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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect this woman to help me?

125 replies

jessieisfeelingblue · 21/11/2014 20:16

Today I was shopping in a large department store. I was trying to find a t-shirt for DD in a particular style but I was having trouble finding the one that I wanted. So when I saw a woman heading in my direction who was dressed in this stores uniform I thought I'd ask her. This woman was actually wearing a cap and an apron but I knew she worked there as like I said she had the rest of the uniform on so I assumed she would be able to help me.

But when I asked her (nicely) if she could help me find the thing I wanted and I explain (again nicely) what I was looking for, she told me that she worked in the cafe and not the shop floor and I would be better off asking one of the shop floor staff. I was quite confused by this as she obviously worked there so why wouldn't she know where things were?

I again asked her nicely and told her that even if she did work in the cafe (which I had already figured out before I spoke to her by the apron and cap) she should still be able to help me and know where things are but again she told me she didn't work on the shop floor therefore didn't know it.

AIBU to expect her to help me? She still works there.

OP posts:
ThatDamnedBitch · 21/11/2014 20:17

Surely you're joking?

saoirse31 · 21/11/2014 20:17

Really? you have to ask. yabu.

hufflebottom · 21/11/2014 20:18

Yes i would expect that. But I work in a store that you kinda need to know where things are regardless of what section. If you don't know you go and get someone.

But on the other hand you don't know how long they had been working there, so may not have a clue. I still would have expected them to see if they could find someone to help.

strawberryblondebint · 21/11/2014 20:18

Yes you are. If she works in the cafe how is she supposed to know where things are on the shop floor. You wouldn't ask the lady on the perfume counter to check stock in menswear. Customers like you are a complete pain to be honest

Yackity · 21/11/2014 20:19

Hmm, too nicely worded, a reverse? And the customer got stroppy?

Cabrinha · 21/11/2014 20:19

Better customer service would have been for her to find a colleague for you.
But come on - she works in the café. She can't magic store plan knowledge out of her arse!
I can't believe you told her she ought to know!!! Rude, I think.
Fine for you to mail the store and suggest all staff get paid shop floor walk around time to learn where everything is.
But YABU to argue the toss with the poor woman! She didn't know.

AttackOfTheKillerHamsters · 21/11/2014 20:19

She didn't work on the shop floor, she works in the cafe. Why would she be able to help you? YABU.

Regressionconfession · 21/11/2014 20:19

Reverse?

BitchPeas · 21/11/2014 20:19

Sweet baby Jesus, are you really that dense OP.

Buttonsofthechockind · 21/11/2014 20:20

We have lots of different departments at my workplace and if someone were to ask me about a different department I wouldn't know either! And would direct the customer to the correct area.

YABU

Perfectlypurple · 21/11/2014 20:20

Someone who works in the cafe all the time won't know about where things are in the main shop

Yabu.

MrsPiggie · 21/11/2014 20:20

You aren't for real now, are you?

TidyDancer · 21/11/2014 20:20

Er yes, YABU. That wasn't her job, and you telling she should be able to help you....well I imagine that probably came off quite rude.

pauline6703 · 21/11/2014 20:20

It is not reasonable to expect someone who works in the cafe to know where all stock is on the shop floor. You ABU to expect her to know where stuff is.

CookieLady · 21/11/2014 20:21

God, let this be a reverse.

feebeecat · 21/11/2014 20:21

Yabu. Would you ask for a cup of tea at the till on shop floor?
She didn't know, didn't work there & pointed you in right direction.

Original poster
jessieisfeelingblue · 21/11/2014 20:21

I don't think I was rude. I tried being nice and polite throughout. She did find someone else to help me in the end btw and I did get what I came in for. So it all worked out I suppose.

OP posts:
Concordial · 21/11/2014 20:22

Yabu.
As she said, she worked in the cafe not the shop floor. Self explanatory really ( to most people).

sleepingdragon · 21/11/2014 20:22

Seriously? You say yourself it is a large store, it would take hours every week to learn where new stock was. Would you expect her to do this in her free time, or for the shop to reduce the number of staff available to serve people while they are learning where stock goes in other departments during working hours??

MrMacadoo · 21/11/2014 20:22

yabu - can you honestly expect someone who works in the cafe of a large department store to know where every single item of stock in that shop could be found? All I would have expected her to do was to take you to someone else who worked on that dept. Tbh if it was obvious she worked in the cafe i wouldn't have even approached her to

Oldraver · 21/11/2014 20:22

I was quite confused by this as she obviously worked there so why wouldn't she know where things were

Because she worked in the cafe ? Is that really so hard to figure out ?

SavoyCabbage · 21/11/2014 20:22

She was right though that you would have been better off asking a member of staff who works on the shop floor. Surely with ever changing stock it would be difficult to ensure that every member of staff knows where every item is.

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 21/11/2014 20:22

Reverse or just plain goady!

LadyLuck10 · 21/11/2014 20:23

It was a brief insignificant moment and you're still dwelling on it. Surely something better to do op?

Sirzy · 21/11/2014 20:23

Yabu to a point BUT when I worked in the cafe of a supermarket I was expected to always find a colleague who could help with a customers enquiry if I was unable to so realistically she should have found someone from that department, or even pointed you in the direction of customer service to help.