out of my hand, saying that losing money like that is why local shops are going out of business! I have never been back again, I'd rather go to Boots where they are always lovely.

Original poster
nomorecrumbs · 16/08/2013 14:44

The point was his tone, I wouldn't have minded the slight inconvenience of putting my umbrella somewhere where it could be stolen if only he had been polite about it. As it was, I was made to feel like a PITA by just daring to step inside.

OP posts:
LEMisdisappointed · 16/08/2013 14:44

maybe you gave off the aura that you were "so much better than they were" and they thoguht you were a miserable cow - personally i think it was very rude of you to take the wet umbrella into the shop. Maybe you coem from a rough area

HighJinx · 16/08/2013 14:47

I think with these things it's all in the delivery. I can see how it could be annoying to have a wet umbrella trailed around your shop but there if it really is a problem there are better ways of dealing with it than barking an instruction. Get an umbrella stand for a start.

LoveBeingItsABoy · 16/08/2013 14:49

Ffs really you get that from the op?

phantomnamechanger · 16/08/2013 14:51

he was rude and very shortsighted.

what would he have done if you had had a wet buggy with you? asked you to leave it outside? how about dirty wet wheelchair wheels?

customers should feel welcomed and appreciated.

MrsBungle · 16/08/2013 14:51

I don't think you were rude at all to take your brolly into the shop! What else are you meant to do with it? Leave it outside? Did he expect you to take off your probably wet coat and wet shoes too?

phantomnamechanger · 16/08/2013 14:53

don't be ridiculous LEM, if it is raining people are taking wet brollies in and out of shops all day - nothing at all to do with being rude! and as for "maybe you come from a rough area"..... [rolls eyes]

Original poster
nomorecrumbs · 16/08/2013 14:54

Lol yes Lem, maybe he took umbrage at my smile and friendly 'Hiya' before he glared at me and made his demands!

OP posts:
phantomnamechanger · 16/08/2013 14:55

Highjinx - maybe the shop keeper should have had a sign on the door saying "for your convenience an umbrella stand is provided, please use it" - many shoppers would do so and be glad of having their hands freed to browse properly.

Cheesyslice · 16/08/2013 14:56

Lem Biscuit

YANBU, OP. How nice for this man that he can afford to be rude to people who enter his shop (or the shop he works in). He clearly doesn't need the business.

Whether or not your umbrella would have been a hideous inconvenience in the shop, there are nice ways to ask people to do something.

LEMisdisappointed · 16/08/2013 14:56

well you had my sympathy until i read the last sentence of your post OP [rolls eyes back]

Original poster
nomorecrumbs · 16/08/2013 14:59

I really don't get what you have against me saying it's a crappy area, LEM. It is a crappy area. I come from a crappy area. That doesn't excuse the bad customer service I received there.

OP posts:
HighJinx · 16/08/2013 15:04

Yes phantom that would be a much better idea.

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 16/08/2013 15:05

One of the girls in our local New Look just went SO far in flattering me that I was taken aback and sure she must be full of crap! She was going on about my hair colour and my purchases so much that I wanted to say "Stop blathering girl!" in the manner of a matronly Enid Blyton type Aunt.

LEMisdisappointed · 16/08/2013 15:10

Oh ignore me OP - im in a foul mood.

Sparklingbrook · 16/08/2013 15:11

I always take a carrier bag to put my brolly in when I go into shops, I hate dripping water on their floor. they will be the ones that get sued if someone slips.

But I am sure the shop owner could have been more customer friendly.

Original poster
nomorecrumbs · 16/08/2013 15:13

giggles NeoMaxi Grin maybe she was having a good day and wanted to spread the love!

OP posts:
Original poster
nomorecrumbs · 16/08/2013 15:15

Okay, I'm crying with laughter now. The word blathering is hilarious.

I think I've had too much sugar today

OP posts:
limitedperiodonly · 16/08/2013 15:15

I had that in a really posh shop - Connolly in Conduit Street. The doorman barked at me to leave my umbrella in the corner. What he really should have said was: 'Madam, let me look after your umbrella for you.'

You can't get the staff these days Wink

Original poster
nomorecrumbs · 16/08/2013 15:16

Carrier bag for wet brolly is a good idea Sparkling :) but I got the impression he would have found something to snap at me about even if I had thought of doing that! Probably for not wiping my feet...Shock

OP posts:
justanuthermanicmumsday · 16/08/2013 15:17

Lem cut the crap since when is there any correlation between owning an umbrella and a persons class? Too posh to have an umbrella loool!

as for your other suggestion don't go in shops with wet umbrellas is there an umbrella stand to lock up brollies next to the bikes?! Small stores can easily fix this problem umbrella stand near the till so expensive brollies can't be stolen. Or offer the customer a carrier bag maybe to stop the dripping.

But there's not much point coz what about wet footwear guess we should remove shoes too? Leave them near the door lool

the shopkeeper was rude but his request wasn't unreasonable. If you had a nice little store particularly clothes boutique you wouldn't want water dripping everywhere or near clothes that customers were browsing.

HighJinx · 16/08/2013 15:19

limited go back to that shop on a really wet day and shove your soaking wet brolly into the hands of the doorman (soggy end first) as you pass haughtily into the shop.

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